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Limpopo is one
of nine provinces in South Africa. It was formed
after the first free elections in 1994 from the northern region of the
former Transvaal. Initially called the
Northern Transvaal it was renamed the Northern Province
the next near. In 2003 the name was changed again to
that of its most important river found along the
border with Zimbabwe.
Limpopo is located in the northeast of South
Africa, sharing borders with Botswana on its west,
Zimbabwe in the north and Mozambique on its east. It
covers an area of 123,900km².
The population of nearly 5.5 million is 97%
Black and 2.5% White. The population of Limpopo
consists of several ethnic groups, distinguished
largely by their first language. The
Northern Sotho
(including Pedi) make up the largest proportion
(57%), followed by Tsonga (including Shangaan)
speakers (23%) and Venda (12%). Afrikaans speakers
are less than 3% and English speakers less than 0.5%
(although many more will speak English as a second
or third language).
The major cities and towns in Limpopo are
Bela-Bela, Lephalale Makhado, Modimolle, Mokopane, Musina,
Phalaborwa, Polokwane, Thabazimbi, Thohoyandou and
Tzaneen.
Polokwane is the capital of the Limpopo
Province.
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Related pages
Bela-Bela, Lephalale
Makhado, Modimolle, Mokopane,
Musina, Phalaborwa, Polokwane,
Thabazimbi, Thohoyandou, Tzaneen
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Limpopo is renowned for its hot (27ºC) yet
pleasant summers (October to March) with brief
afternoon showers, and its dry winters (May to
September).
The Kruger
National Park, the biggest in South
Africa, is a national wildlife "jewel in the
crown." For centuries, the land between the
Sabie and Crocodile Rivers was no more than
a vast tract of African savannah.
The Makapansgat Valley is found
south of
Polokwane in the Strydpoort Mountain
range. This valley with its numerous caves
is a National monument that links directly
with the history at the Cradle of Humankind.
Mapungubwe
is truly one of the most remarkable areas in
the Limpopo. Situated at the confluence of
the Shashi and Limpopo Rivers, it forms the
centre of a new transfrontier park, giving
space so urgently needed for the free
roaming
elephants in southern Botswana.
Sleeping peacefully in the heart of the
Lobedu mountains near Duivelskloof is the
ancestral home of Queen Modjadji V – the
Rain Queen.
No tree in South Africa embodies the
spirit of Africa more than the
baobab -
truly an icon of the Limpopo. Another phenomena related to this area
are the unique cycad forest situated just
above the royal enclosure of Modjadji. This
is the largest growth of a single cycad
species, Encephalartos transvenosis,
in the world.
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