Western Cape

views updated May 09 2018

Western Cape Province in sw South Africa, bounded by the Indian Ocean to the s and Atlantic Ocean to the w. The capital is Cape Town; other major towns include Simonstown and Stellenbosch. Formerly part of Cape Province, Western Cape was formed in 1994. Its chief physical features are Table Mountain (1087m) and the rugged Swartberg Range (up to 2325m). Robben Island was the site of a prison used to house political prisoners during the apartheid era. The main economic activity is agriculture, with fruit and tobacco growing, dairy farming and sheep rearing. There is an important fishing industry, and an offshore gas field is exploited in Mossel Bay. Industries: chemicals, machinery, metal goods, textiles. Area: 129,390sq km (50,500sq mi). Pop. (2000 est.) 4,178,600.

http://www.westerncape.gov.za