North West (South African province) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
North West
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| Motto(s):
Kagiso le Tswelelopele (Peace and Prosperity)
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Location of North West in South Africa
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| Country | South Africa | |
| Established | 27 April 1994 | |
| Capital | Mahikeng | |
| Largest city | Klerksdorp | |
| Districts |
List
Bojanala Platinum
Ngaka Modiri Molema Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati Dr Kenneth Kaunda |
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| Government | ||
| • Type | Parliamentary system | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 104,882 km2 (40,495 sq mi) | |
| Area rank | 6th in South Africa | |
| Highest elevation | 1,805 m (5,922 ft) | |
| Population
(2011)
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| • Total | 3,509,953 | |
| • Estimate
({{{pop_est_as_of}}})
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4,027,160 | |
| • Rank | 7th in South Africa | |
| • Density | 33.46573/km2 (86.6759/sq mi) | |
| • Density rank | 7th in South Africa | |
| Population groups | ||
| • Black African | 89.8% | |
| • White | 7.3% | |
| • Coloured | 1.8% | |
| • Indian or Asian | 0.6% | |
| Languages | ||
| • Tswana | 63.4% | |
| • Afrikaans | 9.0% | |
| • Southern Sotho | 5.8% | |
| • Xhosa | 5.5% | |
| • Tsonga | 3.7% | |
| • English | 3.5% | |
| • Zulu | 2.5% | |
| • Northern Sotho | 2.4% | |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) | |
| ISO 3166 code | ZA-NW | |
| HDI (2017) | 0.688 medium · 4th |
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| Website | www.NWPG.gov.za | |
North West is a province in South Africa. It's like a state or region within the country. Its capital city is Mahikeng, but the biggest city in the province is Klerksdorp. The province has different names in local languages, like Tswana: Bokone Bophirima in Tswana.
North West was created on 27 April 1994. This was the same day that South Africa held its first democratic elections. The province was formed by joining parts of the old Transvaal Province and Cape Province.
Contents
Geography of North West
This province is located in the northern part of South Africa. It shares a border with the country of Botswana.
Neighboring Areas
North West borders several other South African provinces:
It also borders three districts in Botswana:
Size and Population
The North West province covers an area of about 104,882 square kilometers. This makes it the sixth largest province in South Africa.
In 2019, about 4 million people lived in North West. This makes it the seventh most populated province in the country.
Government and Administration
North West is governed by a parliamentary system. This means that people vote for representatives to make laws.
Provincial Leadership
The leader of the province is called the Premier. The current Premier is Job Mokgoro. He is part of the ANC political party.
The laws for the province are made by the North West Provincial Legislature. This is like the province's parliament.
Main Cities and Districts
- The capital city is Mahikeng.
- The largest city is Klerksdorp.
The province is divided into four main areas called districts:
- Bojanala Platinum
- Ngaka Modiri Molema
- Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati
- Dr Kenneth Kaunda
People and Languages
North West is home to many different people and languages.
Population Groups
Most people in North West are Black African, making up almost 90% of the population. Other groups include White people, Coloured people, and Indian or Asian people.
Spoken Languages
The most common language spoken in North West is Tswana, which is spoken by over 63% of the people. Other languages spoken include:
- Afrikaans
- Southern Sotho
- Xhosa
- Tsonga
- English
- Zulu
- Northern Sotho
Images for kids
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The Bridge of Time facing the Entertainment Centre, Sun City
See also
In Spanish: Provincia del Noroeste para niños
