Beitbridge, South Africa

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Beitbridge
Beitbrug
South Africa Limpopo location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Beitbridge
South Africa adm location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Beitbridge
Coordinates: 22°13′52″S29°59′13″E / 22.231°S 29.987°E / -22.231; 29.987
Country South Africa
Province Limpopo
District Vhembe
Municipality Musina
Area
[1]
  Total0.94 km2 (0.36 sq mi)
Population
 (2011) [1]
  Total1,001
  Density1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[1]
   Black African 97.2%
   Coloured 0.9%
   Indian/Asian 0.6%
   White 1.0%
  Other0.3%
First languages (2011)
[1]
   Venda 45.5%
   Northern Sotho 32.7%
   English 10.0%
   Afrikaans 6.4%
  Other5.5%
Time zone UTC+2 (SAST)
Area code 015

Beitbridge (Afrikaans : Beitbrug) is a town in Musina Local Municipality in the Limpopo province of South Africa.

Beitbridge is a border crossing on the Limpopo River, [2] located just south of Beitbridge in Zimbabwe. It is the busiest border post in the region, handling as many as 500 trucks each day. [3] The bridge was named the Alfred Beit Road Bridge, after mining financier Alfred Beit, who provided funds for its construction. [4]

Climate

Beitbridge has a hot desert climate (Köppen: BWh).

Climate data for Beitbridge
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Daily mean °C (°F)27.4
(81.3)
26.9
(80.4)
25.7
(78.3)
23.4
(74.1)
19.8
(67.6)
16.7
(62.1)
16.7
(62.1)
19.0
(66.2)
22.4
(72.3)
25.3
(77.5)
26.2
(79.2)
26.8
(80.2)
23.0
(73.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches)70
(2.8)
56
(2.2)
31
(1.2)
22
(0.9)
7
(0.3)
4
(0.2)
1
(0.0)
1
(0.0)
7
(0.3)
24
(0.9)
49
(1.9)
61
(2.4)
333
(13.1)
Source: Climate-Data.org [5]

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The Limpopo River rises in South Africa and flows generally eastward through Mozambique to the Indian Ocean. The term Limpopo is derived from Rivombo (Livombo/Lebombo), a group of Tsonga settlers led by Hosi Rivombo who settled in the mountainous vicinity and named the area after their leader. The river has been called Vhembe by local Venda communities of the area where now that name has been adopted by the South African government as its District Municipality in the north, a name that was also suggested in 2002 as a possible name to be adopted for the Province but was voted against. The river is approximately 1,750 kilometres (1,087 mi) long, with a drainage basin 415,000 square kilometres (160,200 sq mi) in size. The mean discharge measured over a year is 170 m3 per second at its mouth. The Limpopo is the second largest river in Africa that drains to the Indian Ocean, after the Zambezi River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kruger National Park</span> First national park in South Africa

Kruger National Park is a South African National Park and one of the largest game reserves in Africa. It covers an area of 19,623 km2 (7,576 sq mi) in the provinces of Limpopo and Mpumalanga in northeastern South Africa, and extends 360 km (220 mi) from north to south and 65 km (40 mi) from east to west. The administrative headquarters are in Skukuza. Areas of the park were first protected by the government of the South African Republic in 1898, and it became South Africa's first national park in 1926.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">N1 (South Africa)</span> National road in South Africa

The N1 is a national route in South Africa that runs from Cape Town through Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Polokwane to Beit Bridge on the border with Zimbabwe. It forms the first section of the famed Cape to Cairo Road.

Musina, also known as Messina, is the northernmost town in the Limpopo province of South Africa. It is located near the confluence of the Limpopo River with the Sand River and the border to Zimbabwe with a population of between 20,000 and 40,000. Iron ore, coal, magnetite, graphite, asbestos, diamonds, semi-precious stones and copper are mined in the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beitbridge</span> Town in Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe

Beitbridge is a border town in the province of Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe. The name also refers to the border post and bridge spanning the Limpopo River, which forms the political border between South Africa and Zimbabwe. The border on the South African side of the river is also named Beitbridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vhembe District Municipality</span> District municipality in Limpopo, South Africa

The Vhembe District Municipality is one of the 5 districts of the Limpopo province of South Africa. It is the northernmost district of the country and shares its northern border with the Beitbridge District in Zimbabwe and on the east with the Gaza Province in Mozambique. Vhembe consists of all the territories that were part of the former Venda Bantustan; however, two large densely populated districts of the former Tsonga homeland of Gazankulu, in particular, Hlanganani and Malamulele, were also incorporated into the municipality, hence the ethnic diversity of the district. The seat is Thohoyandou, the capital of the former Venda Bantustan. According to 2011 census, the majority of the municipality's 800,000 inhabitants spoke TshiVenda as their mother language, while 400,000 spoke Xitsonga as their home language. However, the Tsonga people form the majority south of the Levubu River, while the Venda are the minority south of Levubu at 15%. The Sepedi speakers number 27,000. The district code is DC34.

The Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway (BBR) is a privately owned railway company that provides a rail link in Zimbabwe between Beitbridge at the South African border and Zimbabwe's second city Bulawayo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mzingwane River</span> River in Zimbabwe

The Mzingwane River, formerly known Umzingwane River as or Umzingwani River is a major left-bank tributary of the Limpopo River in Zimbabwe. It rises near Fort Usher, Matobo District, south of Bulawayo and flows into the Limpopo River near Beitbridge, downstream of the mouth of the Shashe River and upstream of the mouth of the Bubye River.

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New Limpopo Bridge (Pvt) Ltd., is a private company, incorporated and registered in Zimbabwe, and is a subsidiary of NLPI Ltd, an investment holding company whose main investment focus is infrastructure projects in Africa. Under a build–operate–transfer (BOT) concession agreement—one of the first BOT schemes in Africa—New Limpopo Bridge (Pvt) Ltd constructed the Alfred Beit Road Bridge over the Limpopo River between Musina, South Africa, and Beitbridge, Zimbabwe, in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A4 road (Zimbabwe)</span> Road in Zimbabwe

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bubye River</span> River in Zimbabwe

The Bubye River, also known as Bubi River, is a tributary of the Limpopo River in Beitbridge District and Gwanda District, Zimbabwe. It rises about 40 kilometres (25 mi) to the northeast of West Nicholson in Matabeleland South, from where it flows southeast before joining the Limpopo about 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of the border with Mozambique. Its course forms part of the border between Mberengwa and Mwenezi districts.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">South African Class 35-000</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfred Beit Road Bridge</span> Bridge in Between Musina in South Africa and Beitbridge in Zimbabwe.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Africa–Zimbabwe border</span> International border

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Beitbridge". Census 2011.
  2. South Africa. Rough Guides. 2002. p. 739. ISBN   978-1-85828-853-6 . Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  3. Supee Teravaninthorn; Gaël Raballand (2009). Transport Prices and Costs in Africa: A Review of the Main International Corridors. World Bank Publications. p. 33. ISBN   978-0-8213-7655-3 . Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  4. "Beitbridge, Limpopo". SA Travel Directory. Archived from the original on 4 January 2014. Retrieved 4 January 2014.
  5. "Climate: Beitbridge". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 13 April 2014.