Since the election of 27 April 1994, South Africa has been divided into nine provinces. They vary widely in size, from the Northern Cape, which covers nearly one-third of the country's land area, to Gauteng, which takes up a mere 1.5%.
Rank | Province | Area (km2) [1] | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Northern Cape | 372,889 | 30.5 |
2 | Eastern Cape | 168,966 | 13.8 |
3 | Free State | 129,825 | 10.6 |
4 | Western Cape | 129,462 | 10.6 |
5 | Limpopo | 125,755 | 10.2 |
6 | North West | 104,882 | 8.6 |
7 | KwaZulu-Natal | 94,361 | 7.7 |
8 | Mpumalanga | 76,495 | 6.3 |
9 | Gauteng | 18,178 | 1.5 |
South Africa | 1,220,813 | 100.0 |
The Prince Edward Islands, which are considered part of the Western Cape for legal purposes but are administered by the national Department of Environmental Affairs, are not included in this table; they have surface areas of 290 km2 (Marion Island) and 45 km2 (Prince Edward Island). [2]
The provincial borders have changed twice since 1994: once on 1 March 2006, when all provinces except the Free State and the Western Cape were affected; and once on 3 April 2009, when only the Gauteng–North West border was altered.
Province | 1994–2006 [3] (km2) | Percentage | 2006–2009 [4] (km2) | Percentage | 2009–present [1] (km2) | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northern Cape | 361,830 | 29.7 | 372,889 | 30.5 | 372,889 | 30.5 |
Eastern Cape | 169,580 | 13.9 | 168,966 | 13.8 | 168,966 | 13.8 |
Free State | 129,480 | 10.6 | 129,825 | 10.6 | 129,825 | 10.6 |
Western Cape | 129,370 | 10.6 | 129,462 | 10.6 | 129,462 | 10.6 |
Limpopo | 123,910 | 10.2 | 125,755 | 10.2 | 125,755 | 10.2 |
North West | 116,320 | 9.5 | 106,512 | 8.7 | 104,882 | 8.6 |
KwaZulu-Natal | 92,100 | 7.6 | 94,361 | 7.7 | 94,361 | 7.7 |
Mpumalanga | 79,490 | 6.5 | 76,495 | 6.3 | 76,495 | 6.3 |
Gauteng | 17,010 | 1.4 | 16,548 | 1.4 | 18,178 | 1.5 |
South Africa | 1,219,090 | 100.0 | 1,220,813 | 100.0 | 1,220,813 | 100.0 |
The pre-2006 figures are based on a less accurate calculation, and therefore the total is different from that for the post-2006 figures.
South Africa is divided into nine provinces. On the eve of the 1994 general election, South Africa's former homelands, known as Bantustans, were reintegrated into the country, and the four provinces were increased to nine by dividing Cape Province and the Transvaal into three and four, respectively. The twelfth, thirteenth and sixteenth amendments to the Constitution of South Africa changed the borders of seven of the provinces.
South Africa occupies the southern tip of Africa, its coastline stretching more than 2,850 kilometres from the desert border with Namibia on the Atlantic (western) coast southwards around the tip of Africa and then northeast to the border with Mozambique on the Indian (eastern) coast. The low-lying coastal zone is narrow for much of that distance, soon giving way to a mountainous escarpment that separates the coast from the high inland plateau. In some places, notably the province of KwaZulu-Natal in the east, a greater distance separates the coast from the escarpment. Although much of the country is classified as semi-arid, it has considerable variation in climate as well as topography. The total land area is 1,220,813 km2 (471,359 sq mi). It has the 23rd largest Exclusive Economic Zone of 1,535,538 km2 (592,875 sq mi).
The Province of the Transvaal, commonly referred to as the Transvaal, was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994, when a new constitution subdivided it following the end of apartheid. The name "Transvaal" refers to the province's geographical location to the north of the Vaal River. Its capital was Pretoria, which was also the country's executive capital.
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa.
The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of 129,449 square kilometres (49,981 sq mi), and the third most populous, with an estimated 7 million inhabitants in 2020. About two-thirds of these inhabitants live in the metropolitan area of Cape Town, which is also the provincial capital. The Western Cape was created in 1994 from part of the former Cape Province. The two largest cities are Cape Town and George.
Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. It is named after the Limpopo River, which forms the province's western and northern borders. The capital and largest city in the province is Polokwane, while the provincial legislature is situated in Lebowakgomo.
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South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) of coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; and to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini. It also completely enclaves the country Lesotho. It is the southernmost country on the mainland of the Old World, and the second-most populous country located entirely south of the equator, after Tanzania. South Africa is a biodiversity hotspot, with unique biomes, plant and animal life. With over 62 million people, the country is the world's 23rd-most populous nation and covers an area of 1,221,037 square kilometres. Pretoria is the administrative capital, while Cape Town, as the seat of Parliament, is the legislative capital. Bloemfontein has traditionally been regarded as the judicial capital. The largest city, and site of highest court is Johannesburg.
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