The administrative capital of South Africa, as well as one of the largest cities in this state, is Pretoria. Where is this settlement, what are its natural features, what kind of people live there, and also the most interesting - how it was formed. Read about all this below.
General information about South Africa
To begin, consider where exactly is South Africa on the world map. This state is located in the southernmost point of the African continent. His domain includes the famous Cape of Good Hope. This is not only one of the most beautiful viewing platforms in the world, but also the intersection of the Indian and Atlantic oceans. 155 km south-east of Good Hope is Cape Igolny - the southernmost point of Africa. Looking at South Africa on a world map, everyone will pay attention to the fact that the country is partially included in the Namibian desert zone. Therefore, gusty winds always blow in the north-west of the republic, and temperature differences have the maximum difference in the region. The east coast is washed by the Indian Ocean, due to which the local climate is mild, tropical, with moderate rainfall. The western shores are a region of gusty winds and hurricanes that come from the Atlantic. Winter is windy and cold, and summer is warm, but not hot. The central part of South Africa is practically not populated, since the terrain there is deserted.
Three capitals
The Republic of South Africa is one of the few states where several capitals are officially recognized at once. Pretoria is the administrative capital, since all representatives of the legislative branch are sitting here. Parliament is located in Cape Town, and court representatives are in Bloemfontein. This state of affairs is explained by the fact that South Africa was previously a confederate country, and various authorities were in different places. After the formation of the South African Union, representatives of previously separate powers began to work together, but did not change their location.
Historical reports
In 1855, a new city officially appeared on our planet - Pretoria. Where he is now, there he was founded almost 150 years ago by Martinus Pretorius, who named him in honor of his father, Andries Pretorius. He, in turn, defeated the Zulus during the Battle of the Bloody River. Five years later, Pretoria became the official capital of the Transvaal Republic (South Africa). During the first and second Anglo-Boer wars, the city was repeatedly besieged. As a result, part of the territories was taken over by England, but the capital remained independent. In 1910, after the unification of the Transvaali, the colony of the Orange River, the colony of Natal and the Cape colony, the city became the administrative capital of the newly formed South Africa, and Cape Town became the legislative capital. Since 2001, Pretoria has also been the center of the province of Tswan.
The physical situation of the city of Pretoria
Where is the administrative capital relative to other cities in South Africa, as well as what landscapes prevail here, now let's try to figure it out. Firstly, the city is located in the north-eastern part of the state and has no access to the sea. 55 kilometers from it in the southwest is Johannesburg - the closest major neighbor of the capital. From the point of view of geography, Pretoria is, as it were, in the corridor between the southern plateau of High Velda and the northern, lower plateau of Shrubbery Velda. It is also noteworthy that the city is located in a warm valley at an altitude of 1,339 meters above sea level. It is surrounded by the Magalisberg Range, which protects it from winds and hurricanes that can come from the desert or from the ocean.
Weather in the city
Due to the fact that the city of Pretoria is located in a zone protected by mountains, a very mild and warm climate has been established here. The air masses are mostly tropical, which means long warm summers and very short, wet, but not frosty winters. The hottest month is February, when the temperature can rise to +30 or even more. During this period, a lot of rain falls, but they are all strong and short-lived. The coldest month is July. During this period, the temperature drops to the level of –1 Celsius. Very rarely (literally three times a century, as was recorded), snow will fall. But he immediately melts because the earth is very warm.
Population and languages
We all know very well that even after Great Britain colonized the southern regions of Africa, representatives of the black race still live in these territories to a greater extent. But Pretoria in this regard is very different from the main part of the state. Here more than 57 percent of the population are white people. Basically, they all live in the city center, where the level of urbanization reaches its maximum. Closer to the outskirts and suburbs, of course, the natives of these lands settle. In Pretoria, as in all of South Africa, Afrikaans is considered the official language. However, the inhabitants of the capital perfectly understand English, and are also familiar with many local dialects, among which there are Sesotho, Pedi, Zulu and many others.
General picture of the city
Nowadays, some people are often confused with which city - Pretoria or Canberra - is located in Africa. We immediately note that Canberra is located in Australia and is its only official capital. Pretoria is no less large and developed city, which dominates in South Africa. In fact, it is not so difficult to confuse. Despite the fact that Africa is considered the poorest continent of the planet, the cities of its south have greatly succeeded in industry. Because they are teeming with skyscrapers, wide highways, chic parks and theaters, recreation areas and night clubs. Now upon arrival there, it really seems as if you are in Australia or in America, where all the buildings, all the streets and details are mega-modern.
Afterword
We briefly examined what the city of Pretoria is all about. Where is it located relative to other settlements in South Africa, that is, what is its geographical location, what climate and weather are there. They also learned what people inhabit the capital of the republic, what languages they speak and what history they can boast of. If you want to get to know the city closer, come personally!