Northern Cape 447008 224368606 2008-07-08T15:29:11Z 194.187.135.54 {{otheruses2|North Cape}} {{Northern Cape infobox}} The '''Northern Cape''' is a large, sparsely populated [[Provinces of South Africa|province]] of [[South Africa]], created in [[1994]] when the [[Cape Province]] was split up. Its capital is [[Kimberley, South Africa|Kimberley]]. It includes the [[Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park|Kalahari Gemsbok National Park]], which is part of a trans-frontier park with [[Botswana]]. It also includes the [[Augrabies Falls]] and the diamond mining regions in Kimberley and [[Alexander Bay]]. The [[Namaqualand]] region (in the west) is famous for its Namaqualand daisies. The towns of [[De Aar]] and Colesburg (in the south) are part of the [[Great Karoo]], and are major transport nodes between [[Johannesburg]], [[Cape Town]] and [[Port Elizabeth]]. The [[Orange River]] flows through the province, forming the borders with the [[Free State]] (in the south east) and with [[Namibia]] (to the northwest). It is also used to irrigate the many vineyards near [[Upington]], which is very important in this mostly arid province. [[Kuruman]], in the north-east of the province, is famous as a [[Mission (station)|mission]] station and also for its 'eye'. Northern Cape has the largest percentage of native speakers of [[Afrikaans language|Afrikaans]] of any province of South Africa. ==History== {{main|History of the Northern Cape}} The Northern Cape was one of three provinces carved out of the [[Cape Province]] in 1994, the others being [[Western Cape]] to the south and [[Eastern Cape]] to the southeast. Politically, it had been dominated since 1994 by the ANC. Because of its [[Afrikaans language|Afrikaans]]-speaking majority, ethnic issues are important in the politics of the Northern Cape. For example, it is the site of the controversial [[Orania, Northern Cape|Orania]] settlement, whose leaders have called for a [[Volkstaat]] for the [[Afrikaners|Afrikaner people]] in the province. The Northern Cape is also the home of over 1,000 San who immigrated from [[Namibia]] following the independence of the country; they had served as trackers and scouts for the South African government [[Namibian War of Independence|during the war]], and feared reprisals from their former foes. They were awarded a settlement in [[Platfontein]] in 1999 by the Mandela government. == Geography == :''See also [[List of cities and towns in the Northern Cape]]'' The Northern Cape is South Africa's largest province, and distances between towns are enormous due to its sparse population. Its size is just shy of the size of the [[United States|American]] state of [[Montana]] and slightly larger than that of [[Germany]]. The province is dominated by the [[Karoo]] Basin and consists mostly of sedimentary rocks and some [[Dolerite]] intrusions. The south and south-east of the province is high-lying (1200m-1900m) in the Roggeveld and Nuweveld districts. The west coast is dominated by the [[Namaqualand]] region, famous for its spring flowers. This area is hilly to mountainous and consists of Granites and other [[metamorphic rocks]]. The central areas are generally flat with interspersed salt pans. [[Kimberlite]] intrusions punctuate the Karoo rocks, giving the province its most precious natural resource, [[Diamonds]]. The north is primarily [[Kalahari]] Desert, characterised by parallel red sand dunes and acacia tree dry savanna. Northern Cape has a [[coast|shoreline]] in the west on the [[Atlantic Ocean|South Atlantic Ocean]]. It borders the following areas of Namibia and Botswana: *[[Karas Region|Karas Region, Namibia]] - northwest *[[Hardap Region|Hardap Region, Namibia]] - far northwest *[[Kgalagadi|Kgalagadi District, Botswana]] - north Domestically, it borders the following provinces: *[[North West (South African province)|North West]] - northeast *[[Free State]] - east *[[Eastern Cape]] - southeast *[[Western Cape]] - south [[Image:ZA Northern Cape language.gif|thumb|left|200px|Map showing predominant [[Languages of South Africa|home languages]] in the province.]] == Climate == Mostly arid to semi-arid, few areas in the province receive more than 400mm of rainfall per annum. Rainfall generally increases from west to east. The west experiences most rainfall in winter, while the east receives most of its moisture from late summer thunderstorms. Many areas experience extreme heat, with hottest temperatures in South Africa measured along the Namibian border. Summers maximums are generally 30°C or higher, sometimes higher than 40°C. Winters are usually frosty and clear, with southern areas sometimes becoming bitterly cold, such as [[Sutherland, South Africa|Sutherland]], which often receives snow and temperatures occasionally drop below the -10°C mark. * [[Kimberley, Northern Cape|Kimberley]] averages: January maximum: 33°C (min: 18°C), June maximum: 18°C (min: 3°C), annual precipitation: 414mm * [[Springbok, Northern Cape|Springbok]] averages: January maximum: 30°C (min: 15°C), July maximum: 17°C (min: 7°C), annual precipitation: 195mm * [[Sutherland, Northern Cape|Sutherland]] averages: January maximum: 27°C (min: 9°C), July maximum: 13°C (min: -3°C), annual precipitation: 237mm [[Image:Namaqua park flowers pompes a eau.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Wind mills in Namaqualand, Northern Cape]] == Economy == {{seealso|Northern Cape wine}} Most famous for the diamond mines around Kimberley, the Northern Cape also has a substantial agricultural area around the Orange River, including most of South Africa's sultana vineyards. Some Wine of Origin areas have been demarcated. == Municipalities == The Northern Cape Province is divided into five [[District municipality (South Africa)|district municipalities]], which are subdivided into 27 [[Local municipality (South Africa)|local municipalities]]. *[[Namakwa District Municipality]] **[[Richtersveld Local Municipality]] **[[Nama Khoi Local Municipality]] **[[Kamiesberg Local Municipality]] **[[Hantam Local Municipality]] **[[Karoo Hoogland Local Municipality]] **[[Khâi-Ma Local Municipality]] *[[Pixley ka Seme District Municipality]] **[[Ubuntu Local Municipality]] **[[Umsombomvu Local Municipality]] **[[Emthanjeni Local Municipality]] **[[Kareeberg Local Municipality]] **[[Renosterberg Local Municipality]] **[[Thembelihle Local Municipality]] **[[Siyathemba Local Municipality]] **[[Siyancuma Local Municipality]] *[[Siyanda District Municipality]] **[[Mier Local Municipality]] **[[!Kai! Garib Local Municipality]] **[[//Khara Hais Local Municipality]] **[[!Kheis Local Municipality]] **[[Tsantsabane Local Municipality]] **[[Kgatelopele Local Municipality]] *[[Frances Baard District Municipality]] **[[Sol Plaatje Local Municipality]] **[[Dikgatlong Local Municipality]] **[[Magareng Local Municipality]] **[[Phokwane Local Municipality]] *[[Kgalagadi District Municipality]] **[[Moshaweng Local Municipality]] **[[Ga-Segonyana Local Municipality]] **[[Gamagara Local Municipality]] == External links == *[http://www.northerncape.org.za/ Northern Cape Tourism] *[http://www.northern-cape.gov.za/ NC Provincial Government] {{Northern Cape_province}} {{Provinces_of_South_Africa}} [[Category:Northern Cape Province]] [[Category:Provinces of South Africa]] [[bg:Северен Кейп]] [[af:Noord-Kaap]] [[ar:كيب الشمالية]] [[ca:Cap Septentrional]] [[da:Nord-Kapprovinsen]] [[de:Nordkap (Provinz)]] [[et:Põhja-Kapimaa]] [[es:Provincia Septentrional del Cabo]] [[eo:Norda Kablando]] [[fa:کیپ شمالی]] [[fo:Northern Cape]] [[fr:Cap-du-Nord]] [[id:Northern Cape]] [[it:Provincia del Capo Settentrionale]] [[sw:Rasi ya Kaskazini]] [[la:Promontorium Septemtrionale]] [[lt:Šiaurės Kapas]] [[mk:Северен Кејп]] [[nl:Noord-Kaap]] [[ja:北ケープ州]] [[no:Northern Cape]] [[nn:Northern Cape]] [[nov:Nord Kabe]] [[pl:Prowincja Przylądkowa Północna]] [[pt:Cabo Setentrional]] [[fi:Northern Cape]] [[sv:Norra Kapprovinsen]] [[vo:Nolüdakepiän]] [[zh:北開普省]]