Northern+Transvaal

Northern Transvaal, referred today as Limpopo, is a one the three regions that makes up the Transvaal Providence. It is the area with the highest poverty rate and is most tribal in South Africa. The region is divided into five districts: The Capricorn, Monpani, Sekhuhune, Vhembe, and Waterberg Districts. The five have 24 municipalities within in total.

Northern Transvaal started its existence as a part of a unified Transvaal Providence. However, after the collapse of apartheid in 1994, the providence shattered into four portions: Northern, Eastern, Western, and Southern Transvaal. Northern Transvaal was then renamed to Northern Province in 1995 and renamed again to Limpopo in 2003. The second renaming was a homage to the most important river in the area, the Limpopo River.

Today, despite the noticeable poverty, the economy of Northern Transvaal is improving significantly. Tourism has been huge for the area’s economy. For example, the majority of hunting for sport in South Africa occurs in Northern Transvaal. Another notable example is the Sunland Baobab, a popular pub that inside a millennium-old hollowed-out baobab tree. The region has also found success in the mining industry, as it has the largest deposit of platinum in all of South Africa.