Northern Cape Property

The Northern Cape suffers from very low rainfall but has a wealth of minerals. Its capital is Kimberley, which is also the diamond capital of South Africa. Upington is the other major city in the Northern Cape and an agricultural centre.

Alluvial diamonds are found on the western side of the province, washed down to the coast by the Orange River, which runs through the northern section and forms the boundary with Namibia. Other minerals found here are iron, copper, asbestos, manganese, fluorspar, semi-precious stones and marble.

Another notable wealth is that of the spring flower explosion in the Nama-Karoo biome, transforming the dry land and sparse scrub of the rest of the year into a festival of colour that attracts visitors from around the world.

Tourists are also attracted to another of nature's wonders, the Augrabies Falls, whose 19 separate falls cascade over a granite plateau, dropping a total of 191m. A pool 43m deep has been gouged out by the force of the water. The falls are on the Orange River within the Augrabies Falls National Park.

The Kalahari Gemsbok National Park is part of the continent's first transfrontier game park, combined with the Gemsbok National Park in Botswana to form the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

The Orange River provides a sizeable strip of fertile soil, noted for its vineyards. Wheat and groundnuts are among the crops of the north-western section of the province. Another important economic activity is sheep farming, particularly karakul, centred on the major town of Upington.

The marine industry is under development in an area that has suffered from a lack of development in the past with the consequent impoverishment of its people.

Climatically, the Northern Cape is characterised by very hot summers and very cold winters.