Everything about Limpopo totally explained
Limpopo is the northernmost
province of
South Africa. The capital is
Polokwane, former called
Pietersburg. The province was formed from the northern region of the
Transvaal province in 1994, and initially named
Northern Transvaal. The following year, it was renamed
Northern Province, which remained the name until
11 June 2003, when the name of the province was formally
changed to the name of its
most important river, on the border with
Zimbabwe and
Botswana, after deliberation by the provincial government. Another notable consideration for the name was
Mapungubwe, the area where the most ancient
gold-using civilisation of the province was discovered a few years earlier.
97.3% of the population is
Black, 2.4% is
White, 0.2% is
Coloured, and 0.1% is
Indian/
Asian. The most common spoken languages are
Tsonga,
Northern Sotho (
Sepedi),
Venda and
Afrikaans.
Law and government
The current premier of Limpopo province is
Sello Moloto of the
African National Congress.
Population
The population of Limpopo consists of several ethnic groups distinguished by culture, language and race. The Northern Sotho (Sepedi) make up the largest number, being nearly 57%. The Tsonga (Shangaan) speakers comprise 23% while the Venda make up 12%. Afrikaans speakers make up 2.6% while
English-speaking whites are less than half a per cent.
Within the borders of the province are the four previous administrations which were created during the
apartheid era: Lebowa, Gazankulu, Venda and Transvaal Administration
Geography
Limpopo Province shares international borders with districts and provinces of three countries:
Botswana's Central and
Kgatleng districts to the west and north-west respectively,
Zimbabwe's Matabeleland South and
Masvingo provinces to the north and northeast respectively, and
Mozambique's Gaza Province to the east. The province is the link between South Africa and countries further afield in sub-Saharan Africa. On its southern flank from east to west, the province shares borders with
Mpumalanga,
Gauteng, and
North West. Its border with Gauteng includes that province's Johannesburg-Pretoria axis, the most industrious metropole on the continent. Thus the province is placed at the centre of regional, national, and international developing markets.
The province has excellent road, rail, and air links. The N1 route from Johannesburg, which extends the length of the province, is the busiest overland route in Africa in terms of cross-border trade in raw materials and beneficiated goods. The port of
Durban, Africa’s busiest, is served directly by the province, as are the ports of
Richards Bay and
Maputo. The Gateway International Airport is situated in Polokwane, the capital of the province.
The province contains much of the
Waterberg Biosphere, a
UNESCO designated
Biosphere Reserve. The Waterberg Biosphere, a
massif of approximately 15,000 square kilometers, is the first region in the northern part of South Africa to be named as a
Biosphere Reserve by
UNESCO. The massif was shaped by hundreds of millions of years of riverine erosion to yield diverse bluff and
butte landform. The Waterberg ecosystem can be characterised as a
dry deciduous forest or
Bushveld. Within the Waterberg there are
archaeological finds dating to the
Stone Age, and nearby are early
evolutionary finds related to the origin of
humans.
Municipalities
Limpopo Province is divided into five municipal districts, subdivided in 24 local municipalities:
Further Information
Get more info on 'Limpopo'.
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