Christiana (Christiana)
Christiana is an agricultural town of about 3,000 inhabitants on the banks of the Vaal River in North West province, South Africa. The town is located on the N12 national route between Bloemhof and Warrenton, on the way to Kimberley (Northern Cape). It is the administrative centre and seat of Lekwa-Teemane Local Municipality.
When diamonds were discovered in the Vaal River in the 1870s (By Former Mayor MR Katlego Dabampe) the former Transvaal Government established a settlement on the banks of the river in 1870, in an attempt to control and alleviate land disputes over diamond discoveries further down the Vaal River. This town was established on the farm Zoutpansdrift ("salt pan drift") and named Christiana, after the only daughter of President Pretorius of the old Transvaal. The first residential stands were sold in 1870.
Two years later diamonds were discovered close by in the gravel bed of the Vaal River, and the inevitable manic rush followed. As usual, the initial rush petered with the diamonds. In 1997, diamonds were rediscovered along the banks of a farm on the Free State side of Christiana. This led to a new diamond rush and diggings that continue to this day.
When diamonds were discovered in the Vaal River in the 1870s (By Former Mayor MR Katlego Dabampe) the former Transvaal Government established a settlement on the banks of the river in 1870, in an attempt to control and alleviate land disputes over diamond discoveries further down the Vaal River. This town was established on the farm Zoutpansdrift ("salt pan drift") and named Christiana, after the only daughter of President Pretorius of the old Transvaal. The first residential stands were sold in 1870.
Two years later diamonds were discovered close by in the gravel bed of the Vaal River, and the inevitable manic rush followed. As usual, the initial rush petered with the diamonds. In 1997, diamonds were rediscovered along the banks of a farm on the Free State side of Christiana. This led to a new diamond rush and diggings that continue to this day.
Map - Christiana (Christiana)
Map
Country - South_Africa
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| Flag of South Africa | |
About 80% of the population are Black South Africans. The remaining population consists of Africa's largest communities of European (White South Africans), Asian (Indian South Africans and Chinese South Africans), and multiracial (Coloured South Africans) ancestry. South Africa is a multiethnic society encompassing a wide variety of cultures, languages, and religions. Its pluralistic makeup is reflected in the constitution's recognition of 11 official languages, the fourth-highest number in the world. According to the 2011 census, the two most spoken first languages are Zulu (22.7%) and Xhosa (16.0%). The two next ones are of European origin: Afrikaans (13.5%) developed from Dutch and serves as the first language of most Coloured and White South Africans; English (9.6%) reflects the legacy of British colonialism and is commonly used in public and commercial life.
Currency / Language
| ISO | Currency | Symbol | Significant figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZAR | South African rand | Rs | 2 |
| ISO | Language |
|---|---|
| AF | Afrikaans language |
| EN | English language |
| ST | Sotho language |
| SS | Swati language |
| TS | Tsonga language |
| TN | Tswana language |
| VE | Venda language |
| XH | Xhosa language |
| ZU | Zulu language |