Cape Province

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Cape Province Formerly the largest province in South Africa. In 1994 it was divided into the separate provinces of Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Northern Cape. The first colony was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652 and slaves were imported to work the land. The Boer settlers' expansion led to territorial wars with indigenous tribes, such as the Xhosa (1779). In 1806 Britain established control and renamed the region, Cape of Good Hope Colony. The new British settlers clashed with the Boers, precipitating the Great Trek (1835). Diamonds were discovered near Kimberley in 1867. The British attempt to incorporate Transvaal and Orange Free State into a single state with Natal and Cape Colony, resulted in the South African Wars (1899–1902). In 1910 the colony became a province of the Union of South Africa. During the 1960s, the apartheid government created the separate tribal areas (bantustans) of Transkei and Ciskei. In 1994 these were integrated to form Eastern Cape Province.

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Cape Province

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