- published: 09 May 2012
- views: 8168
- author: hoosiertim
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- 2007 Super 14 season
- 2009 IPL
- 2009 Super 14 season
- 2010 FIFA World Cup
- 2010 Super 14 season
- Above mean sea level
- Abuja
- Accra
- Addis Ababa
- AFB Swartkop
- AFB Waterkloof
- African Window
- Afrikaans
- Afrikaans language
- Afrikaner
- Algiers
- Amman
- Andries Pretorius
- Anglo-Boer War
- Antananarivo
- Apartheid
- Art Deco
- Asian South African
- Asmara
- Atteridgeville
- Austin Roberts
- Azerbaijan
- Baku
- Bamako
- Bangui
- Banjul
- Bethlehem
- Bissau
- Black African
- Bloemfontein
- Blue Bulls
- Boer Wars
- Brazzaville
- Bronkhorstspruit
- Bujumbura
- Bulls (rugby)
- Bushveld
- Cairo
- Cape Colony
- Cape Town
- Capital (political)
- Carletonville
- Centurion, Gauteng
- Chief Tshwane
- Coloured
- Commons category
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- Delft
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- DJ Mujava
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- Dodoma
- English language
- First Boer War
- First language
- Flag of Pretoria
- Freetown
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- Harare
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- Hatfield, Pretoria
- Hegemony
- Heidelberg, Gauteng
- Highveld
- Hillview High School
- Hoërskool Eldoraigne
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- I Am the Walrus
- Indian South African
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- Mamelodi Sundowns
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-
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the center of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos, which is still the country's most populous city. At the 2006 census, the city of Abuja had a population of 778,567, making it one of the top ten most populous cities in Nigeria.
Abuja's geography is defined by Aso Rock, a 400-metre monolith left by water erosion. The Presidential Complex, National Assembly, Supreme Court and much of the town extend to the south of the rock.
Other sights include the Nigerian National Mosque and the Nigerian National Christian Centre. The city is served by the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, while Zuma Rock lies nearby. Abuja is known for being the best purpose-built city in Africa as well as being one of the wealthiest and most expensive; however, the population on the semi-developed edges of the city are living in rural areas such as Karu, Nasarawa State.
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Accra
Accra /əˈkrɑː/ is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an estimated urban population of 2,291,352 as of 2012[update]. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous. Accra is furthermore the anchor of a larger metropolitan area, the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), which is home to about 4 million people, making it the largest metropolitan conglomeration in Ghana by population, and the eleventh-largest metropolitan area in Africa.
Accra stretches along the Ghanaian Atlantic coast and extends north into the country's interior. Originally built around a port, it served as the capital of the British-ruled Gold Coast between 1877 and 1957. Once merely a 19th-century suburb of Victoriaborg, Accra has since transitioned into a modern metropolis; the city's architecture reflects this history, ranging from 19th-century British colonial buildings to modern skyscrapers and apartment blocks.
Accra is Ghana's primate city, serving as the nation's economic and administrative hub. It is furthermore a centre of culture and tourism, sporting a wide range of nightclubs, restaurants and hotels. Since the early 1990s, a number of new buildings have been built, including the multi-storey French-owned Novotel hotel. The city's National Theatre was built with Chinese assistance. In 2010, the GaWC designated Accra a Gamma-minus-level world city, indicating a growing level of international influence and connectedness.
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Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa (sometimes spelled Addis Abeba, the spelling used by the official Ethiopian Mapping Authority) is the capital city of Ethiopia. (In Ethiopian languages: Amharic, Addis Abäba [ad�?i�?s aβəβa] "new flower"; Oromo, Finfinne;Ge'ez ኣዲ�?� ኣበባ) It is the largest city in Ethiopia, with a population of 3,384,569 according to the 2007 population census.
As a chartered city (ras gez astedader), Addis Ababa has the status of both a city and a state. It is where the African Union and its predecessor the OAU are based. It also hosts the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and numerous other continental and international organizations. Addis Ababa is therefore often referred to as "the political capital of Africa", due to its historical, diplomatic and political significance for the continent. The city is populated by people from different regions of Ethiopia – the country has as many as 80 nationalities speaking 80 languages and belonging to a wide variety of religious communities. It is home to Addis Ababa University. The Federation of African Societies of Chemistry (FASC) and Horn of Africa Press Institute (HAPI) are also headquartered in Addis Ababa.
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AFB Swartkop
AFB Swartkop (ICAO: FASK) is an air force base in South Africa. It is managed as part of AFB Waterkloof and houses one of the three branches of the South African Air Force Museum. The name of the air force base, Swartkop means Black hill in Afrikaans.
AFB Swartkop is located in the town Centurion (previously Verwoerdburg) in the Gauteng Province of South Africa, between Pretoria and Midrand (Johannesburg), which is a part of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.
In April 1921 Zwartkop (which was a farm at the time) was acquired to build the airfield. The SAAF claims Swartkop is the second oldest airstation in the world and the oldest operational airstation in the world.
The Chief of the South African Air Force opened the relocated SAAF Museum at AFB Swartkop in 1993.
Over the years many distinguished Squadrons have been based at Swartkop. This includes 26 Squadron SAAF which was formed there on 24 August 1942.
The South African Air Force Memorial is located at Swartkop. It contains an honour roll of SAAF personnel who have been killed on duty as well as a memorial to personnel of all nations that died during the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in South Africa.
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AFB Waterkloof
Air Force Base Waterkloof (ICAO: FAWK) is an airbase of the South African Air Force. It is situated on the outskirts of Pretoria, and is the SAAF's busiest airbase. The base's name, Waterkloof, is Afrikaans, it means Water Ravine in English. Despite the name, this base is not located in Waterkloof, Pretoria, but lies to the south of Pretoria, 4.34 nmi (8.04 km) to the northeast of Centurion, Gauteng, and 3.37 nmi (6.24 km) from AFB Swartkop at 25°49′48″S 28°13′21″E / 25.83°S 28.2225°E / -25.83; 28.2225Coordinates: 25°49′48″S 28°13′21″E / 25.83°S 28.2225°E / -25.83; 28.2225 with elevation of 1506 metres (4940 ft).
The base motto is Acquirit Qui Tuetur (He Obtains Who Defends).
The base was officially opened on 1 August 1938 as Waterkloof Air Station. Since that time it has always been in the service of the SAAF. It was upgraded to Air Force Base during WWII.
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Algiers
Algiers (Arabic: الجزائر, al-Jazā’ir; Algerian Arabic: دزاير, Berber: Dzayer / ⴷⵣⴰⵢⴻⵔ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000. An estimate puts the population at about 3,574,000 as of 2010.
Called El-Behdja (البهجة) or alternatively Alger la Blanche ("Algiers the White") for the glistening white of its buildings as seen rising up from the sea, Algiers is situated on the west side of a bay of the Mediterranean Sea. The modern part of the city is built on the level ground by the seashore; the old part, the ancient city of the deys, climbs the steep hill behind the modern town and is crowned by the casbah or citadel, 122 metres (400 ft) above the sea. The casbah and the two quays form a triangle.
The city name is derived (via French Alger and Catalan Alger) from the Arabic name الجزائر al-Jazā’ir, which translates as "The Islands", referring to the four islands which lay off the city's coast until becoming part of the mainland in 1525. Al-Jazā’ir is itself a truncated form of the city's older name جزائر بني مازغان Jazā’ir Banī Mazghannā, "The Islands of the Sons of Mazghanna", used by early medieval geographers such as al-Idrisi and Yaqut al-Hamawi.
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Amman
Amman (Arabic: عمان
/ɑːˈmɑːn/; ʿAmmān; Rabat Ammon) is the capital and largest city of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost 6.5 million by 2025 due to constant and rapid immigration. The recent economic growth experienced in Amman is unmatched by any other Arab city except those located in the Gulf. Amman is also the administrative seat of the homonymous governorate. Amman is also ranked a Gamma global city on the World city index.
Amman was named one of the MENA's best cities according to economic, labour, environmental, and socio-cultural factors. Amman is among the most popular locations for multinational corporations to set up their regional offices, alongside Doha and only behind Dubai. Furthermore, it is expected that in the next 10 years these three cities will capture the largest share of multinational corporation activity in the region. It is a major tourist destination in the region and the capital is especially popular among Gulf tourists. Amman is considered one of the richest and most Western-oriented cities in the Middle East.
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Antananarivo
Antananarivo ( /ˌæntəˌnænəˈriːvoʊ/; Malagasy [antaˈnanaˈrivʷ], from Tanànan'ny Arivolahy), formerly Tananarive ( /təˌnænəˈriːv/ or /təˌnɑːnəˈriːv/), is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana. The larger urban area surrounding the city, known as Antananarivo-Renivohitra ("Antananarivo-Mother Hill" or "Antananarivo-Capital"), is the capital of Analamanga Region.
Antananarivo is situated in the center of the island length-wise, and 145 km (90 mi) away from the eastern coast. The city occupies a commanding position, being built on the summit and slopes of a long and narrow rocky ridge, which extends north and south for about 4 km (2 mi) and rises at its highest point to about 200 m (660 ft) above the extensive rice plain to the west, although the town is at about 1,275 m (4,183 ft) above sea level. It is Madagascar's largest city and is its administrative, communications, and economic center. The city is located 215 km (134 mi) west-southwest of Toamasina, the principal seaport of the island, with which it is connected by railway, and for about 100 km (62 mi) along the coastal lagoons.
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Asmara
Asmara (Arabic: أسمرة, Tigrinya: ኣስመራ Asmera, formerly known as Asmera, meaning "Made them United" in Tigrinya) is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of 563,930 inhabitants. Sitting at an elevation of 2,325 metres (7,628 ft), it is located at the tip of an escarpment that is both the northwestern edge of the Eritrean highlands and the Great Rift Valley.
Asmara is located in Eritrea's central Maekel Region. It is known for its well-preserved colonial Italian modern architecture, and is divided into thirteen districts or administrative areas: Acria, Abbashaul, Edaga Hamus, Arbaete Asmara, Mai Temenai, Paradiso, Sembel, Godaif, Maekel Ketema or Downtown, Tiravolo, Gejeret, Tsetserat and Gheza Banda.
Although it would be easy to think of Asmara, the Eritrean capital, solely as an Italian built colonial city, its origins actually reach back some 700 years. The Tigringa and Tigre people live around there. Originally, it is said, there were four clans living in the Asmara area on the Kebessa Plateau: the Gheza Gurtom, the Gheza Shelele, the Gheza Serenser and Gheza Asmae. These towns fought each other until the women of each clan decided that to preserve peace the four clans must unite. The men accepted, hence the name Arbate Asmera. Arbaete Asmara literally means, in the Tigrinya language, "the four made them united." Eventually Arbaete was dropped and it has been called Asmara which means "they [feminine, thus referring to the women] made them united", though there is still a zone called Arbaete Asmara. It is now called the Italianized version of the word Asmara. The westernized version of the name is used by a majority of non-Eritreans, while the multilingual inhabitants of Eritrea and neighboring peoples remain loyal to the original pronunciation, Asmera. Another legend tells that in this region the Queen of Sheba gave birth to the son of Solomon, Menelik I.
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Atteridgeville
Atteridgeville, part of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, is a township located on the west of Pretoria, South Africa. It is bordered to the west by Saulsville, to the east by Proclamation Hill; to the south by Laudium and to the north by Lotus Gardens.
Atteridgeville was established in 1939 for black people by the government, after much lobbying by Mrs. Myrtle Patricia Atteridge. The Apartheid Government was voted in in 1948 after Atteridgeville was founded. The first occupants were moved to Atteridgeville on 26 May 1940. Mrs. Myrtle Patricia Atteridge, philanthropist, Black Sash activist, Pretoria City Councillor and deputy mayoress of Pretoria endeavoured to improve living conditions of Blacks who were previously living in appaling conditions in Marabastad. Atteridgeville provided brick housing; lighting; toilets etc. Later, to further enhance living standards the township was also connected by train to Pretoria CBD. Schools, creches, clinics etc. were to follow. The naming of the township was in fact suggested by the black people themselves who also requested Mrs. Atteridge to represent them in parliament which she refused as she was disinclined to participate in an exclusionary regime. Between 1940 and 1949 more than 1500 houses were built for people relocated from Marabastad, Bantule and other areas around Pretoria.
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Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan (
i/ˌæzərbaɪˈdʒɑːn/ AZ-ər-by-JAHN; Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Respublikası) is the largest country in the Caucasus region located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to the south. The exclave of Nakhchivan is bounded by Armenia to the north and east, Iran to the south and west, while having a short borderline with Turkey to the northwest.
Azerbaijan has an ancient and historic cultural heritage. Aside from having been the first Muslim-majority country to have operas, theater and plays, Azerbaijan today is among the Muslim-majority countries where support for secularism and tolerance is the highest. The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first democratic and secular republic in the Muslim world, was established in 1918, but was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1920. Azerbaijan regained independence in 1991. Shortly thereafter, during the Nagorno-Karabakh War, neighboring Armenia occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, its surrounding territories and the enclaves of Karki, Yukhary Askipara, Barkhudarly and Sofulu. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, which emerged in Nagorno-Karabakh, continues to be not diplomatically recognized by any nation and the region is still considered a de jure part of Azerbaijan, despite being de facto independent since the end of the war. Azerbaijan has come under repeated international criticism for its record on human rights.
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Baku
Baku (Azerbaijani: Bakı, IPA: [bɑˈcɯ]), sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal parts: the downtown and the old Inner City (21.5 ha). Baku's urban population at the beginning of 2009 was estimated at just over two million people. Officially, about 25 percent of all inhabitants of the country live in the metropolitan city area of Baku.
Baku is divided into eleven administrative districts (raions) and 48 townships. Among these are the townships on islands in the Baku Bay and the town of Oil Rocks built on stilts in the Caspian Sea, 60 km (37 mi) away from Baku. The Inner City of Baku along with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. According to the Lonely Planet's ranking, Baku is also among the world's top ten destinations for urban nightlife.
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Bamako
Bamako is the capital and largest city of Mali, with a population of 1.8 million (2009 Census, provisional). In 2006, it was estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa and sixth fastest in the world. It is located on the Niger River, near the rapids that divide the upper and middle Niger valleys in the southwestern part of the country.
Bamako is the nation's administrative center. The city proper is a cercle in its own right. Bamako's river port is located in nearby Koulikoro, along with a major regional trade and conference center. Bamako is the seventh largest West African urban center after Lagos, Abidjan, Kano, Ibadan, Dakar, and Accra. Locally manufactured goods include textiles, processed meat and metal goods. There is commercial fishing on the Niger River.
The name Bamako comes from the Bambara word meaning "crocodile river".
The area of the city has been continuously inhabited since the Palaeolithic era for more than 150,000 years. The fertile lands of the Niger River Valley provided the people with an abundant food supply and early kingdoms in the area grew wealthy as they established trade routes linking across west Africa the Sahara and leading to northern Africa and Europe. The early inhabitants traded gold, ivory, Kola nuts and salt. By the 11th century the Empire of Ghana became the first kingdom to dominate the area. Bamako had become a major market town, and a centre for Islamic scholars, with the establishment of two universities and numerous mosques in medieval times.
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Bangui
Bangui is the capital of and the largest city in the Central African Republic. The majority of the population of the Central African Republic lives in the western parts of the country, near Bangui. Though located within Ombella-M'Poko prefecture, it is an independent commune, and thus politically independent of the surrounding prefecture.
The city was founded in 1889 in what was then the French colony Haut-Oubangui ('Upper Ubangi'), later renamed Oubangui-Chari and made part of French Equatorial Africa. Named for local rapids, the city grew around the French military post on the Ubangi river. Bangui served as an administration center in the colonial era and continues to be the administrative center of the CAR.
Widespread violence in Bangui followed the March 1981 elections, which took place following a French operation to depose Jean-Bédel Bokassa in 1979 and replace him with David Dacko. Opponents of unpopular Dacko laid siege to Bangui and compelled his flight to exile. Andre Kolingba then formed the Comité Militaire pour le Redressement National (See History of the Central African Republic).
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Banjul
Banjul (formerly Bathurst), officially the City of Banjul, is the capital of The Gambia, and is in the division of the same name. The population of the city proper is only 34,828, with the Greater Banjul Area, which includes the City of Banjul and the Kanifing Municipal Council, at a population of 357,238 (2003 census). Banjul is on St Mary's Island (Banjul Island), where the Gambia River enters the Atlantic Ocean. The island is connected to the mainland — by passenger and vehicle ferries to the north and by bridges to the south.
Banjul takes its name from the Mandé people who gathered specific fibres on the island, which were used in the manufacture of ropes. Bang julo is the Mandinka (Mande) word for rope fibre. The mispronunciation led to the word Banjul.[citation needed]
In 1651 Banjul was leased by the Duke of Courland from the king of Kombo, as part of Courland colonization.
In 1816, the British founded Banjul as a trading post and base for suppressing the slave trade. The British renamed the Banjul Island to St. Mary and first named Bathurst after Henry Bathurst, the secretary of the British Colonial Office, but was changed to Banjul in 1973.
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Bethlehem
Bethlehem (Arabic: بيت لحم Bayt Laḥm (help·info) or Bēt Laḥm, lit "House of Flesh"; Hebrew: בֵּית לֶחֶם Bēṯ Leḥem, Modern: Bet Leḥem, IPA: [bet ˈleχem], lit "House of Bread;" Greek: Βηθλεὲμ, Vithleém) is a Palestinian city located in the central West Bank and approximately 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism. The Hebrew Bible identifies Bethlehem as the city David was from and the location where he was crowned as the king of Israel. The New Testament identifies Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. The town is inhabited by one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, although the size of the community has shrunk due to emigration.
The city was sacked by the Samaritans in 529, but rebuilt by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. Bethlehem was conquered by the Arab Caliphate of 'Umar ibn al-Khattāb in 637, who guaranteed safety for the city's religious shrines. In 1099, Crusaders captured and fortified Bethlehem and replaced its Greek Orthodox clergy with a Latin one. The Latin clergy were expelled after the city was captured by Saladin, the sultan of Egypt and Syria. With the coming of the Mamluks in 1250, the city's walls were demolished, and were subsequently rebuilt during the rule of the Ottoman Empire.
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Bissau
Bissau is the capital city of Guinea-Bissau. The city's borders are conterminous with the Bissau Autonomous Sector. In 2007, the city had an estimated population of 407,424 according to the Instituto Nacional de Estatística e Censos. The city which is located on the Geba River estuary, off the Atlantic Ocean, is the country's largest city, major port, administrative and military centre.
The city was founded in 1687 by Portugal as a fortified port and trading center. In 1942 it became the capital of Portuguese Guinea. After the declaration of independence by the anti-colonial guerrillas of PAIGC, in 1973, the capital of the de facto independent territories was declared to be Madina do Boe, but Bissau remained as the capital of the Portuguese-occupied regions, and the de jure capital of the entire Portuguese Guinea. When Portugal recognized the independence of Guinea-Bissau and pulled out in 1974 due to the military coup of April 25 in Lisbon, the two territories merged and Bissau became the capital of the new independent state. The city is known for its annual carnival.
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Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein ( /ˈblʊmfɒnteɪn/, Dutch for "fountain of flowers" – lit., "blooms") is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.
Bloemfontein is popularly and poetically known as "the city of roses", owing to the abundance of these flowers and the annual rose festival held there. The city's Sesotho name is Mangaung, meaning "place of cheetahs" and it has been included in the Mangaung Local Municipality since 2000[dated info].
Bloemfontein is situated on dry grassland at 29°06′S 26°13′E / 29.1°S 26.217°E / -29.1; 26.217, at an altitude of 1,395 m (4,577 ft) above sea level. The city is home to 369,568 residents, while the Mangaung Local Municipality has a population of 645,455.
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Brazzaville
Brazzaville is the capital and largest city of the Republic of the Congo and is located on the Congo River. As of the 2001 census, it has a population of 1,018,541 in the city proper, and about 1.5 million in total when including the suburbs located in the Pool Region. The populous city of Kinshasa (more than 10 million inhabitants in 2009), capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, lies just across the Congo River from Brazzaville. Together with Kinshasa, the combined conurbation of Kinshasa-Brazzaville has thus nearly 12 million inhabitants (although significant political and infrastructure challenges prevent the two cities from functioning with any meaningful connection). Over a third of the population of the Republic of Congo lives in the capital, and it is home to 40% of non-agricultural employment. It is also a financial and administrative capital.
In order to distinguish between the two African countries with "Congo" in their names, the Republic of the Congo is sometimes called Congo-Brazzaville, as opposed to Congo-Kinshasa (the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known from 1971 to 1997 as Zaire, the capital of which is Kinshasa). Kinshasa lies on the southern bank of the Congo, across from Brazzaville. This is the only place in the world where two national capital cities are situated on opposite banks of a river, within sight of each other.
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Bronkhorstspruit
Bronkhorstspruit is a small farming town 50km east of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa along the N4 highway towards Witbank. It lies on the border between the Gauteng and Mpumalanga provinces.
Cultura Park, a suburb of Bronkhorstspruit, hosts the largest Buddhist temple in the Southern Hemisphere, which houses the South African headquarters of the Humanistic Buddhist order. The latter does a lot of community work, celebrates the Chinese New Year and is open to the public, who can book in for weekend-long retreats.
In 1858, a group of Voortrekkers settled in the Bronkhorstspruit creek, which was originally called Kalkoenkransrivier ('Turkey Cliff River'). In June 1897, the South African Republic gave its approval for the town, then already named Bronkhorstspruit by locals after the Bronkhorstspruit River.
In 1880 it was the scene of the action at Bronkhorstspruit, an important event in the early days of the First Boer War.
There is disagreement about where the town got its name from. Some believe it was named after the farmer JG Bronkhorst, while others say that it was named after the plant, bronkors (Afrikaans for watercress), that grew in the region of the creek.
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Bujumbura
Bujumbura ( /ˌbuːdʒəmˈbʊərə/; French pronunciation: [buʒumbuʁa]) is the capital and largest city and main port of Burundi and ships most of the country's chief export, coffee, as well as cotton, skins, and tin ore. It is located on the northeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika.
The city center is a colonial town with a large market, the national stadium, a large mosque, and the cathedral for the Archdiocese of Bujumbura. Museums in the city include the Burundi Museum of Life and the Burundi Geological Museum. Other nearby attractions include the Rusizi National Park, the Livingstone-Stanley Monument at Mugere (where David Livingstone and Henry Morton Stanley visited 14 days after their first historic meeting at Ujiji in Tanzania), the presidential palace and the source of the southernmost tributary of the Nile, described locally as the source of the Nile.
Ferries sail from Bujumbura to Kigoma in Tanzania, while the city is also home to the Bujumbura International Airport and the University of Burundi.
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Bushveld
The Bushveld is a sub-tropical woodland ecoregion of Southern Africa named after the term veld. It encompasses most of Limpopo Province and a small part of the North West Province of South Africa, the Central and North-East Districts of Botswana and the Matabeleland South and part of th Matabeleland North provinces of Zimbabwe.
The elevation of this region varies from 750 to 1,400 m and the annual rainfall from 350 mm in the west to 600 mm in parts of the northeast. There are three significant mountain ranges in this region: the Drakensberg escarpment that forms the eastern border of the Bushveld and runs from Tzaneen in the north to Belfast in the south; the Waterberg range that stretches from Mokopane in the east to Thabazimbi in the west; the Soutpansberg range just north of Louis Trichardt. The latter is the northernmost mountain range in South Africa.
As implied by the region's name, the Bushveld's well-grassed plains are dotted by dense clusters of trees and tall shrubs. The grasses found here are generally tall and turn yellow or brown in winter, which is the dry season throughout most of South Africa. The undisturbed portions of this habitat, such as much of the Waterberg Biosphere, offer many large mammal species including white rhino, black rhino, giraffe, Blue Wildebeest, kudu, impala and a variety of further antelope species and other game.
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Cairo
Cairo ( /ˈkaɪroʊ/ KYE-roh; Arabic: القاهرة al-Qāhira, literally "The Vanquisher" or "The Conqueror"), is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Located near the Nile Delta, it was founded in the year 969 A.D. making it 1,043 years old. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life. Cairo was founded by the Fatimid dynasty in the 10th century AD.; but the land composing the present-day city was the site of national capitals whose remnants remain visible in parts of Old Cairo. Cairo is also associated with Ancient Egypt due to its proximity to the ancient cities of Memphis, Giza and Fustat which are nearby to the Great Sphinx and the pyramids of Giza.
Egyptians today often refer to Cairo as Maṣr (Arabic: مصر), the Arabic pronunciation of the name for Egypt itself, emphasizing the city's continued role in Egyptian influence. Cairo has the oldest and largest film and music industries in the Arab World, as well as the world's second-oldest institution of higher learning, al-Azhar University. Many international media, businesses, and organizations have regional headquarters in the city, and the Arab League has had its headquarters in Cairo for most of its existence.
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Cape Town
Cape Town (Afrikaans: Kaapstad; Xhosa: iKapa) is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality. The city is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Cape Town is also Africa's most popular tourist destination.
Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town was originally developed by the Dutch East India Company as a victualling (supply) station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India, and the Far East. Jan van Riebeeck's arrival on 6 April 1652 established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. Cape Town quickly outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope, becoming the economic and cultural hub of the Cape Colony. Until the Witwatersrand Gold Rush and the development of Johannesburg, Cape Town was the largest city in South Africa.
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Carletonville
Carletonville is a gold-mining town in western Gauteng, South Africa. It is one of the richest gold-producing areas in the world. At 3,749 m, Western Deep Levels is one of the world's deepest mines.
Developed by various mining companies from 1937 onwards, the town – which was named after the long-serving mining director of Consolidated Gold Fields, Guy Carleton Jones – was not officially incorporated until 1959.
The Elandskraal mine, site of a 3 October 2007 collapse, is located in Carletonville.
Carletonville is currently part of the Merafong City Local Municipality.
Brian McMillan (South African Cricketer)
Keith Lindsay (5fm DJ presented the "Saturday Shadow Show" with Barney Simon, together introducing South Africa to Gothic Rock music)
Jaque Fourie is a South African rugby union footballer
Neena is a South African porn starlet
Vern Kent is a South African Soap Star. aka "die Swart Kat" (the Black Cat)
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Conakry
Conakry (Sosso: Kɔnakiri) is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500. Originally situated on Tombo Island, one of the Îles de Los, it has since spread up the neighboring Kaloum Peninsula.
The population of Conakry is difficult to ascertain, although the U.S. Bureau of African Affairs has estimated it at 2 million. Conakry is thought to contain almost a quarter of the population of Guinea.
According to a legend, the name of the city comes from the fusion of the name "Cona", a wine producer of the Baga people, and the word "nakiri", which means in Sosso the other bank or side.
Conakry was originally settled on tiny Tombo Island and later spread to the neighboring Kaloum Peninsula, a 36-kilometer (22 mi) long stretch of land 0.2 to 6 kilometers (660 to 20,000 ft) wide. The city was essentially founded after Britain ceded the island to France in 1887. In 1885, the two island villages of Conakry and Boubinet had fewer than 500 inhabitants. Conakry became the capital of French Guinea in 1904 and prospered as an export port, particularly after a (now closed) railway to Kankan opened the large scale export of groundnut from the interior.
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Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland. Its position, on the western edge of Africa, is an advantageous departure point for trans-Atlantic and European trade; this fact aided its growth into a major regional port.
According to December 31, 2005 official estimates, the city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar metropolitan area is estimated at 2.45 million people.
Dakar is a major administrative centre, home to the National Assembly of Senegal and Senegal's President's Palace.
The Cape Verde Peninsula was settled, no later than the 15th century, by the Lebou, an ethnic group related to the neighboring Wolof and Sereer. The original villages: Ouakam, Ngor, Yoff and Hann, still constitute distinctively Lebou neighborhoods of the city today. Meanwhile, in 1444, the Portuguese arrived on the island of Gorée and founded a settlement there. By 1536, they had begun using it as a base for the export of slaves. The mainland of Cap-Vert, however, was under control of the Jolof Empire, as part of the western province of Cayor which seceded from Jolof in its own right in 1549. A new Lebou village, called Ndakaaru, was established directly across from Gorée in the 17th century to service the European trading factory with food and drinking water. Gorée was captured by the United Netherlands in 1588, which gave it its present name (spelled Goeree, after Goeree-Overflakkee in Holland). The island was to switch hands between the Portuguese and Dutch several more times before falling to the English under Admiral Robert Holmes on January 23, 1664, and finally to the French in 1677. Though under continuous French administration since, Métis families, descendant from Dutch and French traders and African wives, dominated the slave trade. The infamous "House of Slaves" was built here in 1776.
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Delft
Delft ( pronunciation (help·info)) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland (Zuid-Holland), the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague. Delft is primarily known for its typically Dutch town centre (with canals); also for the painter Vermeer, Delft Blue pottery (Delftware), the Delft University of Technology, and its association with the Dutch royal family, the House of Orange-Nassau.
From a rural village in the early Middle Ages Delft developed to a city, that in the 13th century (1246) received its charter.
(For some more information about the early development, see the article "Gracht", section "Delft as an example").
The town's association with the House of Orange started when William of Orange (Willem van Oranje), nicknamed William the Silent (Willem de Zwijger), took up residence in 1572 At the time he was the leader of growing national Dutch resistance against Spanish occupation of the country, which struggle is known as the Eighty Years' War. By then Delft was one of the leading cities of Holland and it was equipped with the necessary city walls to serve as a headquarters.
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Dodoma
Dodoma (literally "It has sunk" in Gogo), officially Dodoma Urban District, population 324,347 (2002 census), is the national capital of Tanzania, and the capital of the Dodoma region. In 1973, plans were made to move the capital to Dodoma. Tanzania's National Assembly moved there in February 1996, but many government offices remain in the previous national capital, Dar es Salaam, which remains the commercial capital.
Located at 6°10′23″S 35°44′31″E / 6.17306°S 35.74194°E / -6.17306; 35.74194Coordinates: 6°10′23″S 35°44′31″E / 6.17306°S 35.74194°E / -6.17306; 35.74194, in the centre of the country, the town is 486 kilometres (302 mi) west of the former capital at Dar es Salaam and 441 kilometres (274 mi) south of Arusha, the headquarters of the East African Community. It covers an area of 2,669 square kilometres (1,031 sq mi) of which 625 square kilometres (241 sq mi) is urbanized. It is located near Ihumwa, another largely populated area.
Out of the total population, 157,469 people (48.5 percent) are male while 166,878 people (51.5 percent) are female. The estimated total number of households is 74,914 with an average household size of 4.3 people. The Roman Catholic Church reports that 19.2% of the population are Roman Catholics. Dodoma is populated by different ethnic groups because it is a government administrative centre, although the indigenous ethnic groups are the Gogo, Rangi, and Sandawe. There are also small Arab and Indian minorities.[citation needed]
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Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city in the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of Sierra Leone. Freetown is Sierra Leone's economic, financial, cultural and educational center. The city's economy revolves largely around its harbor - occupying a part of the estuary of the Sierra Leone River in one of the world's largest natural deep water harbours. Queen Elizabeth II Quay is capable of receiving oceangoing vessels and handles Sierra Leone's main exports.
The city proper had a population of 772,873 at the 2004 census, with a current estimate of 1,070,200 (about 17% of Sierra Leone's total population). The population of Freetown is ethnically, culturally and religiously diverse. The city is home to significant numbers of all of the country's ethnic groups, although it is the primary home of the Sierra Leone Creole people (descendants of Liberated Africans, African-Americans and West Indians) who make up the minority of the population in the city. As in virtually all parts of Sierra Leone, the Krio language is the city's primary language of communication and is by far the most widely spoken language in the city.
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Gaborone
Gaborone (Tswana IPA: [χabʊˈrʊnɪ];[missing tone] English /ˌɡæbəˈroʊniː/ or /ˌxɑːbəˈroʊneɪ/, named after Chief Kgosi Gabarone) is the capital and largest city of Botswana with a population of 191,776 based on a 2006 survey, about 10% of the total population of Botswana.
Gaborone is situated between Kgale and Oodi Hills, on the Notwane River in the southeastern corner of Botswana, and 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) from the South African border. The city is served by the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport. It is an administrative district in its own right, but is the capital of the surrounding South-East District. Locals often refer to the city as Gabs.
Because the city had no tribal affiliation and was close to fresh water, the city was planned to be the capital in the mid-1960s when the Bechuanaland Protectorate became an independent nation. The center of the city is a long strip of commercial businesses, called the Mall, with a semicircle-shaped area of government offices to the west of the Mall. The city is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, and this has created problems with housing and illegal settlements. The city has also dealt with conflicts spilling into the country from Zimbabwe and South Africa during the 1980s.
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Gao
Gao (pronounced /goʊ/) is a city in Mali and the capital of the Gao Region. The city is located on the River Niger, lying 320 km (200 mi) east-southeast of Timbuktu. Situated on the left bank of the river at the junction with the Tilemsi valley, it had a population of 86,633 in 2009.
For much of its history Gao was an important commercial centre involved in the trans-Saharan trade. External Arabic sources state that by the 9th century Gao was already an important regional power, and by the end of the 10th century, the local ruler was a Muslim. Towards the end of the 13th century, Gao lost its independence and became part of the Mali Empire, but in first half of the 15th century, the town regained its independence and with the conquests of Sonni Ali (ruled 1464–1492) Gao became the capital of the Songhai Empire. The Empire collapsed after the Moroccan invasion in 1591 and the invaders chose to make Timbuktu their stronghold. By the time of Heinrich Barth's visit in 1854, Gao had declined to become a impoverished village with 300 huts constructed from matting. By 2009, it had a population of 86633.
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Gauteng
Gauteng (/ɡaʊˈtɛŋ/ or /xaʊˈtɛŋ/; Sotho pronunciation [xɑ́.ú.ˈtʼè.ŋ̀]) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994. It was initially named Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging (or PWV) and was renamed 'Gauteng' in December 1994.
Situated in the heart of the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province in South Africa, with only 1.4% of the land area, but it is highly urbanised, containing the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria. As of 2007[update], it had a population of nearly 10.5 million, making it the most populous province in South Africa.
The name Gauteng comes from the Sesotho word meaning "Place of Gold", the historical Sesotho name for Johannesburg and surrounding areas. This referred to the thriving gold industry in the province following the 1886 discovery of gold in Johannesburg. The Sesotho word is a locative derived from the Afrikaans goud (gold) plus the locative suffix "-ng." When properly pronounced, the first letter of the name Gauteng is a voiceless velar fricative, pronounced similarly to the "ch" in the German achtung or Scottish loch and the same as the Dutch "g" or the Spanish "g" as in gente. This pronunciation is natural in both the Sesotho and Afrikaans languages.
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Germiston
Germiston is a city in the East Rand of Gauteng in South Africa. Germiston is now the seat of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality which includes much of the East Rand, and is also considered part of Greater Johannesburg.
It was established in the early days of the gold rush when two prospectors, John Jack from the farm of Germiston near Glasgow and August Simmer from Vacha in Germany, struck paydirt on the farm of Elandsfontein. Both men made fortunes and the town sprang up next to the mine. In 1921 the world's largest gold refinery, the Rand Refinery, was established at Germiston. Seventy percent of the Western World's gold passes through this refinery.[citation needed]
The WesBank Raceway motorsports facility was located in the city, but it was sold to industrial estate developers in November 2007. Germiston Stadium (formerly the Herman Immelman Stadium), home stadium of Moroka Swallows FC is also located in the city.
The city has a number of historic buildings. Among these are the St Andrew's Presbyterian Church which was built in 1905, and St Boniface's Church designed by Sir Herbert Baker, which was built in 1910 (this is the second church on the site, as the Anglican Parish was founded in 1897). The church also houses the historic 1910 English Romantic Norman and Beard Organ.
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Harare
Harare ( /həˈrɑreɪ/; before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,606,000 (2009), with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area (2006). Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its administrative, commercial, and communications centre. The city is a trade centre for tobacco, maize, cotton, and citrus fruits. Manufactures include textiles, steel, and chemicals, and gold is mined in the area. Harare is situated at an elevation of 1483 metres (4865 feet) and its climate falls into the warm temperate category.
Harare is the site of the University of Zimbabwe, the largest institution of higher learning in Zimbabwe, which is situated in the suburb of Mount Pleasant, about 6 km north of the city centre. Numerous suburbs surround the city, retaining the names colonial administrators gave them during the 19th century, such as Warren Park, Borrowdale, Mount Pleasant, Marlborough, Tynwald and Avondale.
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Hargeisa
Hargeisa (Somali: Hargaysa, Arabic: هرجيسا) is a the second-largest city in Somalia, located in the Woqooyi Galbeed region. Hargeisa is the capital of Somaliland, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia. It was the colonial capital of the British Somaliland protectorate from 1941 to 1960, when it gained independence as the State of Somaliland and united with Italian Somaliland to form the Somali Republic.
The city is situated in a valley in the Galgodon (Ogo) highlands, and sits at an elevation of 4,377 feet (1,334 m). Home to rock art from the Neolithic period, Hargeisa is also a commercial hub for precious stone-cutting, construction, retail services and importing/exporting, among other activities.
Numerous cave paintings from the Neolithic period are found in the Laas Gaal complex, on the outskirts of Hargeisa. During November and December 2002, an archaeological survey was carried out in the area by a French team of researchers. The expedition's objective was to search for rock shelters and caves containing stratified archaeological infills capable of documenting the period when production economy appeared in this part of Somalia (circa 5,000 and 2,000 BCE). During the course of the survey, the French archaeological team discovered the Laas Gaal rock art, encompassing an area of ten rock alcoves (caves). In an excellent state of preservation, the paintings show human figures with their hands raised and facing long-horned, humpless cattle.
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Highveld
Coordinates: 26°12′13″S 28°2′43″E / 26.20361°S 28.04528°E / -26.20361; 28.04528
The Highveld is the portion of the South African inland plateau which has an altitude above approximately 1500 m, but below 2100 m, thus excluding the Lesotho mountain regions to the south-east of the Highveld. It is home to some of the country's most important commercial farming areas, as well as its largest concentration of metropolitan centers, especially the Gauteng City Region, which accommodates one-third of South Africa's population.
The Highveld constitutes parts of the Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, and Limpopo provinces, and virtually all of Gauteng and the northern Free State. The Highveld is bordered by the Bushveld and the Lowveld in the north, northeast, and northwest, the Drakensberg mountains to the east and southeast, the Kalahari desert in the west, and the Great Karoo to the southwest. The Highveld covers an area of almost 400,000 km², or roughly thirty percent of South Africa's land area.
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Hoërskool Waterkloof
Coordinates: 25°49′08″S 28°15′21″E / 25.8189°S 28.2559°E / -25.8189; 28.2559
Hoërskool Waterkloof is an Afrikaans high school situated in the wealthy eastern suburbs of Pretoria, South Africa. It had grown to become the largest Afrikaans school in the world by 2004, with 2,200 pupils and 140 teachers. It is also one of the top schools in Pretoria and has been awarded school of the year for two years running. It has had a 100% passing rate for the 19th time. Waterkloof is one of the most prestigious schools in South Africa.
The school opened on January 9, 1979, with 12 teachers, two typists and 215 pupils. The original school buildings were completed on August 3, 1979. The school motto, "Ons bou in geloof" (We build/grow in faith), was formally accepted on July 2, 1979.
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Iran
Coordinates: 32°N 53°E / 32°N 53°E / 32; 53
Iran (
i/ɪˈrɑːn/ or /aɪˈræn/;Persian: ایران [ʔiˈɾɒn] (
listen)), officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (Persian: جمهوری اسلامی ایران Jomhuri-ye Eslāmi-ye Irān), is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran", which in Persian means "Land of the Aryans", has been in use natively since the Sassanian era. It came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia ( /ˈpɜrʒə/ or /ˈpɜrʃə/). Both "Persia" and "Iran" are used interchangeably in cultural contexts; however, "Iran" is the name used officially in political contexts.
The 18th-largest country in the world in terms of area at 1,648,195 km2 (636,372 sq mi), Iran has a population of around 79 million. It is a country of particular geopolitical significance owing to its location in the Middle East and central Eurasia. Iran is bordered on the north by Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. As Iran is a littoral state of the Caspian Sea, which is an inland sea, Kazakhstan and Russia are also Iran's direct neighbors to the north. Iran is bordered on the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan, on the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, on the west by Iraq and on the northwest by Turkey. Tehran is the capital, the country's largest city and the political, cultural, commercial and industrial center of the nation. Iran is a regional power, and holds an important position in international energy security and world economy as a result of its large reserves of petroleum and natural gas. Iran has the second largest proven natural gas reserves in the world and the fourth largest proven petroleum reserves.
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Johannesburg
Johannesburg (/dʒoʊˈhænɪsbɜrɡ/; Afrikaans: [joˈhɑnəsbʏrx]) also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or eGoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa. The city is one of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the world, and is also the world's largest city not situated on a river, lake, or coastline. It claims to be the lightning capital of the world, though this title is also claimed by others.
While Johannesburg is not one of South Africa's three capital cities, it is the seat of the Constitutional Court, which has the final word on interpretation of South Africa's new post-Apartheid constitution. The city is the source of a large-scale gold and diamond trade, due to its location on the mineral-rich Witwatersrand range of hills. Johannesburg is served by O.R. Tambo International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in Africa and a gateway for international air travel to and from the rest of Southern Africa. More recently Lanseria International Airport has started international flights, and is situated conveniently on the opposite side of the metropolis.
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Jordan
Jordan ( /ˈdʒɔr.dən/;Arabic: اَلأُرْدُنّ, Al-'Urdunn), officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Arabic: اَلمَمْلَكَة اَلأُرْدُنِيَّة اَلهَاشِمِيَّة), Al-Mamlakah Al-Urdaniyyah Al-Hashimiyyah) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing control of the Dead Sea with the latter. Jordan's only port is at its south-western tip, at the Gulf of Aqaba, which is shared with Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Over half of Jordan is covered by the Arabian Desert. However, the western part of Jordan is arable land and forests. Jordan is part of the Fertile Crescent. The capital city is Amman. According to the CIA World Factbook, Jordan has the second highest life expectancy in the Middle East, after Israel. The average life expectancy is one position behind the United Kingdom, although the age remains exactly the same (80.05 years).
The precursor to modern Jordan was founded in 1921 as the Hashemite Emirate, and it was recognized by the League of Nations as a state under the British mandate in 1922 known as The Emirate of Transjordan. In 1946, Jordan became an independent sovereign state officially known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan. After capturing the West Bank area of Cisjordan during the 1948–49 war with Israel, Abdullah I took the title King of Jordan and Palestine, and he officially changed the country's name to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in April 1949.
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Juba
Juba is the capital and largest city of the Republic of South Sudan. It also serves as the capital of Central Equatoria, the smallest of the ten states of South Sudan. The city is situated on the White Nile and functions as the seat and metropolis of Juba County.
In 2005, Juba's population was 163,442. Based on analysis of aerial photos, the best estimate of several donors working in Juba calculated the 2006 population at approximately 250,000. The 5th Sudan Population and Housing Census took place in April/May 2008, stating the population of Juba County to be 372,413 (the majority residing in Juba City, which dominates the county), but the results were rejected by the Autonomous Government of Southern Sudan. Juba is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, and is developing very rapidly due to oil money and the Chinese coming for work and development. In 2011, the population of the city of Juba is estimated at approximately 372,410.
Population growth:
In the 19th century, a trading post and a mission was located in the vicinity of Juba called Gondokoro. It was the southernmost outpost of the Egyptian garrison, supported by a handful of soldiers, mostly ill due to the malaria and blackwater fever that was dominant in the region. Gondokoro was also the base of the explorer and campaigner Sir Samuel Baker during his expeditions to what is now Southern Sudan and northern Uganda from 1863 to 1865, and from 1871 to 1873.
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Kampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.
Mutesa I, the Kabaka (king) of Buganda, had chosen the area that was to become Kampala as one of his favorite hunting grounds. The area was made up of hills and wetlands. It was an ideal breeding ground for various game, particularly a species of antelope, the impala (Aepyceros melampus).
The city grew as the capital of the Buganda kingdom, from which several buildings survive, including the Kasubi Tombs (built in 1881), the Lubiri Palace, the Buganda Parliament and the Buganda Court of Justice. Severely damaged in the Uganda-Tanzania War, the city has since then been rebuilt with constructions of new buildings including hotels, banks, shopping malls, educational institutions, hospitals and improvement of war torn buildings and infrastructure. Traditionally, Kampala was a city of seven hills, but over time it has come to have a lot more.
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Khartoum
Khartoum (Arabic: الخرطوم al Ḫarṭūm) is the capital and second largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran", meaning the Confluence. The main Nile continues to flow north towards Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.
Divided by the Niles, Khartoum is a tripartite metropolis with an estimated overall population of over five million people consisting of Khartoum proper[clarification needed], and linked by bridges to Khartoum North called (al-Khartūm Bahrī) and Omdurman (Umm Durmān) to the west.
The origin of the word is uncertain. One tradition is that khartoum derives from Arabic kartūm الخرطوم meaning 'end of an elephant’s trunk', probably referring to the narrow strip of land extending between the Blue and White Niles. Captain J. A. Grant, who reached Khartoum in 1863 with Captain Speke’s expedition, thought that the derivation was most probably from the Arabic qurtum, safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), which was cultivated extensively in Egypt for its oil, used in burning.[citation needed]
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Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv (Ukrainian: Київ [ˈkɪjiw] ( listen); Russian: Киев) is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press.
Kiev is an important industrial, scientific, educational and cultural centre of Eastern Europe. It is home to many high-tech industries, higher education institutions and world-famous historical landmarks. The city has an extensive infrastructure and highly developed system of public transport, including the Kiev Metro.
The name Kiev is said to derive from the name of Kyi, one of four legendary founders of the city (brothers Kyi, Shchek, Khoryv, and sister Lybid). During its history, Kiev, one of the oldest cities in Eastern Europe, passed through several stages of great prominence and relative obscurity. The city probably existed as a commercial centre as early as the 5th century. A Slavic settlement on the great trade route between Scandinavia and Constantinople, Kiev was a tributary of the Khazars, until seized by the Varangians (Vikings) in the mid-9th century. Under Varangians rule, the city became a capital of the Rus', the first East Slavic state. Completely destroyed during the Mongol invasion in 1240, the city lost most of its influence for the centuries to come. It was a provincial capital of marginal importance in the outskirts of the territories controlled by its powerful neighbours; first the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, followed by Poland and Russia.
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Kigali
Kigali (rarely Kigale), with population of almost 1 million (2009), is the capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is situated near the geographic centre of the nation. The city has been the economic, cultural, and transport hub of Rwanda since it became capital at independence in 1962. The main residence and offices of the President of Rwanda are located in the city, as are the government ministries. The city is coterminous with the province of Kigali City, which was enlarged in January 2006, as part of local government reorganisation in the country. The city's urban area covers about 70% of the municipal boundaries. The city population has varied around the national percentages: Hutu 84%, Tutsi 15% and Twa (Pygmy) at 1%.
Kigali was founded in 1907 under German colonial rule, but did not become the capital until Rwandan independence in 1962. The traditional capital was the seat of the mwami (king) in Nyanza, while the colonial seat of power was in Butare, then known as Astrida. Butare was initially the leading contender to be the capital of the new independent nation, but Kigali was chosen because of its more central location. Since then the city has grown very quickly and is now the major political, economic and cultural centre of Rwanda.
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Kinshasa
Kinshasa (formerly French Léopoldville, and Dutch Leopoldstad (help·info)) is the capital and the largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The city is located on the Congo River.
Once a site of fishing villages, Kinshasa is now an urban area with a population of nearly 10 million inhabitants. It faces the capital of the neighbouring Republic of Congo, Brazzaville which can be seen in the distance across the wide Congo River. Because the administrative boundaries cover such a vast area, over 60% of the city's land is rural in nature, and the urban area only occupies a small section in the far western end of the province.
Kinshasa holds the status of the second largest city in Africa, after Cairo.
Residents of Kinshasa are known as Kinois (in French and sometimes in English) or Kinshasans (English).
The city was founded as a trading post by Henry Morton Stanley in 1881 and named Léopoldville in honor of King Leopold II of Belgium, who controlled the vast territory that is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, not as a colony but as a private property. The post flourished as the first navigable port on the Congo River above Livingstone Falls, a series of rapids over 300 kilometres (190 mi) below Leopoldville. At first, all goods arriving by sea or being sent by sea had to be carried by porters between Léopoldville and Matadi, the port below the rapids and 150 km (93 mi) from the coast. The completion of the Matadi-Kinshasa portage railway in 1898 provided a faster and more efficient alternative route around the rapids and sparked the rapid development of Léopoldville. By 1920, the city was elevated to capital of the Belgian Congo, replacing the town of Boma in the Congo estuary.
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Krugersdorp
Krugersdorp (Afrikaans for Kruger's town) is a mining city with between 378,821 and 408,065 inhabitants in the West Rand of the Gauteng province of South Africa. Krugersdorp was founded in 1887 by Marthinus Pretorius and named after Paul Kruger.
Apart from gold, manganese, iron, asbestos and lime are also mined in the area. Krugersdorp is the site of the December 1880 gathering at which more than 6,000 men vowed to fight for the Transvaal's independence. When gold was discovered on the Witwatersrand, a need arose for a major town in the west of the reef. The government bought part of the farm Paardekraal and named the new town after the Transvaal President Paul Kruger. The British built a concentration camp here during the Second Boer War to house Boer women and children.
In 1952 the West Rand Consolidated Mine was the first in the world to extract uranium as a byproduct of the gold refining process.
Krugersdorp no longer has a separate municipal government, and the municipality has become part of and is the seat of the Mogale City municipality, along with surrounding towns. Despite a proposal to change the name of the city to Mogale City, this has not been confirmed and the town is currently still called Krugersdorp.
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Laudium
Laudium is an Indian township southwest of central Pretoria, in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.
The original name for Laudium was Claudius, (originally reserved for White residents), named after Claudius Marais de Vries who owned a farm called Mooiplats and was a former mayor of Pretoria.
Laudium was created by the Apartheid government as part of their policy aimed at moving ethnic groups out of Marabastad and central Pretoria, which were zoned as 'White Areas' following the passage if the Group Areas Act. Laudium was proclaimed an Indian township in 1961. As for its former inhabitants, older aerial photographs still show remains of circular type dwellings to the west of Laudium.
The eastern portion of the original Claudius retained its name and white population for a time, but the white population of Claudius has long since been displaced by Indians (it was eventually also declared an Indian area by the Apartheid government, to reduce housing shortages in Laudium), and Claudius has effectively become an extension of Laudium.
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Libreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.
The area was inhabited by the Mpongwé tribe long before the French acquired the land in 1839. In 1846, L'Elizia, a Brazilian ship carrying slaves for sale, was captured by the French navy near Loango. The slaves were freed and founded Libreville (French for "Freetown") in 1848. It was the chief port of French Equatorial Africa from 1934 to 1946 and was the central focus of the Battle of Gabon in 1940.
Libreville was named in imitation of Freetown and grew only slowly as a trading post and a minor administrative centre to a population of 32,000 on independence in 1960. It only received its first bank branch when Bank of West Africa (BAO) opened a branch in 1930. Since independence, the city has grown rapidly and now houses nearly half the national population.
From north to south, major districts of the city are the residential area Batterie IV, Quartier Louis (known for its nightlife), Mont-Bouët and Nombakélé (busy commercial areas), Glass (the first European settlement in Gabon), Oloumi (a major industrial area) and Lalala, a residential area. The city’s port and train station on the Trans-Gabon Railway line to Franceville lie in Owendo, south of the main built-up area. Inland from these districts lie poorer residential areas.
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Lilongwe
Lilongwe, estimated population 781,538 as of 2012, is the capital and largest city of Malawi. It lies in the country's central region, on the Lilongwe River, near the border of Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia, and on the main north-south highway of Malawi, the M1.
The city started life as a small village on the banks of the Lilongwe river, and became a British colonial administrative centre at the beginning of the 20th century. Due to its location on the main north-south route through the country and the road to Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), Lilongwe became the second largest city in Malawi after Blantyre. In 1975, the capital of the country was formally moved from Zomba to Lilongwe. Lilongwe has grown immensely since then and since 2008 has been the largest city in Malawi. All parliament members are required to spend time in the capital. Although Lilongwe is the political centre of Malawi, in some respects Blantyre remains the economic capital.
Many European and South African expatriates live in Lilongwe, and many NGOs (Care International, Plan International, Concern Worldwide, Population Services International, The UNC Project, World Camp, Baylor International AIDS Initiative, Baobab Health Trust, WaterAID), international aid organisations (Peace Corps, USAID, DFID,UNICEF, UNHCR, UNFAO, WFP), and international corporations, particularly tobacco-related firms, operate out of Lilongwe. As a result, most western visitors will find the city to be accommodating and friendly. Many coffee shops, cafes, bars, clubs, restaurants, and even a casino are located in Lilongwe. In Lilongwe, as opposed to rural Malawi, one can live, work, or vacation in a manner that most westerners would consider typical, if not luxurious.
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Lobamba
Lobamba is the traditional and legislative capital of Swaziland, seat of the Parliament and residence of the Queen Mother. It is located in the west of the country, in the Ezulwini Valley , 16 km from Mbabane, in the district of Hhohho. Its population is 5,800.
Lobamba is famous for two ceremonies: the Reed Dance, celebrated in August and September in honour of the Queen Mother, and the Incwala, in December and January in honour of the King. These ceremonies include dancing, singing, and celebrations with traditional attire.
The Embo State Palace, the Royal Kraal, Swazi National Museum, Parliament of Swaziland and a museum dedicated to Sobhuza II of Swaziland lie in the town, while the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary and Matsapha Airport lie nearby.
Coordinates: 26°28′S 31°12′E / 26.467°S 31.2°E / -26.467; 31.2
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Lomé
Lomé, with a population of 837,437 (Metro population 1,570,283), is the capital and largest city of Togo. Located on the Gulf of Guinea, Lomé is the country's administrative and industrial center and its chief port. The city exports coffee, cocoa, copra, and palm kernels. It also has an oil refinery.
The city was founded in the 18th century by the Ewe people.
The city's population grew rapidly in the second half of the 20th century. The city had approximately 30,000 inhabitants in 1950: by 1960 (the year Togo gained its independence from France) the population had reached 80,000, increasing to 200,000 by 1970.
Since 1975, investments grew by 10% in the past year and had been targeted for development. At the same time, railways, which have an important role in serving the suburbs of the city, deteriorated however.
Market gardening around the city increased, spurred by growing unemployment, rural migration and the demand for vegetables. Market gardening, first extended to the north, is carried on mainly along the beach (whose sand is very salty), and planting hedges provides protection.
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Luanda
Coordinates: 8°50′18″S 13°14′04″E / 8.83833°S 13.23444°E / -8.83833; 13.23444
Luanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of over 5 million. It is also the capital city of Luanda Province, and the world's third most populous Portuguese-speaking city, behind only São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, both in Brazil.
The city is currently undergoing a major reconstruction, with many large developments taking place that will alter the cityscape significantly. Luanda was ranked the most expensive city to live in for expatriates by Mercer, for 2011.
Portuguese explorer Paulo Dias de Novais founded Luanda on 25 January 1576 as "São Paulo da Assumpção de Loanda", with a hundred families of settlers and four hundred soldiers. In 1618 the Portuguese built the fortress called Fortaleza São Pedro da Barra, and they subsequently built two more: Fortaleza de São Miguel (1634) and Forte de São Francisco do Penedo (1765-6). Of these, the Fortaleza de São Miguel is the best preserved.
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Lusaka
Lusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is located in the southern part of the central plateau, at an elevation of about 1,300 metres (4,265 feet). It has a population of about 1.7 million (2010 census). It is a commercial centre as well as the centre of government, and the four main highways of Zambia head north, south, east and west from it. The three main languages spoken in Lusaka are English, Nyanja, and Bemba (the latter two are Bantu languages). English is the official language. Lusaka is one of the fastest-developing cities in Southern Africa.
As national capital, Lusaka is the seat of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government, epitomized by the presence of the National Assembly (parliament), the State House (office of the President), and the High Court. The Parliament is situated at the Parliament complex, which features a 15-story building. The city is also the capital of Lusaka Province, the smallest and most populous of the country's nine provinces, and forms an administrative district run by Lusaka City Council. In 2007, the mayor was Steven Chilatu (PF), and the deputy mayor was Mary Phiri.
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Mahlamba Ndlopfu
Mahlamba Ndlopfu is the Official Residence for the President of South Africa in Bryntirion, Pretoria.
The house, formerly called Libertas, was designed by Architect Gerard Moerdijk in a traditional Cape Dutch style and completed in 1940 as the official residence for the Prime Minister of South Africa. It is surrounded by impressive gardens. Through the years, slight changes were made on the building. After the post of Prime Minister was abolished in 1984, it became the presidential residence. In 1995 the name of the residence was changed in the present-day name. Mahlamba Ndlopfu is a term of the Xitsonga language, the language of the Shangaan (or Tsonga) people. It means "The new dawn".
http://www.thepresidency.gov.za/pebble.asp?relid=195
Coordinates: 25°44′16″S 28°13′36″E / 25.73778°S 28.22667°E / -25.73778; 28.22667
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Malabo
Malabo ( /məˈlɑːboʊ/) is the capital of Equatorial Guinea, located on the northern coast of Bioko Island (formerly Fernando Pó) on the rim of a sunken volcano.. With a fast growing population of 155,963 (2005) it is also the second largest city in the country, after Bata in Río Muni on the African mainland.
The city was first founded by the British in 1827, who leased the island from Spain during the colonial period. Named Port Clarence, it was used as a naval station in the effort to suppress the slave trade. Many newly freed slaves were also settled there, prior to the establishment of Liberia as a colony for freed slaves. While many of them later relocated to Sierra Leone, some of their descendants, called Fernandinos, can still be found in Malabo and the surrounding area, where they constitute a distinct ethnic group, speaking their own Afro-Portuguese pidgin dialect.
When the island reverted to complete Spanish control, Malabo was renamed Santa Isabel. It was chosen to replace the mainland city of Bata as the capital of the country in 1969, and was renamed Malabo in 1973 as part of President Francisco Macías Nguema's campaign to replace European place names with "authentic" African ones.
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Mamelodi
Mamelodi, part of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, is a township set up by the then apartheid government northeast of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. It was established when 16 houses were built on the farm Vlakfontein in June 1953[citation needed] and later the name changed to Mamelodi, the name given to president Paul Kruger by the Africans because of his ability to whistle and imitate birds, also meaning Mother of Melodies. The Group Areas Act designated Mamelodi as a blacks-only area, though this became moot with the fall of apartheid in 1994. In the 1960s black citizens where forcefully removed from the suburb of Lady Selbourne in Pretoria to Mamelodi, Ga-Rankuwa and Atteridgeville. Anti-apartheid activist Reverend Nico Smith preached in Mamelodi from 1982–1989, and obtained permission to live there himself from 1985–1989. During that period, he and his wife Ellen were the only whites legally allowed to live in Mamelodi. The township still has vastly more blacks than any other group as of 2010.
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Mamoudzou
Coordinates: 12°46′50″S 45°13′40″E / 12.7806°S 45.2278°E / -12.7806; 45.2278
Mamoudzou is the capital of the French overseas region and department of Mayotte, in the Indian Ocean. Mamoudzou, known as Momoju in the local Shimaore language, is the most populated commune (municipality) of Mayotte. It is located on Grande-Terre (or Mahoré), the main island of Mayotte. The former capital of Mayotte was Dzaoudzi, on the small island of Petite-Terre (or Pamanzi), but Mamoudzou was chosen as the capital in 1977. The island is located in the Mozambique Channel, between northern Mozambique and northern Madagascar.
The commune is composed of 6 villages in addition to its central habitation, also called Mamoudzou. These are: Kawéni, Mtsapéré, Passamainti, Vahibé, Tsoundzou I and Tsoundzou II.
The commune is also subdivided into 3 cantons; Mamoudzou I, Mamoudzou II and Mamoudzou III.
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Mapungubwe Museum
The Mapungubwe Museumat the University of Pretoria houses the national treasures of Mapungubwe, South Africa, a 13th century Iron Age site in the Limpopo Valley and a World Heritage Site. Gold ornaments, ivory, bone, ceramic-ware, clay figurines, trade beads, iron and copper artifacts are on permanent public display.
The University of Pretoria has been the custodian and owner of this magnificent archaeological collection since its discovery in 1933, and the museum was opened in June 2000. This unique archaeological museum serves for educational, tourism, training, and academic and research purposes. The Museum reflects the cultural significance and diversity of an early African trade kingdom. The Mapungubwe Collection has been highly valued for six decades for its archaeological uniqueness, cultural richness and historical importance.
Part of the collection is loaned to the Mapungubwe Interpretation Center in Mapungubwe.
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Maputo
Maputo, known as Lourenço Marques before independence, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its municipal building. Today it is a port city on the Indian Ocean, with its economy centered around the harbour. According to the 2007 census, the population is 1,766,184.Cotton, sugar, chromite, sisal, copra, and hardwood are the chief exports. The city manufactures cement, pottery, furniture, shoes, and rubber. The city is surrounded by Maputo Province, but is administered as its own province.
It is estimated that 80% of the city's population live in slums without running water or electricity, but the city has little money to invest in infrastructure. Inequality in Maputo has grown considerably as it experienced economic growth rates as high as 9% annually.
On the northern bank of Espírito Santo Estuary of Delagoa Bay, an inlet of the Indian Ocean, Lourenço Marques was named after the Portuguese navigator, who with a companion (António Caldeira) was sent in 1544 by the governor of Mozambique on a voyage of exploration. They explored the lower courses of the rivers emptying their waters into Delagoa Bay, notably the Espírito Santo. The various forts and trading stations which the Portuguese established, abandoned and reoccupied on the north bank of the river were all called Lourenço Marques. The existing town dates from about 1850, the previous settlement having been entirely destroyed by the natives. The town developed around a Portuguese fortress completed in 1787.
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Maseru
Maseru is the capital of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, bordering South Africa, Maseru is Lesotho's only sizable city, with a population of approximately 227,880 (2006). The city was established as a police camp and assigned as the capital after the country became a British protectorate in 1869. When the country achieved independence in 1966, Maseru retained its status as capital. The name of the city is a Sesotho word meaning "place of the red sandstone".
Maseru was founded by the British as a small police camp in 1869, following the conclusion of the Free State-Basotho Wars when Basutoland became a British protectorate. Maseru is located at the edge of the "conquered territories" relinquished to the Orange Free State (now the Free State province of South Africa) as part of the peace terms. It was located 24 kilometres (15 mi) west of Basotho King Moshoeshoe I's stronghold of Thaba Bosiu, the previous de facto capital. A bustling market town soon grew around the area.
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Mbabane
Mbabane (Swati: ÉMbábáne), with an estimated population of 95,000 (2007), is the capital and second largest city in Swaziland after Manzini. It is located on the Mbabane River and its tributary the Polinjane River in the Mdimba Mountains. It is located in the district of Hhohho, of which it is also the capital. The average elevation of the city is 1243 meters. The population (estimated) in 1987 was 30,000. It lies on the MR3 road.
The town grew after the nation's administrative centre moved from Bremersdorp (now called Manzini) in 1902. It derives its name from a Chief, Mbabane Kunene, who lived in the area when British settlers arrived.
Mbabane is located in the district of Hhohho, of which it is also the capital, and lies on the Mbabane River and its tributary the Polinjane River in the Mdimba Mountains. The average elevation of the city is 1243 meters. Neighborhoods and suburbs include Mbangweni, Sidwashini, Kent Rock, Sandla, Westridge Park, Malunge, New Checkers, Msunduza and Vukutentele.
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Melrose House
Melrose House is a stately mansion located in Pretoria, South Africa. Built in 1886 by the prosperous Pretoria businessman George Jesse Heys. it was named after the famous Melrose Abbey in Scotland. Melrose House gained fame during the Second Boer War (1899–1902) when Lord Roberts requisitioned it as the headquarters for the British forces after Pretoria was invaded in June 1900. For more than 18 months instructions for the British forces in the field were issued from here. This use of the house as a military headquarters ended when the Treaty of Vereeniging, which ended the war, was signed there on 31 May 1902.
Today the elegant mansion is a historic house museum. It is an example of the transition from Victorian to Edwardian architectural styles and interiors. The interior is characterised by colourful stained glass windows, paintings by English artists, carpets in rich colours, ornate ceilings and fireplaces, as well as valuable porcelain ornaments. The majority of these items belonged to the Heys family itself.
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Menlyn Park
Coordinates: 25°46′59″S 28°16′31″E / 25.7831°S 28.2752°E / -25.7831; 28.2752
At 118 989m2, Menlyn Park Shopping Centre is Pretoria's largest shopping centre situated at the corner of Lois Avenue and Atterbury Road close to the N1 Highway.
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Mogadishu
Mogadishu ( /ˌmɒɡəˈdɪʃuː/; Somali: Muqdisho; Arabic: مقديشو Maqadīshū; Italian: Mogadiscio, literally "The Seat of the Shah"), popularly known as Xamar, is the largest city in Somalia and the nation's capital. Located in the coastal Benadir region on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important port for centuries.
Tradition and old records assert that southern Somalia, including the Mogadishu area, was historically inhabited by hunter-gatherers of Bushman physical stock. These were later joined by Cushitic agro-pastoralists, who would go on to establish local aristocracies. Starting in the late 9th or 10th centuries, Arab and Persian traders also began to settle in the region.
During its medieval Golden Age, Mogadishu was ruled by the Somali-Arab Muzaffar dynasty, a vassal of the Ajuuraan State. It subsequently fell under the control of an assortment of local Sultanates and polities, most notably the Gobroon Dynasty. The city later became the capital of Italian Somaliland in the colonial period.
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Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately. The city is governed as a metropolitan city called Greater Monrovia District, which had a population of 970,824 as of the 2008 census, containing 29% of the total population of Liberia and is the country's most populous city. Monrovia is the cultural, political and financial hub for the entire country. The body that administers the government of Greater Monrovia District is the Monrovia City Corporation.
Founded in 1822, Monrovia is named in honor of U.S. President James Monroe, a prominent supporter of the colonization of Liberia. Along with Washington, D.C., it is one of two national capitals to be named after a U.S. President. Monrovia was founded thirty years after Freetown, Sierra Leone, the first permanent Black American settlement in Africa. The city's economy is dominated by its harbor, and government offices. Monrovia's harbor was significantly expanded by U.S. forces during the Second World War and the main exports include latex and iron ore. Materials are also manufactured on-site, such as cement, refined petroleum, food products, bricks and tiles, furniture and chemicals. Located near the confluence of the Mesurado and Saint Paul rivers, the harbor also has facilities for storing and repairing vessels.
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Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique (Portuguese: Moçambique or República de Moçambique, pronounced: [ʁɛˈpublikɐ di musɐ̃ˈbiki]), is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest. The capital city is Maputo, formerly known as Lourenço Marques.
Between the 1st and 5th centuries AD, Bantu-speaking peoples migrated from farther north and west. Swahili, and later also Arab, commercial ports existed along the coasts until the arrival of Europeans. The area was explored by Vasco da Gama in 1498 and colonized by Portugal in 1505. Mozambique became independent in 1975, and became the People's Republic of Mozambique shortly thereafter. It was the scene of an intense civil war lasting from 1977 to 1992.
Mozambique is endowed with rich and extensive natural resources. The country's economy is based largely on agriculture, but with industry, mainly food and beverages, chemical manufacturing, aluminium and petroleum production, is growing fast. The country's tourism sector is also growing. South Africa is Mozambique's main trading partner and source of foreign direct investment. Portugal, Spain, and Belgium are also among the country's most important partners. Since 2001 Mozambique is one of the world's top ten for annual average GDP growth. However, Mozambique still has one of the lowest GDP per capita, one of the worst human development index and one of the highest inequality in the world, as well as having the world's lowest life expectancy.
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Nairobi
Nairobi ( /naɪˈroʊbi/) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nairobi, which translates to "cold water," the Maasai name of the Nairobi river, which in turn lent its name to the city. However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is surrounded by several expanding villa suburbs. Residents of Nairobi are known as Nairobians.
Founded by the British in 1899 as a simple rail depot on the railway linking Mombasa to Uganda, the town quickly grew to become the capital of British East Africa in 1907 and eventually the capital of a free Kenyan republic in 1963. During Kenya's colonial period, the city became a centre for the colony's coffee, tea and sisal industry. Nairobi is also the capital of the Nairobi Province and of the Nairobi District. The city lies on the Nairobi River, in the south of the nation, and has an elevation of 1795 m above sea-level.
Nairobi is the most populous city in East Africa, with a current estimated population of about 3 million. According to the 2009 Census, in the administrative area of Nairobi, 3,138,295 inhabitants lived within 696 km2 (269 sq mi). Nairobi is currently the 12th largest city in Africa, including the population of its suburbs.
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Netherlands
The Netherlands (i/ˈnɛðərləndz/; Dutch: Nederland [ˈneːdə(r)lɑnt] or [ˈneɪ̯də(r)lɑnt] (
listen); West Frisian: Nederlân; Papiamento: Hulanda) is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with some islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders with Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom. It is a parliamentary democracy organised as a unitary state. The country capital is Amsterdam and the seat of government is The Hague. The Netherlands in its entirety is often referred to as Holland, although North and South Holland are actually only two of its twelve provinces (a case of pars pro toto; see terminology of "the Netherlands").
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Niamey
Niamey (French pronunciation: [njaˈmɛ]) is the capital and largest city of the West African country of Niger. Niamey lies on the Niger River, primarily situated on the east bank. It is an administrative, cultural and economic centre. Niamey's population, which was estimated at 774,235 in 2006, is now projected to be much higher.
The city is located in a pearl millet growing region, while manufacturing industries include bricks, ceramic goods, cement and weaving.
Niamey was probably founded in the eighteenth century, but was of little importance to most of the country until the French developed a colonial post in the 1890s. This rapidly grew into an important center. In 1926 it became the capital of Niger, and the population gradually increased, from about 3,000 in 1930 to around 30,000 in 1960. The period from 1970 to 1988 was one in which the economy of Niger boomed, driven by revenue from the uranium mines at Arlit. In this period, the population of Niamey grew from 108,000 to 398,365 inhabitants. The city expanded from 1,367 hectares (3,380 acres) in 1970 to 4,400 hectares (11,000 acres) by 1977, in the process annexing peripheral villages such as Lazaret.
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Nouakchott
Nouakchott (Arabic: نواكشوط or انواكشوط (believed translation from Berber "The place of the winds", Nawākšūṭ) is the capital and by far the largest city of Mauritania. It is one of the largest cities in the Sahara. The city is the administrative and economic centre of Mauritania.
A tiny fishing town until 1958, Nouakchott was little mentioned during pre-colonial and colonial history. It is possible that the Berber Muslim Almoravids were originally from the area. Despite its name, based on a Berber expression meaning "place of the winds", the city was selected as the capital city for its moderate climate and central location within the country. It did, however, sit on one of the most valuable trade routes to West Africa.
Mauritania was part of the larger French colony of French West Africa, and as such had no capital during the colonial period: Saint-Louis, in Senegal, held that position. In 1957, this small port town was chosen to be the capital of the new country, and an ambitious building program was begun to increase its population to 15,000, starting a year later. In 1958, Mauritania was formed as an autonomous republic in the French Community, and in 1960 it became an independent country, with Nouakchott as its capital.
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Orange Free State
The Orange Free State (Dutch: Oranje-Vrijstaat Afrikaans: Oranje-Vrystaat) was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province. Extending between the Orange and Vaal rivers, its borders were determined by the United Kingdom in 1848 when the region was proclaimed as the Orange River Sovereignty, with a seat of a British Resident in Bloemfontein.
In the northern part of the territory a Voortrekker Republic was established at Winburg in 1837. This state merged with the Republic of Potchefstroom which later formed part of the South African Republic (Transvaal).
Following the granting of independence to the Transvaal Republic, the British recognized the independence of the Orange River Sovereignty on 17 February 1854 and the country officially became independent as the Orange Free State on 23 February 1854, with the signing of the Orange River Convention. The United States and the Orange Free State mutually recognized each other in 1871. The new republic incorporated both the Orange River Sovereignty and the traditions of the Winburg-Potchefstroom Republic.
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Ouagadougou
Ouagadougou ( /ˌwɑːɡəˈduːɡuː/; Mossi: [ˈwaɡᵊdᵊɡᵊ]) is the capital of Burkina Faso and the administrative, communications, cultural and economic center of the nation. It is also the country's largest city, with a population of 1,475,223 (as of 2006). The city's name is often shortened to Ouaga. The inhabitants are called ouagalais. The spelling of the name Ouagadougou is derived from the French orthography common in former French African colonies. If English orthography were used (as in Ghana or Nigeria), the spelling would be Wagadugu.
Ouagadougou's primary industries are food processing and textiles. It is served by an international airport, rail links to Abidjan in Côte d'Ivoire and to Kaya in the north of Burkina, and a highway to Niamey, Niger. Ouagadougou was the site of Ouagadougou grand market, one of the largest markets in West Africa, which burned in 2003 and remains closed. Other attractions include the National Museum of Burkina Faso, the Moro-Naba Palace (site of the Moro-Naba Ceremony), the National Museum of Music, and several craft markets.
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Polokwane
Polokwane, meaning "Place of Safety", is a city in the Polokwane Local Municipality and the capital of the Limpopo province, South Africa. It is also often referred to by its former name,Pietersburg. Polokwane is a major urban centre, the biggest and most important north of Gauteng. Polokwane was one of the host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
In the 1840s, Voortrekkers under the leadership of Andries Potgieter established Zoutpansbergdorp, a town 100 km to the north west. This settlement had to be abandoned because of clashes with the local tribes. They founded a new town in 1886 and named it Pietersburg in honour of Voortrekker leader Petrus Jacobus Joubert. The British built a concentration camp at Pietersburg during the Boer War to house almost 4,000 Boer women and children. The town officially became a city on April 23, 1992; on February 25, 2005, the government declared the official name of the city as Polokwane, a name that was generally in use by the speakers of Northern Sotho. The city was the site of the ANC national conference which saw Jacob Zuma take over as head of the party.
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Port Louis
Port Louis (French pronunciation: [pɔʁlwi]) is the capital of Mauritius. It is the largest city of the country and main port, which borders the Indian Ocean. It is located in the Port Louis District. The population of the administrative district was estimated at 128,483, and the urban area at 148,416 in December 2010[update].
Port Louis was already in use as a harbor in 1638. In 1735, under French government, it became the administrative center of Mauritius and a major reprovisioning halt for French ships travelling around the Cape of Good Hope. The Port is named in honour of King Louis XV. The first Governor was Count Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais.
The population of the city is now largely made up of the descendants of laborers who were hired for labour from India in the 19th century. Slaves were previously introduced by the British and French who colonized the island in the 18th century. After the abolition of slavery in 1835, many Indian and Chinese workers were brought to work the land, and cultivate sugar cane, at that time used to produce rum. The Immigration Depot in Port Louis is a World Heritage Site commemorating this great migration.
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Potchefstroom
Potchefstroom is an academic city in the North West Province of South Africa. It hosts the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University (previously known as Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, by which name it was, and still is, famous abroad). It is situated on the banks of the Mooirivier (Afrikaans for "pretty (or beautiful) river"), roughly 120 km (75 mi) west-southwest of Johannesburg and 45 km (28 mi) east-northeast of Klerksdorp.
In 2007 the local municipality was changed from Potchefstroom Municipality to Tlokwe Municipality. Tlokwe is also the name that is proposed to replace the town's name.
There are various origins that are claimed for the origin of the name Potchefstroom. Firstly it is said to come from 'Potgieter' + 'Chef' + 'stroom'. This refers to the Voortrekker leader and town father Andries Potgieter, "chef" being an indication of leader of the emigrants and "stroom" referring to the Mooi River.
According to the South African writer Geoffrey Jenkins, "Others however, attribute the name as having come from the word 'Potscherf', meaning broken pot, due to the cracks that appear in the soil of the Mooi River Valley during drought resembling a broken pot".
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Praia
Praia (pronounced Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈpɾajɐ], meaning "beach", in both Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole), is the capital and largest city of Cape Verde, an island nation in the Atlantic Ocean west of Senegal. It lies on the southern coast of Santiago island in the Sotavento Islands group. It is the island's ferry port and is home to one of the nation’s four international airports. The city centre is known as Plateau due to its location on a small plateau.
Praia is Cape Verde's largest city, a commercial centre, and a port that ships coffee, sugar cane, and tropical fruits. Praia also has a fishing industry and there are resort beaches nearby. It is the seat of the municipality of the same name.
The town of Praia de Santa Maria appeared in 1615 when it took the place of the previous settlement on the plateau, which was originally favored because the nearby port (Santa Maria beach) offered good conditions for ships. Initially used as a clandestine harbor (in order to avoid customs fees at the then capital Ribeira Grande), the settlement gradually acquired the characteristics of a town after much of the population from Ribeira Grande fled there during its decline in the midst of frequent pirate attacks. The official transfer of capital status from Ribeira Grande to Praia took place in 1770.
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Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive (administrative) and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital. Pretoria is contained within the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality as one of several constituent former administrations (among which also Centurion and Soshanguve). Pretoria itself is sometimes referred to as "Tshwane" due to a long-running and controversial proposed change of name, which has yet to decided as of 2012.
The city's original name was Pretoria Philadelphia ("Pretoria of brotherly love"). It gave its name to the Pax Praetoriana, referring to the country's relative stability.
Pretoria in South Africa is popularly known as The Jacaranda City due to the thousands of Jacaranda trees planted in its streets, parks and gardens.
The Southern Transvaal Ndebele occupied the river valley, which was to become the location of the city of Pretoria, by around 1600.
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Pretoria Forts
The Pretoria Forts consisted mainly of four forts built by the government of the South African Republic (ZAR) just before the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Boer War around Pretoria.
After the abortive Jameson Raid, the government of the ZAR became concerned about the safety of its capital city, Pretoria, both from foreign invasion as well as from the growing number of Uitlanders (Foreigners) on the Witwatersrand.
Consequently, a defence plan for Pretoria was drawn up by a former French artillery officer, Leon Grunberg. This plan was approved on 24 March 1896 by the Executive Council of the ZAR.
The plan recommended that eight strategic positions around the city should be fortified by means of armoured turrets equipped with artillery. The positions identified were Schanskop, Kwaggaspoort, Daspoortrand, Magaliesberg-wes, Wonderboompoort, Derdepoort, Strubenkop and Klapperkop. The armoured turrets were subsequently found to be unacceptable, and thus the plan of two German engineers, Otto Albert Adolph von Dewitz and Heinrich C Werner to build forts instead, were accepted. However, due to a lack of money, only four forts were eventually built:
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Rabat
Rabat (Arabic الرباط; Amazigh ⵕⴱⴰⵟ, transliterated ar-Rabāṭ or ar-Ribāṭ or Rbat, literally "Fortified Place"; French Ville de Rabat; Spanish Ciudad de Rabat), is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000 (2010). It is also the capital of the Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaer region.
The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the river Bou Regreg. On the facing shore of the river lies Salé, the city's main commuter town. Together with Temara the cities account for a combined metropolitan population of 1.8 million. Silting problems have diminished the Rabat's role as a port; however, Rabat and Salé still maintain important textile, food processing and construction industries. In addition, tourism and the presence of all foreign embassies in Morocco serve to make Rabat one of the most important cities in the country. Controversy surrounds sweatshop labour by major multinational corporations in the area (see Salé).
Rabat is accessible by train through the ONCF system and by plane through the nearby Rabat-Salé Airport.
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Randfontein
Randfontein is a gold mining town in western Gauteng, South Africa, 45 km west of Johannesburg. With the Witwatersrand gold rush in full swing, mining financier JB Robinson bought the farm Randfontein and, in 1889, floated the Randfontein Estates Gold Mining Company. The town was established in 1890 to serve the new mine and was administered by Krugersdorp until it became a municipality in 1929. As of 2007, Randfontein has a population of 128,731, which incorporates Mohlakeng and Toekomsrus.
Randfontein Estates had the largest stamp mill in the world, with 600 stamps.
The R28 is a Regional Route connecting Krugersdorp with Vereeniging that passes through Randfontein while the R41 connects Randfontein with Johannesburg. The R559 connects the R28 with the R558 at Lenasia.
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Rayton
Rayton (also known as Rayton Junction early in its settlement) is a town in North-Eastern Gauteng which started out as a tin shack mining town on the farm Elandshoek. During its boom days the town served the needs of thousands of diggers and prospectors working for the Schiller, Montrose and Dunmore mining companies. A mini diamond rush sparked by Sir Thomas Cullinan's discovery of a kimberlite diamond pipe (which has since been named Cullinan Diamond Mine) nearby is what caused the town to boom.
The original Rayton Junction was laid out along a spur of the main NZASM railway line, which was completed in 1895 to connect the Republic of Transvaal's capital, Pretoria to the port in Delagoa bay, Mozambique. Officials in the Montrose Diamond Mining Company did the town planning and named the hamlet after Lady Rachel Ray Williston, wife of the company's first manager, Colonel Balliston.
The town's first—and at the time the only—brick building was the original magistrate’s office, which dates from this early time. During the Second World War Italian prisoners of war were interned at Zonderwater just north of town, and massive military logistics and supply depots were established between Cullinan and Rayton.
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Rustenburg
Rustenburg (English: /ˈrʊstənbɜrɡ/, Afrikaans: [ˈrœstənbœrχ], Afrikaans and Dutch: Town of Rest) is a city and a local municipality of 395,539 inhabitants (2001 National Census) situated at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountain range in North West Province of South Africa. It was one of the official host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, being in close proximity to Phokeng, capital of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, where the Royal Bafokeng Stadium is located. The England national football team also used this as their base camp for the tournament.
Rustenburg is prominent in Afrikaner history. The town was established in 1851 as an administrative centre for a fertile farming area producing citrus fruit, tobacco, peanuts, sunflower seeds, maize, wheat and cattle. On 10 February 1859, the local Dutch Reformed Church community was established. One of the oldest Boer settlements in the north, Rustenburg was the home of Paul Kruger, president of the South African Republic, who bought a 5 square kilometer farm to the north-west of the town in 1863. The homestead on his farm, Boekenhoutfontein, is now the Paul Kruger Country Museum. When the Boer and the British came to blows in the Second Boer War (1899), the territory around Rustenburg became a battlefield. The two sides clashed famously at nearby Mafikeng, where the British garrison found itself under siege for months. These battle sites can be explored from Rustenburg.
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Soshanguve
Soshanguve is a township situated about 25 km north of Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. It was established in 1974 on land scheduled to be incorporated into a bantustan bordering on Mabopane in Bophuthatswana, to Sotho, Shangaan, Nguni and Venda people (thus the name) who were resettled from Atteridgeville and Mamelodi. It later became part of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.
The name Soshanguve is an abbreviation for Sotho, Shangaan, Nguni, Venda, being the languages spoken at this township.
Initially Soshanguve was known as Mabopane East before the Bophuthatswana bantustan became an independent State in 1977. During 1977 Mabopne West became known as Mabopane and fell under the control of Bophuthatswana homeland while Mabopane East became known as Soshanguve which fell under the Northern Transvaal administration.
Soshanguve was the scene of riots related to poor service delivery in January 2006. It was also home to Smangaliso Mkhatshwa the Catholic Priest who was banished from Transkei by the apartheid regime until he later became a member of the first post-apartheid parliament (1994) and then mayor of Tshwane. Other well known anti-apartheid activists are Mpho Walter Molema, Thabo Makola, Tamati Matlala and Steven Makena, who were killed during the 1985-1986 Struggle period, after which a State of Emergency was declared by the apartheid Government under PW Botha.
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South Africa
Coordinates: 30°S 25°E / 30°S 25°E / -30; 25
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa, is a country located at the southern tip of Africa. It is divided into nine provinces and has 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) of coastline. To the north of the country lie the neighbouring territories of Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe; to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland; while Lesotho is an enclave surrounded by South African territory.
South Africa is multi-ethnic and has diverse cultures and languages. Eleven official languages are recognised in the constitution. Two of these languages are of European origin: South African English and Afrikaans, a language which originated mainly from Dutch that is spoken by the majority of white and Coloured South Africans. Though English is commonly used in public and commercial life, it is only the fifth most-spoken home language. All ethnic and language groups have political representation in the country's constitutional democracy comprising a parliamentary republic; unlike most parliamentary republics, the positions of head of state and head of government are merged in a parliament-dependent President.
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Supersport Park
SuperSport Park, is a cricket ground in Centurion, Gauteng Province, South Africa.
It was renamed from Centurion Park after a television company Supersport bought shares in the stadium. The capacity of the ground is 22,000.
The Titans cricket team, formerly known as Northern Transvaal, play their home games here.
The town of Verwoerdburg was renamed Centurion after the end of apartheid, with the politically neutral new name of the town coming from that of the cricket ground.
This ground was a venue for 2003 Cricket World Cup and Indian Premier League 2009 which took place in South Africa. It was also selected as a venue for ICC Champions Trophy 2009 and hosted the final on 5 October 2009, one of the greatest achievements for this stadium. This was also the ground where Sachin Tendulkar scored his 50th Test Match century. It hosted an Australian rules practice match in 2008 between Carlton and Fremantle.
Coordinates: 25°51′35.69″S 28°11′43.35″E / 25.8599139°S 28.195375°E / -25.8599139; 28.195375
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São Tomé
São Tomé (population 56,166 in 2005) is the capital city of São Tomé and Príncipe and is by far that nation's largest town. Its name is Portuguese for "Saint Thomas".
São Tomé was founded by Portugal in 1485. The Portuguese came to São Tomé in search of land to grow sugar. The island was uninhabited before the arrival of the Portuguese sometime around 1470. São Tomé was right on the equator and wet enough to grow sugar in wild abundance. Its proximity to the African Kingdom of Kongo provided an eventual source of slave laborers to work the sugar plantations. São Tomé is centred on a sixteenth century cathedral. Another early building is Fort São Sebastião, built in 1575 and now the São Tomé National Museum. In 1599, the city as well as the islands were taken by the Dutch for two days and again in 1641 for a year. It was the capital of the Portugues colony of São Tomé and Príncipe and, since São Tomé and Príncipe's independence in 1975, capital of the sovereign nation.
São Tomé is located at 0°20′10″N 6°40′53″E / 0.33611°N 6.68139°E / 0.33611; 6.68139Coordinates: 0°20′10″N 6°40′53″E / 0.33611°N 6.68139°E / 0.33611; 6.68139. [1]
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Taipei
Taipei City (/ˌtaɪˈpeɪ/; [tʰǎipèi]; Chinese: 臺北市 or 台北市; pinyin: Táiběi Shì) is the capital of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Situated at the northern tip of the island of Taiwan, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River; it is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, a port city on the Pacific Ocean. It lies in the two relatively narrow valleys of the Keelung (基隆河) and Xindian (新店溪) rivers, which join to form the Tamsui River along the city's western border. The city proper (Taipei City) is home to an estimated 2,618,772 people. Taipei, New Taipei, and Keelung together form the Taipei metropolitan area with a population of 6,900,273. However, they are administered under different local governing bodies. "Taipei" sometimes refers to the whole metropolitan area, while "Taipei City" refers to the city proper. Taipei City proper is surrounded on all sides by New Taipei.
Taipei is the political, economic, and cultural center of Taiwan. The National Palace Museum which has one of the largest collections of Chinese artifacts and artworks in the world is located in Taipei. Considered to be a global city, Taipei is part of a major industrial area. Railways, high speed rail, highways, airports, and bus lines connect Taipei with all parts of the island. The city is served by two airports – Taipei Songshan and Taiwan Taoyuan.
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Taiwan
Taiwan (i/ˌtaɪˈwɑːn/ TY-WAHN; Chinese: 臺灣 or 台灣; pinyin: Táiwān; see below), officially the Republic of China (ROC; Chinese: 中華民國; pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó), is a state in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China now governs the island of Taiwan (formerly known as Formosa), which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, and other minor islands. Neighboring states include the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east and northeast, and the Philippines to the south. Taipei is the capital city and economic and cultural centre of the country, and New Taipei is the most populous city.
The earliest evidence of inhabitation of Taiwan dates back to the late Paleolithic era. The island of Taiwan was mainly inhabited by Taiwanese aborigines before being colonized in the 17th century by the Dutch and the Spanish Empire. The first Han Chinese polity on Taiwan began when Koxinga's troops defeated Dutch forces and established the Kingdom of Tungning. The island was subsequently ruled by the Qing Dynasty after the kingdom's defeat in the Battle of Penghu in 1683, a period that lasted for over 200 years. Following Japan's victory over the Qing Dynasty in the first Sino-Japanese war, Taiwan was ceded to Japan under the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895.
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Tehran
Tehran (
pronunciation (help·info)) (Persian: تهران Tehrān; pronounced [tehˈɾɒːn]), sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, the largest city in Western Asia, one of the largest in Southern Asia, and the 19th-largest city globally.
In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to mass-migration of people from all around Iran. The city is home to many historic mosques, churches, synagogues and Zoroastrian fire temples. Contemporary Tehran is a modern city featuring many structures, of which the Azadi (Freedom) Tower and the Milad Tower have come to be symbols of Tehran itself. In 2008 Tehran was the least expensive capital in the world and the second-least expensive city globally based on the cost-of-living index presenting the best value for money in the world. Globally it stands 19th by city population, 56th by the size of its GDP and 29th by the population of its metropolitan area. Throughout Iran's history, the capital city has been relocated many times, with Tehran being the 32nd national capital of Iran. Persian is the city's native tongue, with roughly 98% of the population able to speak and understand it. The majority of people in Tehran identify themselves as Persians. In pre-Islamic and early Islamic times, Tehran was called Ray (which in the Avesta occurs in the form of Ragha)[citation needed].
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The Glen High School
Coordinates: 25°47′23.27″S 28°16′47.28″E / 25.7897972°S 28.2798°E / -25.7897972; 28.2798
The Glen High School is a public, English medium co-ed high school located in Waterkloof Glen, Pretoria, in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The school has around 1000 pupils.
The school grounds also includes a second campus which is opposite the school on the main side which has been set aside for development.
The Glen High School has a very Scottish background and the Heads Of Clans have a kilt as part of their uniform. The President, Deputy-President, Treasurer and Secretary wear tartan ties.
The school is divided into four clans. Each clan has their own colour, song and motto. Each clan has two heads of clan, one male and one female. The clans each have a clan evening once a year where they perform a One Act Play and various skits. The clans also compete in sports such as athletics, swimming, basketball and tennis. The clans are:
Sport is not compulsory, as the school believes that the success and enjoyment is with voluntary participation. However, the grade 8 learners are expected to attend most of the sport meetings as spectators.
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Transvaal Museum
"(Redirected from Ditsong National Museum of Natural History)"
Coordinates: 25°45′12″S 28°11′20″E / 25.75325°S 28.18899°E / -25.75325; 28.18899
The Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, formerly Transvaal Museum, is a natural history museum situated in Pretoria, South Africa.
It was founded as the Staatsmuseum (Afrikaans for "State Museum") of the ZAR on the 1 December 1892, and J. W. B. Gunning was appointed as first director. The museum was located for the first two years in the Ou Raadsaal parliament building.
The Transvaal Museum curates large collections of Plio-Pleistocene fossils, (including hominids from Sterkfontein, Swartkrans and Kromdraai in the Cradle of Humankind), as well as late Permian therapsids (mammal-like reptiles from the Karoo). In addition the museum holds very large collections of mammals, birds, reptiles, and invertebrates (especially lepidoptera and coleoptera).
The current Director the Transvaal Museum is Dr Martin Krüger(Acting)While the position for Director is being advertised.
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Transvaal Province
Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.
In 1910, the Boer republics joined with the Cape Colony to form the Union of South Africa. Half a century later, in 1961, the union ceased to be part of the Commonwealth of Nations and became the Republic of South Africa. The Pretoria-Witwatersrand-Vereeniging (PWV) conurbation in the Transvaal became South Africa's economic powerhouse, a position it still holds today.
In 1994, after the fall of apartheid, the former provinces were restructured, and a cohesive Transvaal ceased to exist. The new Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces lie fully within the borders of the old Transvaal as does most of the North West and also a tiny segment of KwaZulu-Natal. However, even before 1994 the Transvaal Province was subdivided into regions for a number of purposes (such as municipal and district courts, and sporting divisions), these divisions included Northern Transvaal (Currently Limpopo, with the City of Tshwane), Eastern Transvaal (Currently Mpumalanga), Western Transvaal (Currently North West province) and Southern Transvaal (Now Gauteng province, excluding Tshwane)
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Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Tripoli-of-the-West (Arabic: طرابلس الغرب Ṭarābulus al-Gharb), to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean (Arabic: عروسة البحر ʼarūsat el-baḥr; lit: "bride of the sea"), describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli (English pronunciation: /ˈtrɪpɵli/) is a Greek name that means "Three Cities", introduced in Western European languages through the Italian Tripoli. In Arabic: طرابلس it is called Ṭarābulus ( pronunciation (help·info), Libyan Arabic: Ṭrābləs pronunciation (help·info), Berber: Ṭrables, from Ancient Greek: Τρίπολις Trípolis). As of 2011, the Tripoli metropolitan area (district area) had a population of 2.2 million. The city is located in the northwest part of the country on the edge of the desert, on a point of rocky land projecting into the Mediterranean and forming a bay.
The city includes the Port of Tripoli and the country's largest commercial and manufacturing centre. It is also the site of the University of Tripoli. The vast Bab al-Azizia barracks, which includes the former family compound of Muammar Gaddafi, is also located in the city; Gaddafi largely ruled the country from his residence in this barracks.
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Tunis
Tunis (Arabic: تونس Tūnis) is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants.
Situated on a large Mediterranean Sea gulf (the Gulf of Tunis), behind the Lake of Tunis and the port of La Goulette (Halq al Wadi), the city extends along the coastal plain and the hills that surround it. At the centre of more modern development (from the colonial era and later) lies the old medina. Beyond this district lie the suburbs of Carthage, La Marsa, and Sidi Bou Said.
The medina is found at the centre of the city: a dense agglomeration of alleys and covered passages, full of intense scents and colours, boisterous and active trade, and a surfeit of goods on offer ranging from leather to plastic, tin to the finest filigree, tourist souvenirs to the works of tiny crafts shops.
Just through the Sea Gate (also known as the Bab el Bahr and the Porte de France) begins the modern city, or Ville Nouvelle, transversed by the grand Avenue Habib Bourguiba (often referred to by popular press and travel guides as "the Tunisian Champs-Élysées"), where the colonial-era buildings provide a clear contrast to smaller, older structures. As the capital city of the country, Tunis is the focus of Tunisian political and administrative life; it is also the centre of the country's commercial activity. The expansion of the Tunisian economy in recent decades is reflected in the booming development of the outer city where one can see clearly the social challenges brought about by rapid modernization in Tunisia.
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Ukraine
Ukraine (i/juːˈkreɪn/ yew-KRAYN; Ukrainian: Україна, transliterated: Ukrayina, [ukrɑˈjinɑ]; Russian: Украина; Crimean Tatar: Ukraina) is a country in Central and Eastern Europe. Ukraine borders the Russian Federation to the east and northeast, Belarus to the northwest, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, Romania and Moldova to the southwest, and the Black Sea and Sea of Azov to the south and southeast, respectively. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after the Russian Federation.
According to a popular and well established theory, the medieval state of Kievan Rus was established by the Varangians in the 9th century as the first historically recorded East Slavic state which emerged as a powerful nation in the Middle Ages until it disintegrated in the 12th century. By the middle of the 14th century, Ukrainian territories were under the rule of three external powers—the Golden Horde, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and the Kingdom of Poland. After the Great Northern War (1700–1721) Ukraine was divided between a number of regional powers and, by the 19th century, the largest part of Ukraine was integrated into the Russian Empire with the rest under Austro-Hungarian control. A chaotic period of incessant warfare ensued, with several internationally recognized attempts at independence from 1917 to 1921, following World War I and the Russian Civil War. Ukraine emerged from its own civil war, and on December 30, 1922 Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic became one of the founding republics of the Soviet Union. The Ukrainian SSR's territory was enlarged westward during the civil war shortly before, and after World War II, and further south in 1954 with the Crimea transfer. In 1945, the Ukrainian SSR became one of the founding members of the United Nations.
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Union Buildings
Coordinates: 25°44′25.68″S 28°12′43.28″E / 25.7404667°S 28.2120222°E / -25.7404667; 28.2120222
The Union Buildings (Afrikaans: Die Uniegebou) form the official seat of the South African government and also house the offices of the President of South Africa. The imposing buildings are located in Pretoria, atop Meintjieskop at the Northern end of Arcadia, close to historic Church Square and the Voortrekker Monument. The large gardens of the Buildings are nestled between Government Avenue, Vermeulen Street East, Church Street, the R104, and Blackwood Street. Fairview Avenue is a closed road where only officials can enter to the Union Buildings. Though not in the center of Pretoria the Union Buildings occupy the highest point of Pretoria, and constitute a South African National monument.
The Buildings are one of the centres of political life in South Africa; "The Buildings" and "Arcadia" have become metonyms for the South African Government. It has become an iconic landmark of Pretoria and South Africa in general, and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city and an emblem of democracy.
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United States
The United States of America (commonly abbreviated to the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west, across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km2) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land area and population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy, with an estimated 2011 GDP of $15.1 trillion (22% of nominal global GDP and over 19% of global GDP at purchasing-power parity). Per capita income is the world's sixth-highest.
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Van Wouw Museum
The Van Wouw Museum, housed in Anton Van Wouw's last residence, a Dutch national monument. Besides documents, photos, paintings and tools the exhibits are mainly bronze maquettes and casts of Van Wouw's sculptural work.
Anton van Wouw was born in Driebergen, near Utrecht in the Netherlands on 26 December 1862. He had a thorough training in academic sculpture in Europe, initially through evening classes at the Rotterdam Academie under the guidance of the Flemish architect and artist, Vieillevoye, but later also in the studio of the Belgian sculptor, Joseph Graven (1836-1877). During his student days he undertook visits to Brussels and Paris to view the galleries there. The experience which he gained early in his life as a stucco-worker had a definite influence on his preference for the art of modelling.
When Anton van Wouw arrived in South Africa from the Netherlands, he was twenty-eight years old. Here he met the indigenous people of the country for the first time. His rendering of Africans shows a perceptual awareness. Not only does Van Wouw show the anatomical characteristics of the African, but he created these studies of the indigenous people with dignity and understanding. Spirit and culture come to the fore in these works. Van Wouw modelled from life and his subjects are shown in different moods and situations. A serene and pensive mood is evident in his bronze sculpture entitled The Thinker (1935). With his chin resting on his hand, the subject seems unaware of the world around him, lost in his own thoughts.
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Vanderbijlpark
Vanderbijlpark (Afrikaans pronunciation: [fʌndɪɹbeɪl'pɑːɹk])[Stress?] is an industrial city with 80,205 [1] inhabitants on the Vaal River in the south of the Gauteng province of South Africa.
Named after Hendrik van der Bijl, an electrical engineer and industrialist, Vanderbijlpark is home to Vanderbijlpark Steel (previously part of ISCOR (South African Iron and Steel Corporation), now part of the global company ArcelorMittal). With neighbouring towns Vereeniging and Sasolburg it forms the Vaal Triangle, a major industrial region of South Africa. Located in the district municipality of Sedibeng and the local municipality of Emfuleni.
The black townships Boipatong, Bophelong, Sebokeng and Sharpeville are close to the city.
VECOR, the largest comprehensive heavy engineering works in the Southern Hemisphere used to be located in Vanderbijlpark.
Vanderbijlpark is also home to Cape Gate (Pty) Ltd, a major market share holder in the wire industry.
It all started when Dr HJ van der Bijl, a young South African electrical engineer working in the United States at the time, was called back to South Africa in 1920 by the then Prime Minister Jan Smuts to advise the government on planning South Africa's industrial development. Van der Bijl oversaw the Iron and Steel Corporation's first plant at Pretoria, but with the increased demand after World War II, 100 km² was bought to build a large steel works and model town. The steel works began operating in 1947 and the town was proclaimed in 1949. The town attained municipal status in 1952 when Governor General Dr EG Jansen opened ISCOR's second steel works. The Founder of the town, Hendrik van der Bijl, has his old house situated in Beethoven street, in the affluent SW 5 proper suburb
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Westonaria
Westonaria is a close-knit conurbation of ten suburban townships with 156,598 inhabitants in the west of Gauteng province of South Africa. It is situated in the Westonaria Local Municipality in West Rand. During the apartheid era, blacks lived outside town in Bekkersdal.
Town some 45 km west of Johannesburg and 18 km south of Randfontein. It was formed in 1948 by the amalgamation of the townships Venterspost, proclaimed in 1937, and Westonaria, proclaimed in 1938. At first called Venterspost; the name was changed to Westonaria when municipal status was attained in 1952. The name is a homophone of ‘western area’, after the township developing company Western Areas Ltd.
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Windhoek
Windhoek ( /ˈvɪnt.hʊk/ VINT-huuk; German: Windhuk (help·info)) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around 1,700 metres (5,600 ft) above sea level. The population of Windhoek in 2011 was 322,500 and grows continually due to an influx from all over Namibia.
The town developed at the site of a permanent spring known to the indigenous pastoral communities. It developed rapidly after Jonker Afrikaner, Captain of the Orlam settled here in 1840 and built a stone church for his community. However, in the decades thereafter multiple wars and hostilities led to the neglect and destruction of the new settlement such that Windhoek was founded a second time in 1890 by Imperial German army Major Curt von François.
Windhoek is the social, economic, and cultural centre of the country. Nearly every Namibian national enterprise, governmental body, educational and cultural institution is headquartered here.
The City of Windhoek is traditionally known by two names: ǀAiǁGams, (Khoekhoe: hot springs) and Otjomuise (Otjiherero: place of steam). Both traditional names reference the hot springs near today's city centre.
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Witbank
Witbank ( /ˈvɪtbəŋk/; Afrikaans for White Ridge), also known as eMalahleni (meaning "place of coal") is a city situated on the Highveld of Mpumalanga, South Africa, within the eMalahleni Local Municipality. The name Witbank is Afrikaans for White Ridge and is named after a white sandstone outcrop where wagon transport drivers rested. The city is known for the coal-mining in the surrounding region.
Witbank was established in 1890 and early attempts to exploit the coal deposits failed until the railway from Pretoria reached the area in 1894. It was proclaimed a town in 1903 and became a municipality in 1914. Despite attempts by governing bodies to establish the use of the name, eMalahleni, for the city as well as for the district, locals still tend to call the city by its original name. Similarly to the anglicised pronunciation of Johannesburg, English-speaking residents pronounce the name as “wit•bank” and not as “vit•bunk” as in the original Afrikaans pronunciation, nor as “vit•bank” as English-speaking visitors are prone to say.
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Woodlands Boulevard
Woodlands Boulevard is 71 000 m² located corner Garsfontein Rd and De Villebois Mareuil Drive, in Pretoria East. The extension was completed during October 2010 and it now crosses Philadelphia Road.
It houses the usual spread of big-name retailers to be found in most of South Africa's major malls.
Coordinates: 25°49′25″S 28°18′47″E / 25.82361°S 28.31306°E / -25.82361; 28.31306
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Yamoussoukro
The District of Yamoussoukro /ˌjɑːməˈsuːkroʊ/ is the official political capital and administrative capital city of Côte d'Ivoire, while the economic capital of the country is Abidjan. As of 2010, it was estimated to have 242,744 inhabitants. Located 240 kilometres (150 mi) north-west of Abidjan, the administrative center on the coast, upon rolling hills and plains, the municipality covers 3,500 square kilometres (1,400 sq mi) and is coterminous with the department of the same name. The department and municipality are split into four sub-prefectures: Attiégouakro, Didiévi, Tié-diékro and the Commune of Yamoussoukro. In total, the district contains 169 settlements.
In 1998, the city had about 155,803 inhabitants. It is the fourth most populous city in Côte d'Ivoire, after Abidjan, Bouaké, and Daloa.
The current governor of the district is N'Dri Koffi Apollinaire.
Yamoussoukro is pronounced "Yam-So-Kro" by Ivorians. It's possible to hear "Ya-Mu-So-Kro"; the second "U" is silent.[citation needed]
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Yaoundé
Yaoundé ( /ˌjɑːuːnˈdeɪ/ or /jaːˈʊndeɪ/, French pronunciation: [ja.un.de]) is the capital of Cameroon and, with a population of approximately 2.5 million, the second largest city in the country after the port city Douala. It lies in the center of the nation at an elevation of about 750 metres (2,500 ft) above sea level.
Yaoundé was founded in 1888 by German traders as a base for the ivory trade and as an agricultural research station. It was occupied by Belgian troops during World War I. After Germany's defeat, France became the colonial power in eastern Cameroon. Yaoundé consequently became the capital of French Cameroon, and continued as the capital of the Republic of Cameroon at independence.
Major industries in Yaoundé include tobacco, dairy products, breweries, clay, glass goods, and lumber. It is also a regional distribution center for coffee, cocoa, copra, sugar cane, and rubber.
The city centre houses government offices, some hotels, and the central market. The Bastos neighbourhood, with most homes owned by Cameroonians, is home to foreign embassies and the expatriate European community (drawn mainly from the diplomatic corps). The presidential palace and compound is in the Etoudi neighborhood.
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Afrikaner
Afrikaners (including the Boer subgroup ) are a Germanic ethnic group in Southern Africa descended from Dutch (including Flemish), French and German settlers whose native tongue is Afrikaans: a Germanic language which derives primarily from 17th century Dutch, and a variety of other languages.
Their ancestors were Dutch Calvinists, with smaller numbers of Frisians, English, Germans and French Huguenots, and with minor numbers of other European groups (such as Dutch Jews, Scandinavians, Portuguese, Greeks, Italians, Spaniards, Scots, Irish, Polish).
Most Afrikaner families have between 5% and 7% non-white ancestry, such as Khoi African, Indonesian and Indian, as the early Dutch settlement at the Cape allowed inter-racial marriage. During the Apartheid era, race classification was based on appearance and there were many borderline cases.
South Africans of British descent are considered a separate ethnic group from Afrikaners, and their first language is English.
The term Afrikaner as used in the 20th and 21st century context refers to all white Afrikaans-speaking people, i.e. those of the larger Cape Dutch origin and of the smaller Boer origin, who are descended from European settlers who first arrived in the Cape of Good Hope during the period of administration (1652 – 1795) by the Dutch East India Company (Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie or VOC).
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Andries Pretorius
Andries Wilhelmus Jacobus Pretorius (27 November 1798 – 23 July 1853) was a leader of the Boers who was instrumental in the creation of the Transvaal Republic, as well as the earlier but short-lived Natalia Republic, in present-day South Africa.
Born in 1798, Pretorius received his education at home and grew up to become a farmer, like his parents, in Graaff-Reinet in the Cape Colony. He was a descendant of one of the earliest Dutch settlers in South Africa and a "descendant of two East Indian slave women, Catharina van Bengale on his mother’s side, and Helena van Malabar on his father’s side."
Discontented under British rule, he left his home and joined the Great Trek to the north. By way of the Orange Free State, he crossed the Drakensberg into Natal, arriving in November 1838, when the emigrants lacked a recognized leader following the death of Piet Retief in February. They chose Pretorius as commandant-general, and he quickly collected a force to avenge the deaths of Piet Retief and his party, who had been killed by the Zulu king Dingane's forces in February under treacherous circumstances.
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Austin Roberts
Austin Roberts (3 January 1883 – 5 May 1948) was a South African zoologist. He is best known for his Birds of South Africa, first published in 1940. He also studied the mammalian fauna of the region: his work The mammals of South Africa was published posthumously in 1951. The 7th edition of Roberts' Birds of Southern Africa which appeared in 2005, is the standard work on the region's birds.
Roberts, son of a church minister, was born in Pretoria and grew up in Potchefstroom, South Africa. He gained much of his early knowledge of zoology from Thomas Ayres (1828–1913), one of South Africa's first amateur ornithologists. Roberts was employed by the Transvaal Museum from 1910 to 1946. From this base he studied the birds and mammals of South Africa. To further research, he established a collection of ca. 30,000 bird and 13,000 mammal specimens at the museum. He was author of several manuscripts and articles in scientific publications. In 1935 the University of Pretoria awarded him an honorary doctorate degree. Austin Roberts died on 5 May 1948 in a motor car accident in the Transkei region.
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Coloured
In the South African, Namibian, Zambian, Botswana and Zimbabwean context, the term Coloured (also known as Bruinmense, Kleurlinge or Bruin Afrikaners in Afrikaans) refers to an heterogeneous ethnic group who possess ancestry from Europe, various Khoisan and Bantu tribes of Southern Africa, West Africa, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaya, India, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Saint Helena.
Besides the extensive combining of these diverse heritages in the Western Cape — in which a distinctive 'Cape Coloured' and affiliated Cape Malay culture developed — in other parts of Southern Africa, their development has usually been the result of the meeting of two distinct groups. Genetic studies suggest the group has the highest levels of mixed ancestry in the world, second only to the United States of America. However, the maternal (female) contribution to the Coloured population, measured by mitochondrial DNA studies, was found to come mostly from the Khoisan population.
In KwaZulu-Natal, most Coloureds come from British and Zulu heritage, while Zimbabwean Coloureds come from Shona or Ndebele mixing with British and Afrikaner settlers. Griqua, on the other hand, are descendants of Khoisan and Afrikaner trekboers. Despite these major differences, the fact that they draw parentage from more than one 'naturalised' racial group means that they are 'coloured' in the southern African context. Such people did not necessarily self-identify this way; some preferred to call themselves 'black' or 'Khoisan' or just 'South African'. The history of racial segregation and labelling in South Africa and neighbouring countries has meant that the governments placed all such 'mixed race' people in a certain relationship together. The imperial and apartheid governments categorized them as Coloureds. In addition, other ethnic groups also traditionally viewed them as a separate group.
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DJ Mujava
Elvis Maswanganyi, better known as DJ Mujava, is a South African DJ.
He was raised in the Pretorian town of Atteridgeville, where local taxi drivers distributed CDs of his music to their fares.
His electronica track "Township Funk" was released on Warp Records on 15 September 2008. It has been played on the BBC popular music station Radio 1 by DJs including Gilles Peterson. He also mixed a half hour session on 20 September 2008 on the internet radio station BBC Radio 6 for an episode of 6 Mix hosted by Iyare. He has been featured by other BBC DJs such as BBC Asian Network's DJ Kayper and Sonny Ji, and BBC Radio 1Xtra's DJ Edu and MistaJam.
He is signed to This Is Music Ltd (home of Simian Mobile Disco) in the UK and Warp Records internationally. He was voted number 34 on the NME "Cool List 2008", and is a featured artist on the NME website.
His last known collaboration was with South African DJ and renowned Musical Producer DJ Qness with whom he remixed the single XXX0 originally by UK based pop singer M.I.A, and the original version to the single also featured Jay-Z on the release package.
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First Boer War
The First Boer War (Dutch: Eerste Boerenoorlog, Afrikaans: Eerste Vryheidsoorlog, literally First Freedom War) also known as the First Anglo-Boer War or the Transvaal War, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881
The southern part of the African continent was dominated in the 19th century by a set of epic struggles to create within it a single unified state. British aggression into southern Africa was fueled by three prime factors: first, the desire to control the trade routes to India that passed around the Cape; second, the discovery in 1868 of huge mineral deposits of diamonds around Kimberley on the joint borders of the South African Republic (called the Transvaal by the British), Orange Free State and the Cape Colony, and thereafter in 1886 in the Transvaal of a major gold find, all of which offered enormous wealth and power; and thirdly the race against other European colonial powers, as part of a general colonial expansion in Africa. Other potential colonisers included Portugal, who already controlled West (modern day Angola) and East Africa (modern day Mozambique), Germany (modern day Namibia), and further north, Belgium (modern day Democratic Republic of the Congo) and France (West and Equatorial Africa, and Madagascar).
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Gwede Mantashe
Gwede Mantashe is a South African politician, holding posts of ANC secretary general and chairperson of the South African Communist Party.
Born in 1943 in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, Mantashe was the Secretary-General of the National Union of Mineworkers until their 12th National Conference held in May 2006 where he was succeeded by Frans Baleni. He made history by becoming the first trade unionist to be appointed to the board of Directors of a JSE Limited-listed company, namely Samancor, in 1995.
He served for two years at Chairperson of the Technical Working Group of the Joint Initiative for Priority Skills Acquisition (Jipsa).
He is a chairperson of the South African Communist Party, and was elected Secretary-General of the African National Congress at the party's 52nd national conference in 2007.
Following a marathon meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress held behind closed doors on 19 and 20 September 2008 at Esselen Park Conference Centre, Gwede Mantashe announced at a news conference that the President of the Republic of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, had been "recalled" by the Party.
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Kgalema Motlanthe
Kgalema Petrus Motlanthe (pronounced [ˈkxɑ.lɪ.mɑ mʊ.ˈtɬʼɑ.n.tʰɛ]) (born 19 July 1949) is a South African politician who served as President of South Africa between 25 September 2008 and 9 May 2009, completing the second elected term of Thabo Mbeki.
Following the end of his presidency, Motlanthe was appointed as the Deputy President of South Africa by his successor, current South African president Jacob Zuma. Motlanthe is also concurrently serving as Deputy President of the African National Congress (ANC), a position he has held since 2007, likewise under Zuma who is also the current President of the ANC.
Motlanthe, who had maintained a low public profile, was elected to the presidency of South Africa by the South African National Assembly following the resignation of Mbeki, and was widely considered to be acting as a "caretaker president" on behalf of Zuma. Zuma succeeded Motlanthe on 9 May 2009 in a presidential election held by the South African National Assembly, following the 2009 general election which had been won by the ANC.
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Mzilikazi
Mzilikazi (meaning The Great Road) (ca. 1790 - 9 September 1868, also spelled Mosilikatze or Moselekatze) was a Southern African king who founded the Matabele kingdom (Mthwakazi), Matabeleland, in what became Rhodesia and is now Zimbabwe. He was born the son of Matshobana near Mkuze, Zululand (now part of South Africa) and died at Ingama, Matabeleland (near Bulawayo, Zimbabwe). Many consider him to be the greatest Southern African military leader after the Zulu king Shaka. In his autobiography, David Livingstone referred to him as the second most impressive leader he encountered on the African Continent.
He took his tribe, the Khumalo, on an 800 kilometres (500 mi) long journey from Zululand to what is now called Zimbabwe. Along the way he showed considerable statesmanship, as he was able to weld his own people and the many tribes he conquered into a large and ethnically diverse but centralised kingdom.
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Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (Xhosa pronunciation: [xoˈliːɬaɬa manˈdeːla]; born 18 July 1918) is a South African politician who served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, the first ever to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before being elected President, Mandela was a militant anti-apartheid activist, and the leader and co-founder of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC). In 1962 he was arrested and convicted of sabotage and other charges, and sentenced to life imprisonment. Mandela went on to serve 27 years in prison, spending many of these years on Robben Island. Following his release from prison on 11 February 1990, Mandela led his party in the negotiations that led to the establishment of democracy in 1994. As President, he frequently gave priority to reconciliation, while introducing policies aimed at combating poverty and inequality in South Africa.
In South Africa, Mandela is often known as Madiba, his Xhosa clan name; or as tata (Xhosa: father). Mandela has received more than 250 awards over four decades.
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Paul Kruger
Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger (10 October 1825 – 14 July 1904), better known as Paul Kruger and affectionately known as Uncle Paul (Afrikaans: "Oom Paul") was State President of the South African Republic (Transvaal). He gained international renown as the face of Boer resistance against the British during the South African or Second Boer War (1899–1902).
Paul Kruger was a descendant of German, French, Dutch and Danish immigrants to South Africa. One of his ancestors, Jacobus Krüger, immigrated from Berlin, Germany, to South Africa in 1713 to work as a mercenary for the Dutch East India Company (VOC). He married and had children with Johanna Kemp, a coloured woman, the daughter of Kruger's Indonesian ancestor, "Nicolaas Kemp van Batavia", a slave. One of his French ancestors was Francois Villion, who married and had children with Cornelia Campenaar, a Dutch woman His Khoi ancestor Krotoa (also known as "Eva"), married and had a child with his Danish ancestor, Pieter van Meerhoff (Peder Jacobsen).
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Second Boer War
The Second Boer War (Dutch: Tweede Boerenoorlog, Afrikaans: Tweede Vryheidsoorlog or Tweede Boereoorlog) was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic (Transvaal Republic) and the Orange Free State. It ended with a British victory and the annexation of both republics by the British Empire; both would eventually be incorporated into the Union of South Africa, a dominion of the British Empire, in 1910. The conflict is commonly referred to as The Boer War but is also known as the South African War outside South Africa, the Anglo-Boer War among most South Africans, and in Afrikaans as the Anglo-Boereoorlog or Tweede Vryheidsoorlog ("Second War of Liberation" or lit. "Second Freedom War") or the Engelse oorlog (English War).
The Second Boer War and the earlier, much less well known, First Boer War (December 1880 to March 1881) are collectively known as the Boer Wars.
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Tsonga language
The Tsonga or Xitsonga language is spoken in southern Africa by the Tsonga people, also known as the Shangaan.
Tsonga belongs to the Bantu branch of the Niger–Congo languages. The language of the Tsonga people is wrongly called Xichangana (or "Shangaan" by outsiders) because some of the people were under the leadership of Soshangana "Manukusa" (wrongly classified as Zulu but actually Ndwandwe(Nguni/Ngoni), thus Xichangana is a hybrid of Xitsonga and the language of the Ndwandwe(Nguni/Ngoni)). Tsonga has different variants, some of which are considered different languages by some linguists : e.g. Tsonga, Ndawu, Ronga and Tswa.
Tsonga is spoken by about 1,972,000 people in South Africa's Limpopo province as well as Gauteng Province and Mpumalanga Province, as well as 1.5 million people in Mozambique, and 19,000 people in Swaziland. There are also 100,000 speakers in Zimbabwe.
In South Africa most of Vatsonga were concentrated in places like e.g. Nkowankowa, Giyani, Malamulele, N'wamitwa, Muhlava, Elim (Axipilongo, ka Jiwawa) in Limpopo and Bushbuckridge(ka Mpisana) and others in Mpumalanga. There are also large numbers in the Northwest, KwaZulu-Natal(Tembe) and Gauteng provinces. Basically they can be found anywhere in the old Transvaal.
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Voortrekkers
The Voortrekkers (Afrikaans and Dutch for pioneers, literally "those who trek ahead", "fore-trekkers") were emigrants during the 1830s and 1840s who left the Cape Colony (British at the time, but founded by the Dutch) moving into the interior of what is now South Africa. The Great Trek consisted of a number of mass movements under a number of different leaders including Louis Tregardt, Hendrik Potgieter, Sarel Cilliers, Pieter Uys, Gerrit Maritz, Piet Retief and Andries Pretorius.
The Voortrekkers mainly came from the farming community of the Eastern Cape although some (such as Piet Retief) originally came from the Western Cape farming community while others (such as Gerrit Maritz) were successful tradesmen in the frontier towns. Some of them were wealthy men though most were not as they were from the poorer communities of the frontier. It was recorded that the 33 Voortrekker families at the Battle of Vegkop lost 100 horses, between 4,000 and 7,000 cattle, and between 40,000 and 50,000 sheep.[citation needed] These figures appear greatly exaggerated.[citation needed] Other members of the trekking parties were of Trekboer stock who came from a life of semi-nomadic herding; yet others were employees, many of whom had been slaves only a few years earlier.
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White South African
White South African is a term which refers to people from South Africa who are of European descent and who do not regard themselves, or are not regarded as being part of another racial group, for example, as Coloured. In linguistic, cultural and historical terms, they are generally divided into the Afrikaans-speaking descendants of mainly Dutch, German and French settlers, known as Afrikaners, and the English-speaking Anglo-Africans who share an Anglophone background (mainly of British and Irish descent). South Africa's white population is divided into about three-fifths Afrikaans-speakers (approx. 60%), with English-speakers constituting the remaining two-fifths (approx. 40%). Approximately 1% of the white population speak another language, most notably Portuguese. White South Africans are by far the largest European-descended population group in Africa.
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Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, PC, DL, FRS, Hon. RA (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British Conservative politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. Widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century, he served as Prime Minister twice (1940–45 and 1951–55). A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer in the British Army, a historian, a writer, and an artist. He is the only British prime minister to have received the Nobel Prize in Literature, and was the first person to be made an Honorary Citizen of the United States.
Churchill was born into the aristocratic family of the Dukes of Marlborough. His father, Lord Randolph Churchill, was a charismatic politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer; his mother, Jenny Jerome, was an American socialite. As a young army officer, he saw action in British India, the Sudan, and the Second Boer War. He gained fame as a war correspondent and wrote books about his campaigns.
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Pretoria, South Africa
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 12:57
- Updated: 06 Feb 2013
Recorded April 14, 2012 My short stay in Pretoria includes visits to Church Square and the Union Buildings. From: timvp.com
http://wn.com/Pretoria,_South_Africa
Recorded April 14, 2012 My short stay in Pretoria includes visits to Church Square and the Union Buildings. From: timvp.com
The Streets of Pretoria
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:21
- Updated: 01 Dec 2012
During the month of October Jacaranda trees turn Pretoria into the real Jacaranda City. Travel with us through the streets of the Jacaranda City.
http://wn.com/The_Streets_of_Pretoria
During the month of October Jacaranda trees turn Pretoria into the real Jacaranda City. Travel with us through the streets of the Jacaranda City.
- published: 22 Nov 2006
- views: 42529
- author: Johan Marais
A freeze Flash Mob in Menlyn Mall, Pretoria, South Africa
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:26
- Updated: 10 Feb 2013
A flash mob freeze that took place in Menlyn Mall, South Africa. There were about 750 agents. Funny funny funny!
http://wn.com/A_freeze_Flash_Mob_in_Menlyn_Mall,_Pretoria,_South_Africa
A flash mob freeze that took place in Menlyn Mall, South Africa. There were about 750 agents. Funny funny funny!
- published: 12 May 2008
- views: 52616
- author: phr33dumb83
Woodhill, Pretoria, South Africa
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:15
- Updated: 09 Feb 2013
Driving around in Woodhill, Pretoria, South Africa
http://wn.com/Woodhill,_Pretoria,_South_Africa
Driving around in Woodhill, Pretoria, South Africa
- published: 06 Jun 2009
- views: 7276
- author: silentwindow
Pretoria - Lianie May
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:01
- Updated: 08 Feb 2013
Pretoria, gesing deur Lianie May.
http://wn.com/Pretoria_Lianie_May
On 12 April Flash Mob hit Brooklyn Mall Pretoria
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:00
- Updated: 10 Feb 2013
On 12 April the Official Pretoria Flash Mob hit Brooklyn Mall in Pretoria South Africa. Roughly 200 people froze in time, only to continue 5 mins later.
http://wn.com/On_12_April_Flash_Mob_hit_Brooklyn_Mall_Pretoria
On 12 April the Official Pretoria Flash Mob hit Brooklyn Mall in Pretoria South Africa. Roughly 200 people froze in time, only to continue 5 mins later.
- published: 14 Apr 2008
- views: 72492
- author: phr33dumb83
Streets Of Pretoria South Africa 2007
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 8:55
- Updated: 30 Jan 2013
Video taken from a double decker bus ride into Pretoria City and back.
http://wn.com/Streets_Of_Pretoria_South_Africa_2007
Video taken from a double decker bus ride into Pretoria City and back.
- published: 26 Oct 2007
- views: 37361
- author: romarni
Gautrain links Jo'burg and Pretoria
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:59
- Updated: 11 Jul 2012
(www.abndigital.com) On 6 April 2011 one of Africa's great infrastructure projects will take a giant leap forward. South Africa's high speed Gautrain will rattle through to Pretoria for the first time on a test run and there are plans to extend the railway even further to ease traffic congestion. On the same day the Gautrain will set the fare for the Johannesburg- Pretoria run. ABN's Chris Bishop went underground in Sandton near Johannesburg for the latest.
http://wn.com/Gautrain_links_Jo'burg_and_Pretoria
(www.abndigital.com) On 6 April 2011 one of Africa's great infrastructure projects will take a giant leap forward. South Africa's high speed Gautrain will rattle through to Pretoria for the first time on a test run and there are plans to extend the railway even further to ease traffic congestion. On the same day the Gautrain will set the fare for the Johannesburg- Pretoria run. ABN's Chris Bishop went underground in Sandton near Johannesburg for the latest.
- published: 04 Apr 2011
- views: 2589
- author: ABNDigital
Official - Matt Samuels 'Pretoria' (Original Club Mix)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:19
- Updated: 06 Jan 2013
***OUT NOW*** Beatport: www.beatport.com Toolroom Records proudly present Amsterdam 2010, an exclusive collection of this seasons most upfront and powerful club anthems to coincide with one of the largest music conferences in one of Europe's most cultured cities. Featuring 12 exclusive tracks from some of the labels leading artists & freshest talent including Koen Groeneveld, Paul Thomas & Jerome Isma-Ae, Thomas Gold, Stefano Noferini, Lissat & Voltaxx vs Pete Griffiths, Wally Lopez & Richard Dinsdale, Matt Samuels, Bass Kleph & Joan Reyes, Dataworx, Ferreck Dawn, Veerus & Maxie Devine and D-Formation! Paul Thomas & Jerome Isma-Ae's anthemic 'Tomorrow' has already received Radio 1 support on the Essential Mix and Koen Groeneveld's 'CVR' has the official seal of approval in Mark Knight's enthralling DJ sets. From the driving disco groove of Stefano Noferini's 'Somebody To Love' to the marching beats and euphoric stabs on Thomas Gold's 'Marsch Marsch' this is a real showcase album packed full of future club hits and underground anthems, a must for any house head!
http://wn.com/Official_Matt_Samuels_'Pretoria'_Original_Club_Mix
***OUT NOW*** Beatport: www.beatport.com Toolroom Records proudly present Amsterdam 2010, an exclusive collection of this seasons most upfront and powerful club anthems to coincide with one of the largest music conferences in one of Europe's most cultured cities. Featuring 12 exclusive tracks from some of the labels leading artists & freshest talent including Koen Groeneveld, Paul Thomas & Jerome Isma-Ae, Thomas Gold, Stefano Noferini, Lissat & Voltaxx vs Pete Griffiths, Wally Lopez & Richard Dinsdale, Matt Samuels, Bass Kleph & Joan Reyes, Dataworx, Ferreck Dawn, Veerus & Maxie Devine and D-Formation! Paul Thomas & Jerome Isma-Ae's anthemic 'Tomorrow' has already received Radio 1 support on the Essential Mix and Koen Groeneveld's 'CVR' has the official seal of approval in Mark Knight's enthralling DJ sets. From the driving disco groove of Stefano Noferini's 'Somebody To Love' to the marching beats and euphoric stabs on Thomas Gold's 'Marsch Marsch' this is a real showcase album packed full of future club hits and underground anthems, a must for any house head!
- published: 15 Oct 2010
- views: 20127
- author: toolroomrecords
Pretoria Zoological Gardens Pretoria Zoo South Africa - Africa Travel Channel
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:53
- Updated: 02 Dec 2012
Pretoria National Zoo South Africa Telephone: +27 12 328 3265 E Mail: info@nzg.ac.za Website: www.zoo.ac.za
http://wn.com/Pretoria_Zoological_Gardens_Pretoria_Zoo_South_Africa_Africa_Travel_Channel
Pretoria National Zoo South Africa Telephone: +27 12 328 3265 E Mail: info@nzg.ac.za Website: www.zoo.ac.za
- published: 28 Jul 2009
- views: 9924
- author: Africatravelchannel
BASE jump - University of Pretoria
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:00
- Updated: 10 Feb 2013
Two base jumpers open up the Humanities faculty on the campus of the University of Pretoria as a BASE site.
http://wn.com/BASE_jump_University_of_Pretoria
Two base jumpers open up the Humanities faculty on the campus of the University of Pretoria as a BASE site.
- published: 13 May 2011
- views: 5862
- author: VerticalExposure
Bee Gees - First of May - Pretoria 1998
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:39
- Updated: 12 Feb 2013
Bee Gees performing the song "First of May" from their One Night Only tour concert in South Africa, Pretoria on 24th November 1998.
http://wn.com/Bee_Gees_First_of_May_Pretoria_1998
Bee Gees performing the song "First of May" from their One Night Only tour concert in South Africa, Pretoria on 24th November 1998.
- published: 18 Aug 2010
- views: 127309
- author: EdgarSerodio
Marching to Pretoria
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:52
- Updated: 03 Feb 2013
2007-2008 MMEA All-State Men's Chorus
http://wn.com/Marching_to_Pretoria
Pretoria - Hoofseun
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 5:03
- Updated: 26 Nov 2012
Music video about Pretoria performed by 'Hoofseun'
http://wn.com/Pretoria_Hoofseun
Music video about Pretoria performed by 'Hoofseun'
- published: 14 Nov 2007
- views: 12204
- author: craighoofseun
Gautrain Link between Rosebank and Pretoria Open
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:15
- Updated: 19 Sep 2012
(www.abndigital.com) After much delay, commuters between Pretoria and Johannesburg finally get the opportunity to take the Gautrain to and from work. That's as the lines between Centurion and Rosebank opened today, adding to the line already linking Sandton to the OR Thambo airport. Bronwyn Seaborne took the first trip to Pretoria this morning and filed this report.
http://wn.com/Gautrain_Link_between_Rosebank_and_Pretoria_Open
(www.abndigital.com) After much delay, commuters between Pretoria and Johannesburg finally get the opportunity to take the Gautrain to and from work. That's as the lines between Centurion and Rosebank opened today, adding to the line already linking Sandton to the OR Thambo airport. Bronwyn Seaborne took the first trip to Pretoria this morning and filed this report.
- published: 02 Aug 2011
- views: 1123
- author: ABNDigital
Lions go down 2nd Test in Pretoria - 27 June 09
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 6:12
- Updated: 16 Sep 2012
Total Rugby summarises as last-minute penalty by Morné Steyn gave South Africa a 28-25 victory and 2-0 series lead over the British & Irish Lions in Pretoria on Saturday and former Springbok fly-half legend Naas Botha analyses the 2nd test and gives his insight towards the 3rd test. Morné Steyn sinks the Lions: A last-minute penalty by Morné Steyn gave South Africa a 28-25 victory and 2-0 series lead over the British & Irish Lions in Pretoria on Saturday. The Lions will head back to Johannesburg seething. They will likely fly back to Britain and Ireland still seething. And it's safe to say, Christophe Berdos will not have any cards with Joyeaux Noël write across it on Lions stationary any time soon. www.planetrugby.com
http://wn.com/Lions_go_down_2nd_Test_in_Pretoria_27_June_09
Total Rugby summarises as last-minute penalty by Morné Steyn gave South Africa a 28-25 victory and 2-0 series lead over the British & Irish Lions in Pretoria on Saturday and former Springbok fly-half legend Naas Botha analyses the 2nd test and gives his insight towards the 3rd test. Morné Steyn sinks the Lions: A last-minute penalty by Morné Steyn gave South Africa a 28-25 victory and 2-0 series lead over the British & Irish Lions in Pretoria on Saturday. The Lions will head back to Johannesburg seething. They will likely fly back to Britain and Ireland still seething. And it's safe to say, Christophe Berdos will not have any cards with Joyeaux Noël write across it on Lions stationary any time soon. www.planetrugby.com
- published: 02 Jul 2009
- views: 8247
- author: official777
shadhili qadiri hadrah erasmia pretoria 2010, with Sheikh Hazim abu Ghazaleh (RA)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 14:55
- Updated: 26 Jan 2013
qadiri shadhili hadrah gathering in pretoria south africa april 2010, with Sheik Hazim abu Shazaleh of Amman, Jordan
http://wn.com/shadhili_qadiri_hadrah_erasmia_pretoria_2010,_with_Sheikh_Hazim_abu_Ghazaleh_RA
qadiri shadhili hadrah gathering in pretoria south africa april 2010, with Sheik Hazim abu Shazaleh of Amman, Jordan
- published: 31 Jul 2010
- views: 10248
- author: shadhilisufi
Maradona's Argentina team training in Pretoria...HILARIOUS!.flv
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:26
- Updated: 15 Nov 2012
Punishment for the blue for losing a training game!
http://wn.com/Maradona's_Argentina_team_training_in_PretoriaHILARIOUS!flv
Punishment for the blue for losing a training game!
- published: 09 Jun 2010
- views: 205193
- author: diegoariel1
Capital Shame - South Africa
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 22:19
- Updated: 28 Jan 2013
Feb 2006 Child prostitution is spiralling out of control in South Africa. We investigate how children are recruited into the sex industry and how they operate on the streets. "These kids get involved in drugs first. Then to get drugs, they sell their bodies", states specialist Mike Bolhuis. Angie was 15 when she started working on the streets. She's still traumatised after a nightmare experience with a client who threatened to kill her.
http://wn.com/Capital_Shame_South_Africa
Feb 2006 Child prostitution is spiralling out of control in South Africa. We investigate how children are recruited into the sex industry and how they operate on the streets. "These kids get involved in drugs first. Then to get drugs, they sell their bodies", states specialist Mike Bolhuis. Angie was 15 when she started working on the streets. She's still traumatised after a nightmare experience with a client who threatened to kill her.
- published: 21 Sep 2007
- views: 38306
- author: journeymanpictures
Lively Temple Kirtan - Pretoria South Africa
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:02
- Updated: 31 Jan 2013
Patience till 5 min mark. If you have ever wondered what an intense Hare Krishna kirtan is like, or what the Hare Krishna devotees do in the temple to enjoy themselves then watch this and be amazed. Every Sunday these kirtana's take place and being there is to be in the spiritual sky (true). Don't miss the 5 minute mark. Watch and enjoy! This is in Pretoria which is near Johannesburg, South Africa. Check out: picasaweb.google.com
http://wn.com/Lively_Temple_Kirtan_Pretoria_South_Africa
Patience till 5 min mark. If you have ever wondered what an intense Hare Krishna kirtan is like, or what the Hare Krishna devotees do in the temple to enjoy themselves then watch this and be amazed. Every Sunday these kirtana's take place and being there is to be in the spiritual sky (true). Don't miss the 5 minute mark. Watch and enjoy! This is in Pretoria which is near Johannesburg, South Africa. Check out: picasaweb.google.com
- published: 28 Nov 2008
- views: 2840
- author: Haridas Thakur Das
Surviving in the City: Pretoria, South Africa
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:59
- Updated: 11 Jan 2013
Living in Pretoria as a refugee or asylum-seeker is challenging. Most either live rough on the streets or in cramped apartments in townships. There are also tensions with locals because of the perception that foreigners get a better deal than South African citizens.
http://wn.com/Surviving_in_the_City_Pretoria,_South_Africa
Living in Pretoria as a refugee or asylum-seeker is challenging. Most either live rough on the streets or in cramped apartments in townships. There are also tensions with locals because of the perception that foreigners get a better deal than South African citizens.
- published: 14 Dec 2009
- views: 6915
- author: unhcr
Eugene Khoza at University of Pretoria Comedy Show
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:23
- Updated: 12 Feb 2013
white friends
http://wn.com/Eugene_Khoza_at_University_of_Pretoria_Comedy_Show
FRANCK ROGER @ CLUB CHICAGO (PRETORIA)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:09
- Updated: 06 Oct 2012
ME AND DJ CHRISTOS IN PRETORIA (SOUTH AFRIKA)
http://wn.com/FRANCK_ROGER_@_CLUB_CHICAGO_PRETORIA
ME AND DJ CHRISTOS IN PRETORIA (SOUTH AFRIKA)
- published: 21 Aug 2006
- views: 27448
- author: djfranckroger
photo: AP
16 Feb 2013
February 16, 2013 -- Updated 0115 GMT (0915 HKT). Did you see the meteor? Share your images with CNN iReport. Moscow (CNN) -- A meteor streaked through the skies above Russia's Urals region Friday morning before exploding with a flash and boom that shattered glass in buildings and left about 1,000 people hurt, authorities said ... The injured included more than 200 children ... The meteor leaves a white streak through the sky ... HIDE CAPTION ... 1. 2....(size: 14.9Kb)
photo: AP / Andrew Brownbill
18 Feb 2013
Israel secretly imprisoned an Australian man who worked for its Mossad spy agency because it believed he had divulged details of his work, an Australian news programme has reported. ABC News said Ben Zygier was suspected by Israel of informing Australia's security agency of Mossad operations. Last week, ABC identified Mr Zygier as Israel's so-called Prisoner X, whose existence Israel never acknowledged ... Italy mission ... ....(size: 2.6Kb)
photo: UN / Mark Garten
16 Feb 2013
The United States has called on North Korea not to take any further provocative actions after report of plans for more nuclear tests. Friday's statement came after the North conducted its third nuclear test on Tuesday, drawing global condemnation ... Meanwhile, North Korea's leader has made his first public appearance since Tuesday's controversial nuclear test. ... Al Jazeera's Harry Fawcett, reporting from Seoul, said ... 479 Source.....(size: 7.5Kb)
photo: AP / Office of the Supreme Leader
17 Feb 2013
TEHRAN — Iran’s supreme leader said Saturday that his country was not seeking nuclear weapons but added that if Iran ever decided to build them, no “global power” could stop it. Related. Nuclear Watchdog Says No Deal Reached With Iran (February 15, 2013). Connect With Us on Twitter. Follow @nytimesworld for international breaking news and headlines. Twitter List. Reporters and Editors ... Mr ... During the same session, Mr....(size: 5.9Kb)
photo: AP / Pavel Rahman
18 Feb 2013
One man has died in a crash after activists with Bangladesh's largest Islamist party chased a vehicle carrying passengers during a nationwide general strike to denounce a war crimes trial. The Jamaat-e-Islami party enforced Monday's strike in Dhaka to oppose an ongoing war-crimes trial ... One man died and another passenger was injured ... Authorities have kept schools and colleges open, and many businesses have reopened ... 605 Source.. Agencies....(size: 8.6Kb)
Huffington Post
19 Feb 2013
Oscar Pistorius , center, is lead by police officer out of the witness bench after his appearance at the magistrate court in Pretoria, South Africa, Friday, Feb ... His girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, was found shot dead in his Pretoria home in the early hours of Thursday, with initial reports suggesting Pistorius may have mistaken her for an intruder ... (AP Photo/Phill Magakoe, Pretoria News) SOUTH AFRICA OUT....(size: 45.8Kb)
Huffington Post
19 Feb 2013
According to The Mirror, local speculation that a relationship between Steenkamp and an unnamed rugby player could have played some role in the alleged murder at Pistorius' home spread after it was acknowledged on Twitter by Zelda la Grange, an assistant to Nelson Mandela, and South African journalist Barry Bateman, a correspondent with Eyewitness News Pretoria ... (AP Photo/Phill Magakoe, Pretoria News) SOUTH AFRICA OUT....(size: 45.4Kb)
The Australian
19 Feb 2013
Olympian Oscar Pistorius has been charged with the Valentine's Day murder of 29-year-old Steenkamp who was shot dead at his luxury Pretoria home in a case that has gripped the world ... Earlier, police reportedly found a bloody bat and evidence of heavy drinking at the Pistorius’ Pretoria home ... Aerial shot of the home of Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius in a gated housing complex in Pretoria, South Africa....(size: 14.8Kb)
Newsday
19 Feb 2013
PRETORIA -- , the South African gold-medal winning Paralympian, will seek bail Tuesday after being charged with the murder of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp ... 14 death of Steenkamp, 29, a model, at his home. The hearing was postponed from last week ... This is to allow Pistorius to focus on the court case, he said ... Van Zyl said he visited his client Sunday at the Brooklyn Police Station in Pretoria where he's been in custody ... 0 ... Comments ... . ....(size: 3.3Kb)
South China Morning Post
19 Feb 2013
His girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, was found shot dead in his Pretoria home in the early hours of Thursday, with initial reports suggesting Pistorius may have mistaken her for an intruder ... They said a 9mm pistol was recovered at the house, where there was no sign of a break in ... The hearing was adjourned after 40 minutes, and Pistorius was taken back to the Pretoria police station where he has been held since ... ....(size: 3.4Kb)
Stuff
19 Feb 2013
His girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, was found shot dead in his Pretoria home in the early hours of Thursday (Friday NZT), with initial reports suggesting Pistorius may have mistaken her for an intruder ... They said a 9mm pistol was recovered at the house, where there was no sign of a break in ... BURIAL ... The hearing was adjourned after 40 minutes and Pistorius was taken back to the Pretoria police station where he has been held since ... ....(size: 3.5Kb)
Independent online (SA)
19 Feb 2013
His girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, was found shot dead in his Pretoria home in the early hours of Thursday, with initial reports suggesting Pistorius may have mistaken her for an intruder ... They said a 9mm pistol was recovered at the house, where there was no sign of a break in ... ....(size: 1.4Kb)
Al Jazeera
19 Feb 2013
His girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, was found shot dead in his Pretoria home in the early hours of Thursday, with initial reports suggesting Pistorius may have mistaken her for an intruder ... They said a 9mm pistol was recovered at the house, where there was no sign of a break-in ... The hearing was adjourned after 40 minutes and Pistorius was taken back to the Pretoria police station where he has been held since ... 495 Share. Send Feedback....(size: 7.6Kb)
The Independent
19 Feb 2013
The disabled Olympic and Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, who stands accused of murdering his girlfriend in a Valentine's Day shooting, was involved in a freak gun accident just weeks before Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead, it emerged today ... A shot went off ... Claims emerged yesterday that police found a bloodied cricket bat at Pistorius's luxury home in a gated housing estate on the outskirts of Pretoria ... ....(size: 3.0Kb)
The Independent
19 Feb 2013
Country singer Mindy found dead. Troubled country star Mindy McCready, 37, whose singing career was shadowed by substance abuse and suicide attempts, was found dead on Sunday of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. MORE. Bail hearing for Oscar Pistorius ... Oscar Pistorius, who is accused of her murder, will appear in court for his bail hearing 600 miles away in Pretoria ... MORE. 7,000 join 'War of the Tomato' ... Posting on Twitter, he said....(size: 5.9Kb)
Digital Spy
19 Feb 2013
Oakley and Nike have confirmed that they are suspending future advertising campaigns featuring Oscar Pistorius. The Paralympic champion sprinter has been charged with murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp - allegations which Pistorius disputes "in the strongest terms". Oscar Pistorius appears at Pretoria Magistrates Court. Nike confirmed to The AP that it will no longer feature Pistorius in future advertising campaigns ... 1 of 8 ... More ... ....(size: 8.6Kb)
News24
18 Feb 2013
Pretoria - There was no sign of double-amputee Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius's family or legal team outside the Brooklyn police station in Pretoria on Monday morning ... Pistorius was arrested at his Pretoria home early on Thursday morning after the fatal shooting of his 29-year-old girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp ... A private funeral was scheduled to be held on Tuesday ... ....(size: 1.8Kb)
News24
18 Feb 2013
Pretoria - A large media contingent kept watch outside Brooklyn police station, in Pretoria, on Monday, for people visiting murder-accused paralympian Oscar Pistorius. Close to 20 journalists from local and international media houses tried to catch a glimpse of Pistorius's relatives before his bail application in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Tuesday....(size: 2.1Kb)
For other uses, see Pretoria (disambiguation).
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2011) |
| Pretoria | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Motto: Præstantia Prævaleat Prætoria (May Pretoria Be Pre-eminent In Excellence) | |||
 Pretoria
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| Coordinates: 25°44′46″S 28°11′17″E / 25.74611°S 28.18806°E / -25.74611; 28.18806Coordinates: 25°44′46″S 28°11′17″E / 25.74611°S 28.18806°E / -25.74611; 28.18806 | |||
| Country | South Africa | ||
| Province | Gauteng | ||
| Municipality | City of Tshwane | ||
| Established | 1855 | ||
| Area[1] | |||
| • Total | 513.84 km2 (198.39 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 1,271 m (4,170 ft) | ||
| Population (2001)[1] | |||
| • Total | 525,387 | ||
| • Density | 1,000/km2 (2,600/sq mi) | ||
| Racial makeup (2001)[1] | |||
| • Black African | 24.5% | ||
| • Coloured | 6.2% | ||
| • Indian/Asian | 1.6% | ||
| • White | 67.7% | ||
| First languages (2001)[1] | |||
| • Afrikaans | 61.2% | ||
| • English | 15.0% | ||
| • Northern Sotho | 5.5% | ||
| • Tswana | 4.3% | ||
| • Other | 14% | ||
| Time zone | SAST (UTC+2) | ||
| Area code(s) | 012 | ||
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive (administrative) and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital. Pretoria is contained within the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality as one of several constituent former administrations (among which also Centurion and Soshanguve). Pretoria itself is sometimes referred to as "Tshwane" due to a long-running and controversial proposed change of name, which has yet to decided as of 2012.
The city's original name was Pretoria Philadelphia ("Pretoria of brotherly love").[2] It gave its name to the Pax Praetoriana, referring to the country's relative stability.
Pretoria in South Africa is popularly known as The Jacaranda City due to the thousands of Jacaranda trees planted in its streets, parks and gardens.[3]
Contents |
History[link]
The Southern Transvaal Ndebele occupied the river valley, which was to become the location of the city of Pretoria, by around 1600.[4]
During the difaqane in Natal, another band of refugees arrived in this area under the leadership of Mzilikazi. However, they were forced to abandon their villages in their flight from a regiment of Zulu raiders in 1832.
Pretoria itself was founded in 1855 by Marthinus Pretorius, a leader of the Voortrekkers, who named it after his father Andries Pretorius. The elder Pretorius had become a national hero of the Voortrekkers after his victory over the Zulus in the Battle of Blood River. Andries Pretorius also negotiated the Sand River Convention (1852), in which Britain acknowledged the independence of the Transvaal. It became the capital of the South African Republic (ZAR) on 1 May 1860. The founding of Pretoria as the capital of the South African Republic can be seen as marking the end of the Boers' settlement movements of the Great Trek.
Boer Wars[link]
Main article: Boer Wars
See also: Pretoria Forts
During the First Boer War, the city was besieged by Republican forces in December 1880 and March 1881. The peace treaty which ended the war was signed in Pretoria on 3 August 1881 at the Pretoria Convention.
The Second Boer War (1899 to 1902) resulted in the end of the Transvaal Republic and start of British hegemony in South Africa. During the war, Winston Churchill was imprisoned in the Staats Model School in Pretoria but escaped to Mozambique. The city surrendered to British forces under Frederick Roberts on 5 June 1900 and the conflict was ended in Pretoria with the signing of the Peace of Vereeniging on 31 May 1902.
A number of forts were built for the defence of the city just prior to the Second Boer War, though some are today in ruins, a number of them have been preserved as national monuments.
Union of South Africa[link]
Main article: Union of South Africa
The Boer Republics of the ZAR and the Orange Free State were united 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 Town the legislative capital. Between 1860 and 1994, the city was also the capital of the province of Transvaal, superseding Potchefstroom in that role.
On 14 October 1931, Pretoria achieved official city status. When South Africa became a republic in 1961, Pretoria remained its administrative capital.
After apartheid[link]
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This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability. |
After the creation of new municipal structures across South Africa in 2000, the name Tshwane was adopted for the Metropolitan Municipality that includes Pretoria and surrounding towns.
Pretoria is "the capital of Apartheid South Africa". However, Pretoria's political reputation was changed with the inauguration of Nelson Mandela on the 10th May 1994 as the country's first non-apartheid President at the Union Buildings close to Pretoria CBD.
Beginning in 2005, portions of the African National Congress wished to change the name of the city to match the name of the Tshwane municipality, however this met with stiff opposition, particularly from Afrikaner civil rights groups and political parties since it denies the history of the city as founded by Pretorius.
In 1994 Peter Holmes Maluleka was elected as transitional mayor of Pretoria, until the first democratic election held later that year, making him the first black mayor of this capital of South Africa. Maluleka later became the chairman of the Greater Pretoria Metropolitan City Council (later City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality), then was elected Speaker of the Tshwane Metro Council and in 2004 was chosen to be a member of the South African Parliament for the Soshanguve constituency.
Geography[link]
File:Pretoria, RSA from above.PNG
Satellite image of Pretoria.
Pretoria is situated approximately 50 km (31 mi) north of Johannesburg in the north-east of South Africa, in a transitional belt between the plateau of the Highveld to the south and the lower-lying Bushveld to the north. It lies at an altitude of about 1,350 m (4,500 ft) above sea level, in a warm, sheltered, fertile valley, surrounded by the hills of the Magaliesberg range.
Climate[link]
| Pretoria | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The city has a moderately dry subtropical climate, specifically a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification: Cwa), with long hot and rainy summers and short cool and dry winters. The average annual temperature is 18.7 °C (65.7 °F).[6] This is rather high considering its relatively high altitude of about 1350 metres and is due mainly to its sheltered valley position, which acts as a heat trap and cuts it off from cool southerly and south-easterly air masses for much of the year. Rain is chiefly concentrated in the summer months, with drought conditions prevailing over the winter months, when frosts may be sharp. Snowfall is an extremely rare event, snowflakes were spotted in 1959 and 1968 in the city center, but the city has never experienced an accumulation in its history. During a countrywide heatwave in November 2011, Pretoria experienced temperatures that reached 39 °C (102 °F), extraordinarily unusual for that time of the year.
| Climate data for Pretoria | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 36 (97) |
36 (97) |
35 (95) |
33 (91) |
29 (84) |
25 (77) |
26 (79) |
31 (88) |
34 (93) |
36 (97) |
39 (102) |
35 (95) |
36 (97) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 29 (84) |
28 (82) |
27 (81) |
24 (75) |
22 (72) |
19 (66) |
20 (68) |
22 (72) |
26 (79) |
27 (81) |
27 (81) |
28 (82) |
25 (77) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 18 (64) |
17 (63) |
16 (61) |
12 (54) |
8 (46) |
5 (41) |
5 (41) |
8 (46) |
12 (54) |
14 (57) |
16 (61) |
17 (63) |
12 (54) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 8 (46) |
11 (52) |
6 (43) |
3 (37) |
−1 (30) |
−6 (21) |
−4 (25) |
−1 (30) |
2 (36) |
4 (39) |
7 (45) |
7 (45) |
−6 (21) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 136 (5.35) |
75 (2.95) |
82 (3.23) |
51 (2.01) |
13 (0.51) |
7 (0.28) |
3 (0.12) |
6 (0.24) |
22 (0.87) |
71 (2.8) |
98 (3.86) |
110 (4.33) |
674 (26.54) |
| Avg. precipitation days | 14 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 15 | 87 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 261 | 235 | 254 | 246 | 283 | 271 | 289 | 296 | 284 | 275 | 254 | 272 | 3,220 |
| Source no. 1: South African Weather Service[5] | |||||||||||||
| Source no. 2: The Weather Network (sun only) [7] | |||||||||||||
Central Business District[link]
The Central Business District (CBD) of Pretoria has been the traditional centre of government and commerce, although today many corporate offices, small businesses, shops and government departments are situated in the sprawling suburbs of the city rather than the CBD. However to bring service delivery back to the people, various Government departments are returning to the CBD. National Departments with their Head Office in the CBD include: Department of Health, Basic Education, Transport, Higher Education and Training, Sport and Recreation, Justice and Constitutional Development, Water and Environmental Affairs and the National Treasury.
Demographics[link]
File:Tshwane population density map.svg
Population density in and around Pretoria
|
<1 /km²
1–3 /km²
3–10 /km²
10–30 /km²
30–100 /km²
|
100–300 /km²
300–1000 /km²
1000–3000 /km²
>3000 /km²
|
Depending on the extent of the area understood to constitute "Pretoria", the population ranges from 500,000[8] to 2.5 million.[9] The main languages spoken in the Tshwane municipality are Pedi, Afrikaans, Tswana, Tsonga, Zulu and English. Ndebele and Sotho are also widely spoken. The whole Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality had a population of 1,985,997 at the 2001 census. The city of Pretoria has the largest white population of anywhere on the African continent. Since its founding it has been a major Afrikaner population centre, and currently there are roughly 400,000 Afrikaners living in or around the city.
Even since the end of Apartheid, Pretoria itself still has a white majority, albeit an ever increasing black middle-class. However in the townships of Soshanguve and Atteridgeville blacks make up close to all of the population. The largest white ethnic group are the Afrikaners and the largest black ethnic group are the Northern Sothos.
If one considers the lower estimate for the population of Pretoria, this includes largely former-white designated areas and there is therefore a white majority. However if one includes the geographically separate townships, this increases Pretoria's population beyond a million and makes whites a minority.
Pretoria's Indians mostly live in the Indian township of Laudium and surrounding areas, or in white suburbs.
Cityscape[link]
Architecture[link]
See also: Pretoria Forts
Media related to Buildings in Pretoria at Wikimedia Commons
Pretoria has over the years had very diverse cultural influences and this is reflected in the architectural styles that can be found in the city. It ranges from British Colonial Architecture to Art Deco with a good mix of uniquely South African style mixed in.
Some of the notable structures in Pretoria include the Union Buildings, Voortrekker Monument, the main campus of the University of South Africa, Mahlamba Ndlopfu (the President's House), Reserve Bank of South Africa (Office Tower) and the Telkom Lukas Rand Transmission Tower. Other known structures and buildings include the Loftus Versfeld Stadium, The South African State Theatre, University of Pretoria, and Head Quarters of the Department of International Relations and Co-Operation (modern architecture).
-
Union Buildings
-
National Botanical Gardens
-
Pretoria CBD viewed from the southeast
Parks and gardens[link]
Pretoria is home to the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa as well as the Pretoria National Botanical Garden, one of the National Botanical Gardens in South Africa.[10] There are also a number of smaller parks and gardens located throughout the city, including the Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary..
Transport[link]
Railway[link]
Commuter rail services around Pretoria are operated by Metrorail. The routes, originating from the city centre, extend south to Germiston and Johannesburg, west to Atteridgeville, northwest to Ga-Rankuwa, north to Soshanguve and east to Mamelodi.
The Gautrain high-speed railway line runs from the eastern suburb of Hatfield to Pretoria Station and then southwards to Centurion, Sandton, OR Tambo International Airport and Johannesburg.
Pretoria Station is a departure point for the Blue Train luxury train. Rovos Rail,[11] a luxury mainline train safari service operates from the colonial-style railway station at Capital Park.[12] The South African Friends of the Rail have recently moved their vintage train trip operations from the Capital Park station to the Hercules station.[13]
Buses[link]
Various bus companies exist in Pretoria, of which Putco is one of the oldest and most recognised. Tshwane(Pretoria) municipality provides for the rest of the bus transport and to view the time table please visit them at Tshwane Bus Booklet.[14]
Road[link]
The N1 is the major freeway that runs through Pretoria. The N1 Eastern Bypass bisects the large expanse of the eastern suburbs, routing traffic from Johannesburg to Polokwane and the north of the country. The N4 Platinum Highway forms the Northern Bypass and routes traffic from Witbank to Rustenburg. The N4 runs east-west through South Africa, connecting Maputo to Gaborone. Other major freeways include the N14 which links Pretoria with Johannesburg's West Rand, and the R21 which links the city with OR Tambo International Airport.
Airports[link]
For scheduled air services, Pretoria is served by Johannesburg's airports: OR Tambo International, 45 kilometres (28 mi) south of central Pretoria; and Lanseria, 35 kilometres (22 mi) south-west of the city. Wonderboom Airport in the suburb of Wonderboom in the north of Pretoria services light commercial and private aircraft. There are two military air bases to the south of the city, Swartkop and Waterkloof.
Society and culture[link]
Media[link]
Main article: Media in Tshwane
Since Pretoria forms part the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, most radio, television and paper media is the same as what can be found in the rest of the metro area.
Museums[link]
- African Window
- Freedom Park
- Kruger House (Residence of the president of the ZAR, Paul Kruger).
- Mapungubwe Museum
- Melrose House (The Treaty of Vereeniging which ended the Anglo-Boer War was signed here in 1902)
- Pretoria Forts
- Transvaal Museum
- Van Wouw Museum
- Voortrekker Monument
Music[link]
A number of popular South African bands and musicians are originally from Pretoria. These include Desmond and the Tutus, Seether, Zebra & Giraffe, popular mostwako rapper JR, and DJ Mujava who was raised in the town of Attridgeville.
The song "Marching to Pretoria" refers to this city. The opening line of The Beatles' song I Am the Walrus, "I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together", is based on the song "Marching to Pretoria", which contains the lyric "I'm with you and you're with me and we are all together".[citation needed]
Sport[link]
One of the most popular sports in Pretoria is rugby union. Loftus Versfeld is home to the Blue Bulls, who compete in the domestic Currie Cup, and also to the Bulls franchise in the international Super Rugby competition. The Bulls Super Rugby team, which is operated by the Blue Bulls, won the competition in 2007, 2009 and 2010. Loftus Versfeld also hosts the soccer side Mamelodi Sundowns.
Pretoria also hosted matches during the 1995 Rugby World Cup. Loftus Versfeld was used for matches of soccer in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. There are two soccer teams in the city campaigning in the Premier Soccer League. They are Mamelodi Sundowns and Supersport United. Supersport United were the 2008–09 PSL Champions.
Following the 2011/2012 season the University of Pretoria F.C. will gain promotion to the South African Premier Soccer League (PSL), the top domestic league.[15][16]
Cricket is also popular game in the city. As there is no international cricket stadium in the city, it does not host any major cricket tournament, although the nearby situated Centurion has Supersport Park which is an international cricket stadium and has hosted many important tournaments such as 2003 Cricket World Cup, 2007 ICC World Twenty20, 2009 IPL and 2009 ICC Champions Trophy.
Stadiums[link]
Churches[link]
- Anglican Diocese of Pretoria
- Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa
- Central Baptist Church
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in Southern Africa
- Hatfield Christian Church
- Methodist Church of Southern Africa
- Nederduits Gereformeerde Kerk
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Pretoria
- Seventh-day Adventist Church
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Praise Tabernacle
Commerce and industry[link]
As the national administrative (executive) capital of South Africa, Pretoria is the seat of government and houses the headquarters of the main government departments and ministries. As the de facto capital city, it also hosts the foreign embassies and diplomatic missions. The city is a major commercial centre and an important industrial centre. Its main industries are iron and steel works, copper casting, and the manufacture of automobiles, railway carriages and heavy machinery.
Pretoria has a number of industrial areas, business districts and small home businesses. A number of chambers of commerce exist for Pretoria and it's business community including Pretoriaweb a business networking group that meets once a month to discuss the issues of doing business in Pretoria. The members of Pretoriaweb also discuss issues in various social media environments and on the website.
Education[link]
Tertiary education[link]
See also: List of universities in South Africa
Pretoria is one of South Africa's leading academic cities, it is home to both the largest residential university in the country,[17] the Tshwane University of Technology and the largest distance education university (the University of South Africa, more commonly known by its acronym, UNISA). The University of Pretoria (colloquially known as Tuks or Tukkies), one of South Africa's leading research and teaching universities, and the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) are also located in the city.
Private tertiary education[link]
Secondary education[link]
- Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool
- Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool
- Christian Brothers' College, Mount Edmund
- Clapham High School
- Deutsche Schule Pretoria
- The Glen High School
- Hillview High School
- Hoërskool Akasia
- Hoërskool C.R. Swart
- Hoërskool Centurion
- Hoërskool Die Wilgers
- Hoërskool Eldoraigne
- Hoërskool Garsfontein
- Hoërskool Gerrit Maritz
- Hoerskool Hendrik Verwoerd
- Hoërskool Hercules
- Hoërskool Langenhoven
- Hoërskool Menlopark
- Hoërskool Montana
- Hoërskool F.H. Odenaal
- Hoërskool Oos-Moot
- Hoërskool Overkruin
- Hoërskool Pretoria Noord
- Hoërskool Silverton
- Hoërskool Tuine
- Hoërskool Voortrekkerhoogte
- Hoërskool Waterkloof
- Hoërskool Wonderboom
- HTS John Vorster
- HTS Tuine
- Pretoria Boys High School
- Pretoria High School for Girls
- Pretoria Muslim School
- Pretoria Technical High School
- Pretoria West High School
- Pro Arte Alphen Park
- St. Mary's Diocesan School for Girls, Pretoria
- Willowridge High School (Pretoria)
Change of name[link]
On 26 May 2005 the South African Geographical Names Council (SAGNC), which is linked to the Directorate of Heritage in the Department of Arts and Culture, approved changing the name of Pretoria to Tshwane, which is already the name of the Metropolitan Municipality[18] in which Pretoria, and a number of surrounding towns are located. Although the name change was approved by the SAGNC, it has not yet been approved by the Minister of Arts and Culture. The matter is currently under consideration while he has requested further research on the matter. Should the Minister approve the name change, the name will be published in the Government Gazette, giving the public opportunity to comment on the matter. The Minister can then refer that public response back to the SAGNC, before presenting his recommendation before parliament, who will vote on the change. Various public interest groups have warned that the name change will be challenged in court, should the minister approve the renaming. The long process involved made it unlikely the name would change anytime soon, if ever, even assuming the Minister had approved the change in early 2006.
The Tshwane Metro Council has advertised Tshwane as "Africa's leading capital city" since the name change was approved by the SAGNC in 2005. This has led to further controversy, however, as the name of the city had not yet been changed officially, and the council was, at best, acting prematurely. Following a complaint lodged with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), it was ruled that such advertisements are deliberately misleading and should be withdrawn from all media.[19] Despite the rulings of the ASA, Tshwane Metro Council failed to discontinue their "City of Tshwane" advertisements. As a result, the ASA requested that Tshwane Metro pay for advertisements in which it admits that it has misled the public. Refusing to abide by the ASA's request, the Metro Council was banned consequently from placing any advertisements in the South African media that refer to Tshwane as the capital. ASA may still place additional sanctions on the Metro Council that would prevent it from placing any advertisements in the South African media, including council notices and employment vacancies.[20][21]
After the ruling, the Metro Council continued to place Tshwane advertisements, but placed them on council-owned advertising boards and busstops throughout the municipal area. In August 2007, an internal memo was leaked to the media in which the Tshwane mayor sought advice from the premier of Gauteng on whether the municipality could be called the "City of Tshwane" instead of just "Tshwane".[22] This could increase confusion about the distinction between the city of Pretoria and the municipality of Tshwane.
In early 2010 it was again rumoured that the South African government would make a decision regarding the name, however, a media briefing regarding name changes, where it may have been discussed, was cancelled shortly before taking place.[23] Rumours of the name change provoked outrage from Afrikaner civil rights and political groups.[24] It later emerged that the registration of the municipality as a geographic place had been published in the government gazette as it had been too late to withdraw the name from the publication,[25] but it was announced that the name had been withdrawn, pending "further work" by officials.[26][27] The following week, the registration of "Tshwane" was officially withdrawn in the Government Gazette.,[28][29] The retraction had reportedly been ordered at the behest of the Deputy President of South Africa Kgalema Motlanthe, acting on behalf of President Jacob Zuma, as minister of Arts and Culture Lulu Xingwana had acted contrary to the position of the ANC, which is that Pretoria, and the municipality are separate entities, which was subsequently articulated by ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe.[30]
In March 2010, the "Tshwane Royal House Committee", claiming to be descendents of Chief Tshwane, called for the name to be changed, and for the descendents of Chief Tshwane to be recognised, and to be made part of the administration of the municipality.[31]
According to comments made by Mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa in late 2011, the change will occur in 2012.[32][33] However there remained considerable uncertainty about the issue.[1]
International relations[link]
Twin towns and sister cities[link]
Pretoria is twinned with:
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Shopping malls[link]
- Atterbury Boulevard
- Atterbury Value Mart
- Brooklyn Mall*
- Brooklyn Design Square
- Centurion Mall (upon Hennops River)*
- Hatfield Plaza*
- Irene Village Mall*
- Kolonnade Centre*
- Mall @ Reds*
- Menlyn Retail Park
- Menlyn Park*
- Parkview Centre
- Sammy Marks Shopping Centre
- Sancardia Shopping Centre
- Sterland Mall*
- Sunny Park
- The Grove Shopping Centre*
- Woodlands Boulevard*
- Wonderboom Junction Shopping Centre
- Wonderpark Shopping Centre*
Note: Malls marked with an asterisk are malls with at least a 4-screen cinema complex. Kolonnade Centre is the only mall in the city with a public ice-skating rink.
Places of interest[link]
- Pretoria National Botanical Garden
- The National Zoological Gardens of South Africa
- Church Square
- Union Buildings
- Marabastad
- Menlyn Park
- Voortrekker Monument
- Hatfield Square
Nature reserves[link]
- Groenkloof Nature Reserve
- Rietvlei Nature Reserve
- Moreletaspruit Nature Reserve
- Faerie Glen Nature Reserve
- Wonderboom Nature Reserve
See also[link]
- List of Pretoria suburbs
- Ptawug Pretoria Wireless Users Group—a free, non-profit, community wireless network in Pretoria
- Symbolism of the Voortrekker Monument
References[link]
- ^ a b c d "Main Place". Census 2001. http://census.adrianfrith.com/place/77612.
- ^ "Beeld". News24.com. http://www.news24.com/Beeld/Pretoria-Beeld/0,,3-69_2413203,00.html. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ "South Africa's provinces: Gauteng". http://www.info.gov.za/aboutsa/provinces.htm#gauteng. Retrieved 14 June 2011.
- ^ "The Ndebele People". SABC Education. http://www.sabceducation.co.za/VCMStaticProdStage/CORPORATE/SABC%20Corporate/Document/ndebelepeople.pdf. Retrieved 23 November 2008. [dead link]
- ^ a b "Climate data for Pretoria". South African Weather Service. June 2011. http://old.weathersa.co.za/Climat/Climstats/PretoriaStats.jsp. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
- ^ GHCN climate data, 30 year climate average 1979–2008, Goddard Institute of Space Studies
- ^ "Climate Statistics for Pretoria, South Africa". http://www.theweathernetwork.com/statistics/c01861. Retrieved March 24, 2012.
- ^ Population, according to the 2001 Census, of the Pretoria "main place".
- ^ Population, according to the 2007 Community Survey, of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality after the 2011 annexation of the Metsweding District Municipality.
- ^ "National Botanical Gardens". SA-Venues. http://www.sa-venues.com/national-botanical-gardens.htm. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
- ^ "Rovos Rail website". Rovos.co.za. http://www.rovos.co.za. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ "Capital Park". Rovos Rail. http://www.rovos.co.za/capital-park.html. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
- ^ "New Departure Point – Important note!". Friends of the Rail. http://www.friendsoftherail.com/. Retrieved 12 September 2008.
- ^ "Tshwane Bus Booklet". http://www.tshwane.gov.za/busbooklet.cfm.
- ^ http://www.supersport.com/football/national-first-division/news/120513/Tuks_secures_Premiership_promotion Tuks secures Premiership promotion Retrieved 13 May 2012
- ^ http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/sport/2012/05/10/amatuks-make-it-to-top-flight AmaTuks make it to top flight Retrieved 13 May 2012
- ^ "Gauteng province". SAinfo. http://www.southafrica.info/about/geography/gauteng.htm. Retrieved 17 November 2008.
- ^ "Pretoria name change is approved". BBC News. 27 May 2005. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4584211.stm. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ "SABC pulls 'Tshwane city' ads". News24.com. 11 April 2007. http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Politics/0,9294,2-7-12_2097251,00.html. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ Independent Online. "SA capital advert row sparks ad-alert threat, IOL". Iol.co.za. http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=594&art_id=vn20070423045707464C538603. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ "Media can't place Tshwane ads, FIN24". Fin24.co.za. http://www.fin24.co.za/articles/business/display_article.aspx?Nav=ns&lvl2=buss&ArticleID=1518-1786_2103974. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ "Down with Pretoria signs!: South Africa: Politics". News24. 2 August 2007. http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/Politics/0,,2-7-12_2158167,00.html. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ Wilson Johwa. "Mashatile postpones name changes after ‘technicality’.". Businessday.co.za. http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=92376. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ "AfriForum to fight for Pretoria name.". Timeslive.co.za. http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/local/article287159.ece. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ Independent Online. "Pretoria name change rethink". Iol.co.za. http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=vn20100203042043944C666729. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ "Pretoria/Tshwane delayed.". Jacarandafm.com. 2 February 2010. http://www.jacarandafm.com/kagiso/content/en/jacaranda/jacaranda-news?oid=548186&sn=Detail&pid=6182&Pretoria-Tshwane-delayed. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ "Xingwana retracts Pretoria name change.". Politicsweb.co.za. http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71654?oid=158607&sn=Detail. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ "It's officially Pretoria. iafrica.com". News.iafrica.com. http://news.iafrica.com/sa/2208061.htm. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ "Pretoria is Pretoria again – for now.". Jacarandafm.com. http://www.jacarandafm.com/kagiso/content/en/jacaranda/jacaranda-news?oid=550881&sn=Detail&pid=6182&Pretoria-is-Pretoria-again---for-now. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ "Government policy.'Leadership'". Leadershiponline.co.za. 23 March 2010. http://www.leadershiponline.co.za/articles/politics/487-government-policy. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ "Tshwane Royals: 'Change Pretoria for benefit of all'.". Timeslive.co.za. http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article354858.ece. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
- ^ http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Pretoria-will-become-Tshwane-mayor-20111122
- ^ http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/old-cities-new-names
- ^ "Embassy of Ukraine in the South Africa Republic – Publications". Created by "Softline" (Ukraine). http://www.mfa.gov.ua/rsa/en/18587.htm.
External links[link]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pretoria |
- City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality official website
- Visit Pretoria Travel Guide to Pretoria
- Pretoria travel guide from Wikitravel
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| Bee Gees | |
|---|---|
 The Bee Gees performing on Dutch television in 1968. From left to right: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb |
|
| Background information | |
| Genres | Pop, pop rock, disco, blue-eyed soul, soft rock |
| Years active | 1958–2003 2009–2012 |
| Labels | RSO, Warner Bros., Festival, Polydor, Atco |
| Website | www.beegees.com |
| Past members | |
| Barry Gibb Robin Gibb Maurice Gibb Colin Petersen Vince Melouney Geoff Bridgford Alan Kendall Dennis Bryon Blue Weaver |
|
The Bee Gees were a musical group founded in 1958. The group's line-up consisted of brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio were successful for most of their decades of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s/early 1970s, and as prominent performers of the disco music era in the late 1970s.
The group sang three-part tight harmonies that were instantly recognisable; Robin's clear vibrato lead was a hallmark of their earlier hits, while Barry's R&B falsetto became their signature sound during the late 1970s and 1980s. The brothers wrote all of their own hits, as well as writing and producing several major hits for other artists.
Born in the Isle of Man to English parents, the Gibb brothers lived their first few years in Chorlton, Manchester, England, then moved in the late 1950s to Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia, where they began their musical careers.[1] After achieving their first chart success in Australia with "Spicks and Specks" (their 12th single), they returned to the United Kingdom in January 1967 where producer Robert Stigwood began promoting them to a worldwide audience.
It has been estimated that the Bee Gees' career record sales total more than 220 million,[2] ranking them among the best-selling music artists of all time. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997;[3] the presenter of the award to "Britain's first family of harmony" was Brian Wilson, historical leader of the Beach Boys, a "family act" also featuring three harmonising brothers.[4] The Bee Gees' Hall of Fame citation says "Only Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks and Paul McCartney have outsold the Bee Gees".[3]
Following Maurice's sudden death in January 2003, Barry and Robin Gibb retired the group's name after 45 years of activity. In 2009, however, Robin announced that he and Barry had agreed that the Bee Gees would re-form and perform again.[5] Robin died in May 2012 after a prolonged bout of cancer.[6]
Contents |
History[link]
Early years[link]
Barry Gibb (b. 1946) and fraternal twin brothers Robin (1949–2012) and Maurice Gibb (1949–2003) were born on the Isle of Man, but the family returned to father Hugh Gibb's home town of Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, England where they went to Oswald Road Primary School, in the early 1950s where the boys began to sing in harmony. The story is told that they were going to lip sync to a record in the local Gaumont cinema (as other children had done on previous weeks) and as they were running to the theatre, the heavy 78-RPM record broke. The brothers had to sing live and received such a positive response from the audience that they decided to pursue a singing career.[7]
In 1958 the Gibb family, including infant brother, Andy (1958–1988), emigrated to Redcliffe in Queensland, Australia. The young brothers began performing where they could to raise pocket money. First called the Rattlesnakes, later Wee Johnny Hayes & the Bluecats, they were introduced to radio DJ Bill Gates by racetrack promoter Bill Goode (who saw them perform at Brisbane's Speedway Circuit). Gates renamed them the "Bee Gees" after his and Goode's initials – thus the name was not specifically a reference to "Brothers Gibb", despite popular belief.[8]
By 1960 the Bee Gees were featured on television shows. In the next few years they began working regularly at resorts on the Queensland coast. For his songwriting, Barry sparked the interest of Australian star Col Joye, who helped them get a record deal with Festival Records subsidiary, Leedon Records, in 1963 under the name "Bee Gees." The three released two or three singles a year, while Barry supplied additional songs to other Australian artists. From 1963 to 1966 the Gibb family lived at 171 Bunnerong Road, Maroubra in Sydney.[9]
A minor hit in 1965, "Wine and Women", led to the group's first LP The Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs. By 1966 Festival was, however, on the verge of dropping them from the Leedon roster because of their perceived lack of commercial success. It was at this time that they met American-born songwriter, producer and entrepreneur, Nat Kipner, who had just been appointed A&R manager of a new independent label, Spin Records. Kipner briefly took over as the group's manager and successfully negotiated their transfer to Spin in exchange for Festival being granted the Australian distribution rights to the group's recordings.[citation needed]
Through Kipner the Bee Gees met engineer-producer, Ossie Byrne. He produced (or co-produced with Kipner) many of the earlier Spin recordings, most of which were cut at his own small self-built St Clair Studio in the Sydney suburb of Hurstville. Byrne gave the Gibb brothers virtually unlimited access to St Clair Studio over a period of several months in mid-1966. The group later acknowledged that this enabled them to greatly improve their skills as recording artists. During this productive time they recorded a large batch of original material—including the song that would become their first major hit, "Spicks and Specks" (on which Byrne played the trumpet coda) – as well as cover versions of current hits by overseas acts such as The Beatles. They regularly collaborated with other local musicians, including members of beat band Steve & The Board, led by Steve Kipner, Nat's teenage son.
Frustrated by their lack of success, the Gibbs decided to return to England in late 1966. Ossie Byrne travelled with them, and Colin Petersen, who eventually became the group's drummer, followed soon after. While at sea in January 1967, they learned that "Spicks and Specks" had been awarded Best Single of the Year by Go-Set, Australia's most popular and influential music newspaper.
Late 1960s: first international fame[link]
Before their departure from Australia to England, Hugh Gibb sent demos to Brian Epstein who managed The Beatles and was director of NEMS, a British music store and promoter. Brian Epstein had passed the demo tapes to Robert Stigwood, who had recently joined NEMS. After an audition with Stigwood in February 1967, the Bee Gees were signed to a five-year contract whereby Polydor Records would be their record label in the United Kingdom and ATCO Records would be the United States distributor. Work quickly began on the group's first international album, and Robert Stigwood launched a promotional campaign to coincide with its release.
Stigwood proclaimed that the Bee Gees were "The Most Significant New Talent Of 1967" and thus began the immediate comparison to The Beatles.[10] Their second British single (their first UK 45 rpm issued was "Spicks and Specks"), "New York Mining Disaster 1941", was issued to radio stations with a blank white label listing only the song title. Some DJs immediately assumed this was a new single by The Beatles and started playing the song in heavy rotation. This helped the song climb into the Top 20 in both the United Kingdom and the United States. No such chicanery was needed to boost the Bee Gees' second single, "To Love Somebody", into the US Top 20. Originally written for Otis Redding, "To Love Somebody" was a soulful ballad sung by Barry, which has since become a pop standard covered by hundreds of artists including Gram Parsons, Rod Stewart, Bonnie Tyler, Janis Joplin, The Animals, Nina Simone, Jimmy Somerville and Michael Bolton. Another single, "Holiday", was released in the United States, peaking at No. 16. The parent album, Bee Gees 1st (their first internationally), peaked at No. 7 in the United States and No. 8 in the United Kingdom.
Following the success of Bee Gees 1st, the band (which now consisted of Barry on rhythm guitar, Maurice on bass, Vince Melouney on lead guitar and Colin Petersen on drums),.[10] began work on the act's second album. Released in late 1967, Horizontal repeated the success of their first album, featuring the No. 1 UK single "Massachusetts" (a No. 11 US hit), and the No. 7 UK single "World". The sound of the album Horizontal had a more "rock" sound than their previous release, though ballads like "And The Sun Will Shine" and "Really And Sincerely" were also prominent. The Horizontal album reached No. 12 in the US, and No. 16 in the UK promoting the record, the Bee Gees made their first appearances in America, playing live concerts and television shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show and Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. Two more singles followed in early 1968, the ballad "Words" (No. 15 US, No. 8 UK) and the double A-sided single "Jumbo" b/w "The Singer Sang His Song". "Jumbo" was the Bee Gees' least successful single to date only reaching No. 57 in the US, and No. 25 in the UK. The Bee Gees felt that "The Singer Sang His Song" was the stronger of the two sides, an opinion shared by listeners in the Netherlands, who made it a No. 3 hit. Further Bee Gees chart singles followed: "I've Gotta Get a Message to You" (No. 8 US, No. 1 UK) and "I Started A Joke" (No. 6 US), both culled from the band's third album Idea. Idea was another Top 20 album in the US (No. 17) and the UK (No. 4). Following the tour and TV special to promote the album, Vince Melouney left the group, feeling that he wanted to play more of a blues style music than the Gibbs were writing. Melouney did achieve one feat while with the Bee Gees—his composition "Such A Shame" (from Idea) is the only song on any Bee Gees album not written by a Gibb brother.
By 1969, the cracks began to show within the group. Robin began to feel that Stigwood had been favouring Barry as the frontman. Their next album, which was to have been a concept album called Masterpeace, evolved into the double-album Odessa. Most rock critics felt this was the best Bee Gees album of the '60s, with its progressive rock feel on the title track, the country-flavoured "Marley Purt Drive" and "Give Your Best", and signature ballads such as "Melody Fair" and "First of May"; the last of which became the only single from the album, and was a minor hit. Feeling that the flipside, "Lamplight" should have been the A-side, Robin quit the group in mid-1969 and launched a solo career. Robin Gibb saw brief success in Europe with the No. 2 hit "Saved By The Bell" and the album Robin's Reign. Barry and Maurice continued as the Bee Gees, even recruiting their sister Lesley to appear with them on stage.
The first of many Bee Gees compilations, Best of Bee Gees was released, featuring the non-LP single "Words" plus the Australian hit "Spicks and Specks" The CD release replaces "Spicks and Specks" with another non-LP single "Tomorrow Tomorrow", because Polydor could no longer secure the rights to the Australian track. "Tomorrow Tomorrow" was a moderate hit in the UK reaching No. 23, but stalled at No. 54 in the US. The compilation reached the Top Ten in both the US and the UK.
While Robin was off on his own, Barry, Maurice, and Colin continued on as the Bee Gees, recording their next album, Cucumber Castle. There was also a TV special filmed to accompany the album, which aired on the BBC in 1971. Colin Petersen played drums on the tracks recorded for the album, but was fired from the group after filming began and his parts were edited out of the final cut of the film. After Colin was fired, Australian drummer Geoff Bridgford was recruited to complete the recording of songs for Cucumber Castle. The leadoff single, "Don't Forget to Remember" was a big hit in the UK reaching No. 2, but a disappointment in the US, only reaching No. 73. The next 2 singles, "I.O.I.O." and "If I Only Had My Mind on Something Else" barely scraped the charts, and following the release of the album, Barry and Maurice parted ways. It seemed that the Bee Gees were finished. Barry recorded a solo album which never saw official release, though "I'll Kiss Your Memory" was released as a single, without much interest. Meanwhile, Maurice released the single "Railroad", and starred in the West End musical Sing A Rude Song.
Early 1970s[link]
File:Bee Gees' wordmark logo (1975-1981).gif
Bee Gees' wordmark logo (1975-1981)
The three brothers reunited in the later part of 1970 penning a series of songs about heartache and loneliness. During this period they became a four piece band joined again by Australian drummer Geoff Bridgford who after playing on the 2 Years On album and Trafalgar album became the last non-Gibb brother to be a member of the Bee Gees. Although they had lost traction on the British charts, the Bee Gees hit No. 3 in America with "Lonely Days" (from the reunion LP 2 Years On) and had their first US No. 1 with "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" (from Trafalgar). The trio's talents were included in the soundtrack for the 1971 film Melody as they performed several songs for the title. In 1972, they hit No. 16 in America with the single "My World" and "Run To Me" from the LP To Whom It May Concern; the latter also returned them to the British top ten for the first time in three years.
By 1973, however, the Bee Gees were in a rut. The album, Life in a Tin Can, released on RSO Records and its lead-off single, "Saw a New Morning," sold poorly with the single peaking at No. 94. This was followed by an unreleased album (known as A Kick in the Head Is Worth Eight in the Pants). A second compilation album, Best of Bee Gees, Volume 2 was released in 1973, though it did not repeat the success of Volume 1.
On the advice of Ahmet Ertegün, head of their US label Atlantic Records, Stigwood arranged for the group to record with famed soul music producer Arif Mardin. The resulting LP, Mr. Natural, included fewer ballads and foreshadowed the R&B direction of the rest of their career. But when it too failed to attract much interest, Mardin encouraged them to work with the soul music style.
The brothers attempted to assemble a live stage band that could replicate their studio sound. Lead guitarist Alan Kendall had come on board in 1971, but did not have much to do until Mr. Natural. For that album, they added drummer Dennis Bryon, and they later added ex-Strawbs keyboard player Blue Weaver, completing the late 1970s "Bee Gees band". Maurice, who had previously performed on piano, guitar, organ, mellotron, and bass guitar, as well as exotica like mandolin and Moog synthesiser, now confined himself to bass onstage.
At Eric Clapton's suggestion, the brothers relocated to Miami, Florida, early in 1975 to record. After starting off with ballads, they eventually heeded the urging of Mardin and Stigwood and crafted more rhythmic disco songs, including their second US No. 1, "Jive Talkin'", along with US No. 7 "Nights on Broadway." The band liked the resulting new sound, and this time the public agreed, sending the LP Main Course up the charts. This was their second album to have two US top-10 singles since 1968's Idea. Main Course also became their first charting R&B album. Mardin was unable to work with the group afterwards, but the Bee Gees enlisted Albhy Galuten and Karl Richardson who had worked with Mardin during the Main Course sessions. This production team would carry the Bee Gees through the rest of the 1970s.
The next album, Children of the World, was drenched in Barry's newfound falsetto and Weaver's synthesiser disco licks. Led off by the single "You Should Be Dancing," it pushed the Bee Gees to a level of stardom they had not previously achieved in the US, though their new R&B/disco sound was not as popular with some die hard fans from the 1960s. The Bee Gees' band was now closer to a rock act, with rhythm guitar and real drums behind the falsetto.
[edit] Late 1970s: Saturday Night Fever
Following a successful live album, Here at Last... Bee Gees... Live, the Bee Gees agreed with Stigwood to participate in the creation of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. It would be the turning point of their career. The cultural impact of both the film and the soundtrack was seismic, not only in the United States, but in the rest of the world as well, bringing the nascent disco scene mainstream.
The band's involvement in the film did not begin until post-production. As John Travolta asserted, "The Bee Gees weren't even involved in the movie in the beginning ... I was dancing to Stevie Wonder and Boz Scaggs."[11] Producer Robert Stigwood commissioned the Bee Gees to create the songs for the film. The brothers wrote the songs "virtually in a single weekend" at France's Château d'Hérouville studio.[11] Barry Gibb remembered the reaction when Stigwood and music supervisor Bill Oakes arrived and listened to the demos:
| “ | They flipped out and said these will be great. We still had no concept of the movie, except some kind of rough script that they'd brought with them ... You've got to remember, we were fairly dead in the water at that point, 1975, somewhere in that zone–- the Bee Gees' sound was basically tired. We needed something new. We hadn't had a hit record in about three years. So we felt, Oh Jeez, that's it. That's our life span, like most groups in the late 60s. So, we had to find something. We didn't know what was going to happen.[11] | ” |
Bill Oakes, who supervised the soundtrack, asserts that Saturday Night Fever did not begin the disco craze; rather, it prolonged it: "Disco had run its course. These days, Fever is credited with kicking off the whole disco thing–-it really didn't. Truth is, it breathed new life into a genre that was actually dying."[11]
Three Bee Gees singles ("How Deep Is Your Love", "Stayin' Alive", and "Night Fever") reached No. 1 in the United States and many countries around the world, launching the most popular period of the disco era. They also penned the song "If I Can't Have You" which became a No. 1 hit for Yvonne Elliman, while the Bee Gees' own version was the B-Side of "Stayin' Alive." Such was the popularity of Saturday Night Fever that two different versions of the song "More Than a Woman" received airplay, one by the Bee Gees, which was relegated to album track, and another by Tavares, which was the hit. The Gibb sound was inescapable. During an eight-month period beginning in the Christmas season of 1977, six songs written by the brothers held the No. 1 position on the US charts for 25 of 32 consecutive weeks—three of their own releases, two for brother Andy Gibb, and the Yvonne Elliman single.
Fueled by the movie's success, the soundtrack broke multiple industry records, becoming the highest-selling album in recording history to that point. With more than 40 million copies sold, Saturday Night Fever is among music's top five best selling soundtrack albums. It is currently calculated as the 4th highest-selling album worldwide.[12]
During this era, Barry and Robin also wrote "Emotion" for an old friend, Australian vocalist Samantha Sang, who made it a Top Ten hit (the Bee Gees sang backing vocals). Barry also wrote the title song to the movie version of the Broadway musical Grease for Frankie Valli to perform, which went to No. 1. During this period, the Bee Gees' younger brother Andy followed his older siblings into a music career, and enjoyed considerable success. Produced by Barry, Andy Gibb's first three singles all topped the US charts. In March 1978, the Bee Gees held the top 2 positions on the US Charts with "Night Fever" and "Stayin' Alive", the first time this had happened since The Beatles. On the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for 25 March 1978, five songs written by the Gibbs were in the US top ten at the same time: "Night Fever", "Stayin' Alive", "If I Can't Have You", "Emotion" and "Love is Thicker Than Water". Such chart dominance hadn't been seen since April 1964, when The Beatles had all five of the top five American singles. Barry Gibb became the only songwriter to have four consecutive number one hits in the US breaking the John Lennon and Paul McCartney 1964 record. These songs were "Stayin' Alive", "Love Is Thicker Than Water", "Night Fever", "If I Can't Have You".
The Bee Gees also co-starred with Peter Frampton in the movie Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) loosely inspired by the classic 1967 album by The Beatles. The film had been heavily promoted prior to release, and was expected to enjoy great commercial success. However, the disjointed film was savaged by the movie critics, and ignored by the public. Though some of its tracks charted, the soundtrack too was a high-profile flop. The single "Oh! Darling", credited to Robin Gibb, reached No. 15 in the US. Previously, the Bee Gees had recorded three Beatles covers—"Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight", "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" and "Sun King" – for the transitory musical documentary All This and World War II.
The Bee Gees' follow-up to Saturday Night Fever was the Spirits Having Flown album. It yielded three more No. 1 hits: "Too Much Heaven", "Tragedy", and "Love You Inside Out." This gave the act six consecutive No. 1 singles in America within a year and a half (a record surpassed only by Whitney Houston). "Too Much Heaven" ended up as the Bee Gees' musical contribution to the Music for UNICEF Concert at the United Nations General Assembly in January 1979, a benefit organised by the Bee Gees, Robert Stigwood, and David Frost for UNICEF that was broadcast worldwide. The brothers donated the royalties from the song to the charity. Up to 2007, this song has earned over $11 million for UNICEF. During the summer of 1979, the Bee Gees embarked on their largest concert tour covering the US and Canada. The Spirits Having Flown tour capitalised on Bee Gees fever that was sweeping the nation, with sold out concerts in 38 cities. The Bee Gees produced a video for the title track of "Too Much Heaven" directed by Miami-based film-maker, Martin Pitts and produced by Charles Allen. With this video, Pitts and Allen began a long association with the brothers.
The Bee Gees even had a country hit in 1979 with "Rest Your Love On Me", the flip side of their pop hit "Too Much Heaven", which made Top 40 on the country charts. In 1981, Conway Twitty's version of "Rest Your Love On Me" topped the country charts.
The Bee Gees' overwhelming success rose and fell with the disco bubble. By the end of 1979, disco was rapidly declining in popularity, and the backlash against disco put the Bee Gees' American career in a tailspin. Radio stations around America began promoting "Bee Gee Free Weekends". Following their remarkable run from 1975 to 1979, the act would have only one more top ten single in the US, and that would not come until 1989. The Bee Gees' international popularity sustained somewhat less damage. Barry Gibb considered the success of the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack both a blessing and a curse:
| “ | Fever was No. 1 every week ... It wasn't just like a hit album. It was No. 1 every single week for 25 weeks. It was just an amazing, crazy, extraordinary time. I remember not being able to answer the phone, and I remember people climbing over my walls. I was quite grateful when it stopped. It was too unreal. In the long run, your life is better if it's not like that on a constant basis. Nice though it was.[11] | ” |
1980s[link]
Robin and Barry Gibb released various solo albums in the 1980s but only with sporadic and moderate chart success. The brothers had continuing success behind the scenes, however, writing and producing for several artists. In 1980 Barry Gibb worked with Barbra Streisand on her album Guilty. He co-produced and wrote or co-wrote all nine of the album's tracks (four of them written with Robin and the title track with both Robin and Maurice). Barry also appeared on the album's cover with Streisand, and duetted with her on two tracks. The album reached No.1 in both the US and the UK, as did the single "Woman in Love" (written by Barry and Robin), becoming Streisand's most successful single and album to date.
In 1981 the Bee Gees released the album Living Eyes, their last release on RSO. This album was the first CD ever played in public, when it was played to viewers of the BBC show Tomorrow's World.[13] With the disco backlash still running strong, the album failed to make the UK or US Top 40. Two singles from the album fared little better – "He's a Liar" reached No. 30 in the US and "Living Eyes" reached No. 45, breaking the Bee Gees' Top 40 streak which started in 1975 with "Jive Talkin'".
In 1982 Dionne Warwick enjoyed a UK No.2 and US Adult Contemporary No. 1 with her comeback single, "Heartbreaker", taken from her album of the same name written largely by the Bee Gees and co-produced by Barry Gibb. The album reached No.3 in the UK and the Top 30 in the US where it was certified Gold.
A year later Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers recorded the Bee Gees-penned track "Islands in the Stream", which became a US No. 1 hit and Top 10 in the UK. Rogers' 1983 album, Eyes That See In The Dark, was written entirely by the Bee Gees and co-produced by Barry. The album was a Top 10 hit in the US and was certified Double Platinum.
The Bee Gees had greater success with the soundtrack to Staying Alive in 1983, the sequel to Saturday Night Fever. The soundtrack was certified platinum in the US, and included their Top 30 hit "The Woman in You".
Also in 1983 the band were sued by Chicago songwriter Ronald Selle, who claimed that the brothers stole melodic material from one of his songs, "Let It End", and used it in "How Deep Is Your Love". At first, the Bee Gees lost the case; one juror said that a factor in the jury's decision was the Gibbs' failure to introduce expert testimony rebutting the plaintiff's expert testimony that it was "impossible" for the two songs to have been written independently. However, the verdict was overturned a few months later.
In 1985 Diana Ross released the album Eaten Alive, written by the Bee Gees, with the title track co-written with Michael Jackson (who also performed on the track). The album was again co-produced by Barry Gibb and the single "Chain Reaction" gave Ross a UK and Australian No.1 hit.
The Bee Gees released the album E.S.P. in 1987, which sold over 3 million copies. It was their first album in six years, and their first for Warner Bros. Records. The single "You Win Again" went to No. 1 in numerous countries, including the UK,[14] and made the Bee Gees the first group to score a UK No. 1 hit in each of three decades: the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.[15] The single was a disappointment in the US, charting at No. 75, and the Bee Gees voiced their frustration over American radio stations not playing their new European hit single, an omission which the group felt led to poor sales of their current album in the States.
On 10 March 1988, younger brother Andy died, aged 30, as a result of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle due to a recent viral infection. His brothers acknowledge that Andy's past drug and alcohol use probably made his heart more susceptible to this illness. Just before Andy's death, it had been decided by the group that Andy would join them, which would have made the group a four-piece group. The Bee Gees' following album, One (1989), featured a song dedicated to Andy, "Wish You Were Here". The album also contained their first US top ten hit (No. 7) in a decade, "One". After the album's release, they embarked on their first world tour in ten years.
1990s[link]
In 1990, Polydor Records issued the box set Tales from the Brothers Gibb: A History in Song, which contained all of the group's singles (except 1981's "Living Eyes"), rare B-sides, unreleased tracks, solo material, and live performances. Many songs received new stereo mixes by Bill Inglot with some songs making their CD debut. At the time of its release, Tales was one of the first box sets issued in the music business and it was considered an honour for a group to have one. In the UK, Polydor issued a single disc hits collection from Tales called The Very Best of the Bee Gees, which contained their biggest UK hits. The album became one of their best selling albums in that country, eventually being certified Triple Platinum.
Following their next album, High Civilization (1991), which contained the UK top five hit "Secret Love", the Bee Gees went on a European tour. After the tour, Barry Gibb began to battle a serious back problem, which required surgery. In addition, he also suffered from arthritis, and at one point, it was so severe that it was doubtful that he would be able to play guitar for much longer. Also in the early 1990s, Maurice Gibb finally sought treatment for his alcoholism, which he had battled for many years, with the help of Alcoholics Anonymous.
In 1993, the group returned to the Polydor label, and released the album Size Isn't Everything, which contained the UK top five hit "For Whom the Bell Tolls". Success still eluded them in the US, however, as the first single released, "Paying the Price of Love" only managed to reach No. 74 on the Billboard Hot 100 while the parent album stalled at No. 153.
In 1997, they released the album Still Waters, which sold over four million copies, and reached No.2 in the UK (their highest album chart position there since 1979) and No.11 in the US. The album's first single, "Alone", gave them another UK Top 5 hit and a top 30 hit in the US. Still Waters would be the band's most successful US release of their post-RSO era.
At the 1997 BRIT Awards held in Earls Court, London on 24 February, the Bee Gees received the award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.[16] On 14 November 1997, the Bee Gees performed a live concert in Las Vegas called One Night Only. The show included a performance of "Our Love (Don't Throw It All Away)" synchronised with a vocal by their deceased brother Andy and a cameo appearance by Celine Dion singing "Immortality". The CD of the performance sold over 5 million copies. The "One Night Only" name grew out of the band's declaration that, due to Barry's health issues, the Las Vegas show was to be the final live performance of their career. After the immensely positive audience response to the Vegas concert, Barry decided to continue despite the pain, and the concert expanded into their last full-blown world tour of "One Night Only" concerts.[17] The tour included playing to 56,000 people at London's Wembley Stadium on 5 September 1998 and concluded in the newly built Olympic Stadium in Sydney, Australia on 27 March 1999 to 72,000 people.[17]
In 1998, the group's soundtrack for Saturday Night Fever was incorporated into a stage production produced first in the West End and then on Broadway. They wrote three new songs for the adaptation. Also in 1998 the brothers recorded Ellan Vannin for Isle of Man charities. Known as the unofficial national anthem of the Isle of Man, the brothers performed the song during their world tour to reflect their pride in the place of their birth.[18]
The Bee Gees closed the decade with what turned out to be their last full-sized concert, known as BG2K, on 31 December 1999.
2000–08: Maurice's death and hiatus[link]
In 2001, the group released what turned out to be their final album of new material as a group, This Is Where I Came In. The album was another success, reaching the Top 10 in the UK (being certified Gold), and the Top 20 in the US. The title track was also a UK Top 20 hit single. The album gave each member of the group a chance to write in his own way, as well as composing songs together. For example, Maurice's compositions and leads are the "Man in the Middle" and "Walking on Air," while Robin contributed "Déjà Vu," "Promise the Earth," and "Embrace," and Barry contributed "Loose Talk Costs Lives," "Technicolour Dreams", and "Voice in the Wilderness". The other songs are collaborative in writing and vocals. They performed many tracks from This Is Where I Came In, plus many of their biggest hits, on the live televised concert series Live by Request, shown on the A&E Network. The last concert of the Bee Gees as a trio was at the Love and Hope Ball in 2002.
Maurice, who had been the musical director of the Bee Gees during their final years as a group, died unexpectedly on 12 January 2003 at the age of 53 from a heart attack, while awaiting emergency surgery to repair a strangulated intestine.[19] Initially, his surviving brothers announced that they intended to carry on the name "Bee Gees" in his memory. But as time passed they decided to retire the group name, leaving it to represent the three brothers together.[20]
The same week that Maurice died, Robin's solo album Magnet was released. On 23 February 2003, the Bee Gees received the Grammy Legend Award. Barry and Robin accepted as well as Maurice's son, Adam, in a tearful ceremony.
Although there was talk of a memorial concert featuring both surviving brothers and invited guests,[21] nothing materialised. Barry and Robin continued to work independently, and both released recordings with other artists, occasionally coming together to perform at special events.
In late 2004, Robin embarked on a solo tour of Germany, Russia and Asia. During January 2005, Barry, Robin and several legendary rock artists recorded "Grief Never Grows Old," the official tsunami relief record for the Disasters Emergency Committee. Later that year, Barry reunited with Barbra Streisand for her top-selling album Guilty Pleasures, released as Guilty Too in the UK as a sequel album to the previous Guilty. Robin continued touring in Europe. Also in 2004, Barry recorded his song "I Cannot Give You My Love" with Cliff Richard, which became a UK top 20 hit single.[22]
In February 2006, Barry and Robin reunited on stage for a Miami charity concert to benefit the Diabetes Research Institute. It was their first public performance together since the death of brother Maurice. Barry and Robin also played at the 30th annual Prince's Trust Concert in the UK on 20 May 2006.
In October 2008, Robin performed a couple of songs in London as part of the BBC Electric Proms Saturday Night Fever performance. This involved various other performers and the BBC Concert Orchestra and was screened on the BBC and BBC interactive services.
2009–12: Return to performing and Robin's death[link]
On 1 September 2009, Barry's 63rd birthday, he, in an interview with Easy Mix radio host Tim Roxborough, mentioned on the subject of future tours that "they will be back"; but in an agreement with Warner/Rhino they would not make an announcement at that time.[23][24] On 7 September 2009, Robin Gibb disclosed to Jonathan Agnew that he had been in touch with Barry Gibb and that they had agreed that the Bee Gees would re-form and "perform again".[25]
Barry and Robin performed on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing on 31 October 2009[26] and appeared on ABC-TV's Dancing with the Stars on 17 November 2009.[27] On 15 March 2010, Barry and Robin inducted the Swedish group ABBA into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.[28] On 26 May 2010, the two made a surprise appearance on the ninth season finale of American Idol.
In October 2010, Robin Gibb was interviewed by the Daily Mail, and confirmed that the story of the Bee Gees is to be made into a Hollywood movie by Steven Spielberg. The Oscar-winning director believes the group's journey from unknowns in Manchester to worldwide fame will prove box-office gold. Robin told the Daily Mail: "The movie is going to be done by some very important people. It will be our life story. Barry and I will be involved in the technical side". One of the challenges for Spielberg will be replicating the brothers' distinctive three-part harmonies and Barry's falsetto voice. Robin said: "I'd like our original recordings to be used because it's very hard to emulate them."[29]
On 13 February 2012, Robin joined British military trio The Soldiers for the Coming Home charity concert at the London Palladium, in support of injured servicemen. It was his first public appearance for almost five months, and his final.
On 20 November 2011 it was announced that Robin Gibb, at 61 years old, was diagnosed with liver cancer, a condition he became aware of several months earlier. He had become noticeably thinner in previous months and had to cancel several appearances due to issues with severe abdominal pain.[30] On 14 April 2012, it was reported that Gibb had contracted pneumonia[31] in a Chelsea hospital and was in a coma.[32] Gibb came out of his coma on 20 April 2012.[33] He died on 20 May 2012.[34] With Robin's death, Barry became the last surviving Gibb brother.
Songwriting success[link]
The Bee Gees have sold in excess of 200 million records worldwide.[35] At one point in 1978, the Gibb brothers were responsible for writing and/or performing nine of the songs in the Billboard Hot 100.[36] In all, the Gibbs placed 13 singles onto the Hot 100 in 1978, with 12 making the Top 40. The Gibb brothers are fellows of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA).[37]
At least 2,500 artists have recorded their songs.[38] Their most popular composition is "How Deep Is Your Love", with 400 versions by other artists in existence.[39] Among the artists who have covered their songs are Ardijah, Michael Bolton, Boyzone, Eric Clapton, Billy Corgan, Destiny's Child, Faith No More, Feist, The Flaming Lips, Al Green, Jinusean, Elton John, Tom Jones, Janis Joplin, Lulu, Elvis Presley, Nina Simone, Percy Sledge, Robert Smith, Take That, and John Frusciante (who has covered "How Deep Is Your Love" during Red Hot Chili Peppers concerts). The band's music has also been sampled by dozens of hip hop artists.
Songs written by the Gibbs, but largely better known through versions by other artists, include:
- "Ain't Nothing Gonna Keep Me From You" by Teri DeSario
- "Buried Treasure" by Kenny Rogers (backing vocals The Gatlin Brothers)
- "Chain Reaction" by Diana Ross
- "Come on Over" by Olivia Newton-John
- "Emotion" by Samantha Sang
- "Gilbert Green" by Gerry Marsden
- "Grease" by Frankie Valli
- "Guilty" and "Woman in Love" by Barbra Streisand
- "Heartbreaker" & "All the Love in the World" by Dionne Warwick
- "Hold On to My Love" by Jimmy Ruffin
- "I Will Be There" by Tina Turner
- "If I Can't Have You" by Yvonne Elliman
- "Immortality" by Celine Dion
- "Islands in the Stream" by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
- "Morning of My Life" by Abi and Esther Ofarim
- "Only One Woman" by The Marbles
- "Rest Your Love on Me" by Conway Twitty
- "Sacred Trust" by One True Voice
- "Warm Ride" by Graham Bonnet
The Bee Gees' major non-UK/US breakthrough hit "Spicks and Specks"—a 1966 chart success in Australia (top five) and New Zealand (number one), and in Holland (top five) in 1967—was covered by British rock-pop band Status Quo for their 1968 debut album. And Al Green's 1972 non-single cover of the Bee Gees' massive 1971 North American number one "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" enjoys a certainly critical and popular following, particularly in the UK.
Awards and recognition[link]
Inductions[link]
- 1979 Hollywood Walk of Fame
- 1994 Songwriters Hall of Fame
- 1995 Florida's Artists Hall of Fame
- 1997 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- 1997 ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) Hall of Fame
- 2001 Vocal Group Hall of Fame
- 2004 Dance Music Hall of Fame
- 2005 London's Walk of Fame
Grammy Awards[link]
- 1978 Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Group – "How Deep Is Your Love"
- 1979 Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group – "Saturday Night Fever"
- 1979 Best Arrangement Of Voices – "Stayin' Alive"
- 1979 Album Of The Year – "Saturday Night Fever"
- 1979 Producer Of The Year – "Saturday Night Fever"
- 1981 Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal – "Guilty" (Barry Gibb with Barbra Streisand)
- 2000 Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2003 Legend Award
- 2004 Hall Of Fame Award – "Saturday Night Fever"
World Music Awards[link]
- 1997 Legend Award
American Music Awards[link]
- 1979 Favorite Pop / Rock Band, Duo Or Group
- 1979 Favorite Soul / R&B Album – "Saturday Night Fever"
- 1980 Favorite Pop / Rock Band, Duo Or Group
- 1980 Favorite Pop / Rock Album – "Spirits Having Flown"
- 1997 International Artist Award
BRIT Awards[link]
BMI Awards[link]
- On 15 May 2007, the Bee Gees were named BMI Icons at the 55th annual BMI Pop Awards. Collectively, Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb have earned 109 BMI Pop, Country and Latin Awards.[40]
Commemorative stamps[link]
In October 1999 the Isle of Man Post Office unveiled a set of 6 stamps honouring their native sons' music. The official launch took place at the London Palladium where the stage show of Saturday Night Fever was playing. A similar launch was held in New York shortly after to coincide with the show opening across the Atlantic. The songs depicted on the stamps are "Massachusetts", "Words", "I've Gotta Get A Message To You", "Night Fever", "Stayin' Alive" and "Immortality".
Civic honours[link]
In 1978, following the success of Saturday Night Fever, and the single "Night Fever" in particular, Reubin Askew, the Governor of the US state of Florida, named the Bee Gees honorary citizens of the state, since they resided in Miami at the time.[41]
All three brothers (including Maurice, posthumously) were appointed Commanders in the Order of the British Empire in December 2001 with the ceremony taking place at Buckingham Palace on 27 May 2004.[42][43]
On 10 July 2009, the Isle of Man's capital bestowed the Freedom of the Borough of Douglas honour on Barry and Robin, as well as posthumously on Maurice.[44] On 20 November 2009, Douglas Borough Council released a limited edition commemorative DVD to mark their naming as Freemen of the Borough.[45]
Discography[link]
Main article: Bee Gees discography
Studio albums[link]
| Year | Title | US Chart |
UK Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | The Bee Gees Sing and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs | — | — |
| 1966 | Spicks and Specks | — | — |
| 1967 | Bee Gees 1st | 7 | 8 |
| 1968 | Horizontal | 12 | 16 |
| 1968 | Idea | 17 | 4 |
| 1969 | Odessa | 20 | 10 |
| 1970 | Cucumber Castle | 94 | 57 |
| 1970 | 2 Years On | 32 | — |
| 1971 | Trafalgar | 34 | — |
| 1972 | To Whom It May Concern | 35 | — |
| 1973 | Life in a Tin Can | 69 | — |
| 1974 | Mr. Natural | 198 | — |
| 1975 | Main Course | 14 | — |
| 1976 | Children of the World | 8 | — |
| 1979 | Spirits Having Flown | 1 | 1 |
| 1981 | Living Eyes | 41 | 73 |
| 1987 | E·S·P | 96 | 5 |
| 1989 | One | 68 | 29 |
| 1991 | High Civilization | — | 24 |
| 1993 | Size Isn't Everything | 153 | 23 |
| 1997 | Still Waters | 11 | 2 |
| 2001 | This Is Where I Came In | 16 | 6 |
Live albums[link]
| Year | Title | US Chart |
UK Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Here at Last... Bee Gees... Live | 8 | — |
| 1998 | One Night Only | 72 | 4 |
Soundtrack releases[link]
| Year | Title | US Chart |
UK Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Saturday Night Fever | 1 | 1 |
| 1978 | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | 5 | 38 |
| 1983 | Staying Alive | 6 | 14 |
Catalogue reissue[link]
The Gibbs recently gained ownership rights to their back catalogue, and set up a new distribution arrangement with Warner/Rhino/Reprise Records where they have since reissued digitally remastered versions of Saturday Night Fever, their later Bee Gees Greatest album, and a new boxed set: The Studio Albums: 1967–1968.
Additionally, more recent titles such as Still Waters and This Is Where I Came In were among the first batch of re-releases. The band's three Warner Bros. releases, E. S. P., One and High Civilisation were also made available on iTunes for the first time since the albums went out of print in North America in the mid-90s.
According to Robin Gibb's website, three more reissues were planned for the 2008 holiday season: Best of Bee Gees, Best of Bee Gees, Volume 2 and Love Songs. The double album Odessa was released on 13 January 2009 in a special 3-disc deluxe edition complete with the original red velvet cover with remastered stereo and mono versions of the album as well as alternate versions and unreleased tracks.
Since the remastered release of Odessa, Rhino has stopped reissuing original Bee Gees albums and there has not been any announcement as to when the remaining albums will be remastered.
Limited edition[link]
Ellan Vannin was recorded in 1997 as a 1,000 quantity limited edition single for Isle of Man charities. The song was featured in the Bee Gees World Tour and on ITV's "An Evening With ..." but to date has not been released generally. The single was subsequently also available as part of the 1999 Bee Gees Stamp issue.
50th anniversary collections[link]
In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Bee Gees (when they started calling themselves "Bee Gees" in 1959), Rhino Records have released two new collections. Mythology is a four-disc collection highlighting each brother, including Andy, with tracks personally selected by Barry, Robin, Maurice's wife Yvonne (with his children Adam and Samantha), and Andy's daughter Peta. Maurice's disc contains two unreleased tracks called "Angel Of Mercy" and "The Bridge". Andy's disc contains the unreleased track "Arrow Through The Heart". Mythology also features a scrapbook of family photos, many never-before published, along with tributes from artists such as George Martin, Brian Wilson, Elton John, Graham Nash and the band's longtime manager Robert Stigwood.
The second collection, The Ultimate Bee Gees, is a more modest two-disc 40-track collection highlighting their biggest hits and includes a bonus DVD of unreleased videos, previously unreleased television appearances, live performances, and promo videos. Each disc is themed, with the first disc being the more upbeat songs called "A Night Out" and the second disc being more ballad-focused called "A Night In".[46]
Band instrumentalists[link]
Barry Gibb played rhythm guitar.
During the early 1970s, Robin Gibb played piano and violin occasionally, but most of the time he only sang. Although he kept on playing strings and keyboards privately, he had not played any instrument on stage since mid-'70s.
Maurice Gibb played bass guitar, rhythm and lead guitar, piano, organ, harpsichord, electric piano, mellotron, and electronic keyboards, synthesisers and drum tracks. From 1966 to 1972 he played multiple instruments on many records. During the late 1970s he played mainly bass guitar. From about 1986 onward he usually played keyboards and guitars. Maurice was credited by the brothers as being the most technologically savvy member of the band, and had built his own home studio. The bootleg CD ESP Demos allegedly includes rough versions of tracks from the album of the same name that were recorded at that studio.[citation needed]
These musicians were considered members of the band:[citation needed]
- Colin Petersen – drums (1967–1969)
- Vince Melouney – lead guitar (1967–1968)
- Geoff Bridgford – drums (1969–1972)
- Alan Kendall – lead guitar (1971–1980, 1987–2001)
- Dennis Bryon – drums (1974–1980)
- Blue Weaver – keyboards (1975–1980)
Filmography[link]
- 1969: Cucumber Castle
- 1978: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
- 1979: The Bee Gees Special
- 1990: One For All Tour
- 1997: Keppel Road
- 1998: One Night Only
- 2001: This Is Where I Came In
- 2002: Live By Request
- 2010: In Our Own Time
References[link]
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- ^ Walker, Tim (12 May 2008). "Jive talkin': Why Robin Gibb wants more respect for the Bee Gees". The Independent (London). http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/jive-talkin-why-robin-gibb-wants-more-respect-for-the-bee-gees-826116.html. Retrieved 26 October 2008.
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- ^ "The Beach Boys". Reason to Rock. http://www.reasontorock.com/artists/beach_boys.html. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
- ^ Sean Michaels (8 September 2009). "Bee Gees to re-form for live comeback". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/sep/08/bee-gees-re-form. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
- ^ "Robin Gibb, Bee Gees Co-Founder, Dead at 62". 20 May 2012. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/robin-gibb-bee-gees-co-founder-dead-at-62-20120520.
- ^ Adriaensen, Marion. "The story about The Bee Gees/Part 2 – 1950–1960". BrothersGibb.org. http://www.brothersgibb.org/history-part-2.html. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
- ^ Dolgins, Adam: Rock Names: From Abba to ZZ Top, 3rd ed., p.24. Citadel Press, 1998.
- ^ MitchellAlex (30 May 2004). "Bob Carr's tribute to Bee Gees". smh.com.au. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/29/1085641764104.html. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
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- ^ a b c d e Sam Kashner, "Fever Pitch," Movies Rock (Supplement to The New Yorker), Fall 2007, unnumbered page.
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- ^ 1997 Brit Awards Brits.co.uk. Retrieved 9 December 2011
- ^ a b Hughes, Andrew (2009). "The Bee Gees: Tales Of The Brothers Gibb". Omnibus Press
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- ^ "Official Charts Company – Cliff Richard". Theofficialcharts.com. http://www.theofficialcharts.com/artist/_/cliff%20richard/. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
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External links[link]
 |
Book: Bee Gees |
| Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print. | |
|
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bee Gees |
- Bee Gees – official website
- Barry Gibb – official website
- Robin Gibb – official website
- Bee Gees at Rolling Stone
- Bee Gees at Allmusic
- Bee Gees' Vocal Group Hall of Fame webpage
- Bee Gees at bmi.com
- Robin Gibb sadly passes away after losing his battle with cancer
- Bee Gees interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969).
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