According to abbreviationfinder, Pretoria is a beautiful city, capital of South Africa, located about 50 km from Johannesburg, it is the city where the administrative headquarters of the country is located, in it is located the headquarters of the Executive Power. Its importance is given by being the place where the main universities in South Africa are located, which is why it has become a cosmopolitan and varied city, with an economy based on the industry that are located in the metropolitan area.
History
The Ndebele were the first settlers to settle along the Tshwane River, which was named after one of the Ndebele chiefs. Pretoria was founded in 1855 by Boer hikers and declared the capital of the Republic of South Africa, which was the Boer republic in the Transvaal.
The President of the Republic, Marthinus Pretorius, summoned his father, Andries Pretorius, who had become the national hero of the Voortrekkers after his victory over the Zulu kingdom in a famous battle on the River of Blood. The founding of Pretoria as the capital of the Republic of South Africa on May 1, 1860, marked the end of the movements, from the Boers to Groot Trek to settle.
The Boer republics of the ZAR and the Orange Free State merged with the Cape Colony and Natal Colony in 1910 to become the Union of South Africa. Pretoria then became the administrative capital of the whole of South Africa with Cape Townas the legislative capital. Between 1860 and 1994, the city was also the capital of the Transvaal province.
The 14 of October of 1931, Pretoria, the status of an official city. When South Africa became a republic in 1961, Pretoria remained its administrative capital. Pretoria was held in the so – called ” trial of Rivonia Treason ” (1963 – 1964), who issued the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela, among others. In 1994, the same defendant was sworn in as the first democratically elected President of South Africa.
Geography
Situated between rocky ridges in the northeastern part of the country, Pretoria is located in the transition zone between the tropical savanna (Bushveld) and the Highveld plateau.
Pretoria is located in the northern part of the Gauteng Province, in which it becomes the Metropolitan Municipality of the City of Tshwane
Climate
Pretoria is located in a fertile valley, sheltered by the Magaliesberg hills, its climate is warm with an average of 32 degrees Celsius, it has dry winters, with average temperatures of 20 ° C during the day, falling to about 5 ° C during the night which can reach 0 degrees, being July and August the coldest months.
Summers are hot, with occasional storms during the day the average temperatures are 25 ° to 30 ° C.
The best time to visit the city is in the months of October and November, when the city is adorned by the Jacaranda flowers that stain the streets in purple, giving the city a cozy atmosphere.
Demography
The city’s population is 2,345,908 residents (2007), including the metropolitan area. The most widely spoken languages in the city are Afrikaans, Setswana, English, and Ndebele. See population of South Africa.
Economic development
The main economic activities are: the processing of iron and steel, the automobile industry and the manufacture of machinery, in recent years it has become an interesting tourist destination, where there is no insecurity that there is in Johannesburg. The tourist attractions of the city can be visited on foot, it is also the starting point to visit the Transvaal reserves which is one of the best areas for hunting.
Sightseeing
The places of interest for tourists are its main street, Church Street and the central area of the city located in Church Square, there you can see the imposing statue of Paul Kruger, considered the symbol of Pretoria, the City Hall is also popular for its lane and its 32 bells where tourists usually gather.
Public gardens such as Burgers Park, Princes Park and Springbok Park, as well as the Pretoria Botanical Garden and Zoo, are massively visited by visitors, especially nature lovers.
Pretoria has many museums, among them the Museum of Art, the National Cultural History and Open Air Museum, where samples of prehistoric rock art and the different ethnic groups of South Africa are exhibited. To the south of the city is Fort Klapperkop, a former military base that has been converted into a museum and from where you can see a spectacular panoramic view of Pretoria.
For lovers of water sports, the ideal place to visit is Hartbeespoort Dam, very close to it is a beautiful animal park and a cable car that takes visitors to the top of the Magaliesberg mountain range.
Forty kilometers from Pretoria is the famous Cullinam Mine, where the world’s largest diamond of 3,106 carats was found. Pretoria is a well preserved city and the accommodation options are varied and for all budgets, its nightlife is very active. Although it is true that Pretoria is a quiet city, it should not be trusted, always try to be accompanied.
Gastronomy
As in other major cities in South Africa, Pretoria’s gastronomic specialty is meat, which is preferably roasted. Being such a tourist city, you can find restaurants with the most varied menus and influences that present dishes that are unique in the world, such as zebra, antelope or toasted insects. They make countless vegetable stews with chicken or pork and sweet delicacies, cakes or ice creams prepared with fruits from the region, such as citrus, mango, lychee or pear.
Culture
Pretoria is listed as the most important university city in South Africa. It houses the largest university in the country, the University of Pretoria, the Tshawne University of Technology and the University of South Africa UNISA. Also here is the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. By having all these educational complexes, in the city culture is lived day by day with exhibitions in the universities, talks and all kinds of cultural activities carried out by students or teachers.
Sport
The most popular sport is rugby which is played at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium. Popular teams are the Blue Bulls. When rugby is played the city comes to a standstill. Important championships such as the Rugby World Cup and the 2010 Soccer World Cup have been held.
South Africans are very athletic and have all the necessary infrastructures to play sports throughout the city.
