Bloemfontein Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Bloemfontein

City

Bloemfontein skyline viewed from Signal Hill

Coat of arms

Nickname(s):

The city of roses

Country

South Africa

Province

Free State

Metropolitan municipality

Mangaung

Officially founded

1846

Elevation

1,395 m (4,577 ft)

Population

• Total

369,568

Time zone

UTC+2 (SAST)

Area code(s)

051

Bloemfontein is one of the three capital cites of South Africa. It is the judicial capital of South Africa, as the Supreme Court is there. In Afrikaans and Dutch, Bloemfontein means "Spring of Bloem (Bloom)". It is also known as the city of roses. There are a lot of flowers in Bloemfontein.

History
Geography
Economy
Sports
Famous people from Bloemfontein
Images for kids
See also

History

Bloemfontein was founded by Major H. Douglas Warden in 1846. It was created as both a fort and a place to live. It became the center of government of the British-controlled Orange River Sovereignty (1848–54) and of the Orange Free State (later known as just Free State).

Bloemfontein became the judicial capital of South Africa in 1910. It is a place where the government works. It has a lot of hospitals and schools.

Geography

Bloemfontein is in central South Africa. It is dry in this part of South Africa. There are a few hills around Bloemfontein. Grass mostly grows around Bloemfontein. The summers are hot, and the winters are cool, but it snowed in August 2006.

Economy

Much of the economy of the city is based on canned fruit, glass products, furniture, plastics, and railway engineering. The city saw a large economic growth in the mid-20th century because of the Free State goldfields 160 km (100 mi) northeast of the city. The Orange River project also helped the city grow economically. It is a major source both of hydroelectricity and of water for irrigation and human uses.

Sports

The most popular sports in Bloemfontein are football, rugby, and cricket. In 2010, Bloemfontein will host some FIFA World Cup matches, at Free State Stadium.