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history of bloemfontein

Bloemfontein's name was derived from the large number of flowers that grew around an old fountain
on a farm which belonged to a Voortrekker Johannes Nicolaas Brits. Bloemfontein is also called "The City of Roses" - because of the many different spesies of roses that one can find in Bloemfontein.

bloemfontein statistics

* Bloemfontein is the 6th largest city in South Africa.

* Total length of Bloemfontein streets is app. 1 736km.

* Bloemfontein has the largest variety of trees in the country, while app. 3 000 new trees are planted annually.

* Language spoken in Free State are Afrikaans, English and South Sotho.

* Greater Bloemfontein covers an area of 46 550 hectares, while population are 500 000 residents.

* Geographical location, 29 degrees S lat. 26 degrees E long.

* Summer rainfall = 600 millimetres per annum.

ree state the heart of south africa

This is South Africa's geographical heart. Between the Vaal and Orange River the province of the
Free State is formed. The soil is rich to produce thriving agricultural industries of dairy, wheat,
maize, cattle and sheep farming.
Known as South Africa's "bread basket" , the earth of the Free State is cultivated by more than
30 000 farms to produce over 70% of SA's grain consumption. The most productive gold and
diamond minds in the world, are here.

Free State is devided in 4 areas: Northern Free State, Eastern Free State, Goldfields and
Transgariep.

northern free state
This area is south of the Vaal River, with surrounding hilly grasslands replete with livestock and
maize farms. The Vaal Dam is known as the Highveld's inland sea, and 300 square km's. Also
known as a yachting mecca.

eastern free state
The place of the high-fliers soaring and falling - raptors. The Drakensberg and Maluti Rangers
peer over Free State to the left and Lesotho to the right. Here the Golden Gate Highlands National
Park is situated.

goldfields
A borehole was sunk in search for water, on April 1938. It struck lava, not water and it was bigger
than imagined. The source was a deep-flowing source of gold ore. Then the gold rush started.

transgariep
This was first called the "Garib (great river). Later named by the settlers to "Orange", who had
orange in their flag and saw a murky, liquid gold of this 2000km long water source. Bloemfontein
is situated in this area of the Free State.

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