Pretoria where is it? Pretoria is the capital of South Africa

The administrative capital of South Africa, as well as one of the largest cities of this state, is Pretoria. Where is this locality, what are its natural features, what kind of people live there, and also the most interesting - how it was formed. Read all about this below.

General information about South Africa

First, let's look at where exactly South Africa is on the world map. This state is located in the southernmost point of the African continent. In his possession is the famous Cape of Good Hope. It is not only one of the most beautiful viewing platforms in the world, but also a place of intersection of the Indian and Atlantic oceans. In 155 km southeast of Good Hope is Cape Agulh - the most southern point of Africa. Considering South Africa on the world map, everyone will pay attention to the fact that the country partially enters the desert zone of Namibia. Therefore, in the north-west of the republic gusty winds always blow, and the temperature differences have the maximum difference in the region. The eastern coast is washed by the Indian Ocean, due to which the local climate is mild, tropical, with a moderate amount of precipitation. The western shores are a region of gusty winds and hurricanes that come from the Atlantic. Winter here is windy and cold, and summer is warm, but not hot. The central part of South Africa is practically uninhabited, as the area is deserted.

Three capitals

South Africa is one of the few states where several capitals are officially recognized. Pretoria is the administrative capital, since all the representatives of the legislative power sit here. The parliament is located in Cape Town, and judicial representatives in Bloemfontein. This state of affairs is explained by the fact that earlier South Africa was a confederative 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 summaries

In 1855, a new city 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 Republic of Transvaal (South Africa). During the first and second Anglo-Boer wars, the city was repeatedly besieged. As a result, part of the territories went to the domain of England, but the capital was still independent. In 1910, after the unification of Transvaal, 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 - the legislative one. Since 2001, Pretoria is also the center of the province of Zwane.

Physical condition of Pretoria

Where the administrative capital is located relative to other cities in South Africa, and what landscapes prevail here, 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 to the south-west is Johannesburg, the nearest major neighbor of the capital. In terms of geography, Pretoria is located, as it were, in the corridor between the southern plateau of High Veld and the northern lower plateau of the Shrub Weld. 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 Ridge, which protects it from winds and hurricanes that can come from both the desert and the ocean.

Weather in the city

Due to the fact that the city of Pretoria is located in a protected area by mountains, a very mild and warm climate was established here. The air masses are mostly tropical, which means a long warm summer and a very short, wet but not frosty winter. The hottest month is February, when the temperature can rise to +30 and even more. During this period, a lot of rains fall, but they are all strong and short-lived. The coldest month is July. During this period, the temperature drops to -1 Celsius. Snow will fall very rarely (literally three times a century, as it was fixed). But it melts immediately because the earth is very warm.

Population and languages

We all know perfectly well that even after the colonization by the UK of the southern regions of Africa, representatives of the black race still live in these territories to a greater extent. But Pretoria in this respect 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 a maximum. Closer to the outskirts and suburbs, of course, the aborigines of these lands settle. In Pretoria, as in all of South Africa, the official language is Afrikaans. However, the metropolitan residents perfectly understand English, and also are familiar with a lot of local dialects, including Sesotho, Pedi, Zulu and many others.

General picture of the city

Nowadays, some people are often confused with what kind of city - Pretoria or Canberra - in Africa is located. Immediately highlight that Canberra is in Australia and is its only official capital. Pretoria is also a large and developed city, which dominates in South Africa. Actually, 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 swarm with skyscrapers, wide highways, chic parks and theaters, recreation areas and nightclubs. Now, when you arrive there, you really get the impression that you are in Australia or in America, where all the buildings are, all the streets and details are megacrafts.

Afterword

We briefly considered what the city of Pretoria is. Where is it relative to other settlements in South Africa, that is, what is its geographical location, what is the climate and weather there. Also learned which people inhabit the capital of the republic, what languages they speak and what history they can boast. If you want to get to know the city better, come personally!