Mpumalanga

Location Name

Mpumalanga

Description

Location: Province in northeastern South Africa.

Motto: Omnia labor vincit (Latin for ‘Work conquers all’).

Capital: Mbombela (previously Nelspruit).

Municipalities: Mpumalanga has not metropolitan municipalities. Three district municipalities, which are further subdivided into 17 local municipalities.

Principal languages: Siswati 29%, isiZulu 29%, Xitsonga 10%, isiNdebele 10%.

Population: 4 720 497.

Surface area: 76 495 km2.

Environment: The Highveld plateau in the west, the Drakensberg mountains in the east, the Lowveld in the northeast.

Economy: Extensive mining of a variety of minerals. Accounts for about 80% of South Africa’s coal production. Coal power stations close to the coal deposits. The other major urban centre in the province, Witbank, and the associated local municipality was renamed eMalahleni, meaning ‘place of coal’. Some large-scale manufacturing, particularly chrome-alloy and steel. Most of the land area is used for agriculture and the province is a noticeable supplier of fruit and vegetables for local and international markets. Localised forestry – Ngodwana is the site of one of Sappi’s paper mills. Attractive tourist destination due to its scenic beauty.

Notable features/Interesting information: The Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains (UNESCO World Heritage Site) contains 40% of the Barberton Greenstone Belt, one of the world’s oldest geological structures. Africa’s oldest Iron Age artworks south of the equator, the Lydenburg Heads (from around 500 CE), were found in Mpumalanga.

Previous name: Incorporates the former homelands KaNgwane, KwaNdebele, and parts of Lebowa and Gazankulu, and the Eastern Transvaal. Officially renamed in 1995. Mpumalanga means ‘Place where the sun rises’ in the Nguni languages (Siswati, isiZulu, isiNdebele, and isiZulu).

Official website: https://www.mpg.gov.za/.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mpumalanga

https://municipalities.co.za/provinces/view/6/mpumalanga

https://www.britannica.com/place/Mpumalanga

https://www.gov.za/about-sa/south-africas-provinces

Administrative Level

Province

Province

Mpumalanga