It is common knowledge that every country has one or two capitals, but there is only one country in the world that has three different capitals, and that is South Africa. It is divided into the first capital, Cape Town, which is the legislative capital; the second capital, Pretoria, which is the executive capital; and the third capital, Bloemfontein, which is the judicial capital.
Due to the conflicts that occurred in South Africa, including political, cultural, and judicial ones, as well as apartheid, this reason is one of the most important issues of the state, because the main center of the state, what is called the capital, was not determined. All of this led to its separation into three capitals. We will learn about each capital and the importance of each capital.
Which country has three capitals?
South Africa has three capitals: a legislative capital, an executive capital, and a judicial capital. Each capital has its own government.
From this perspective, three cities were chosen to be a strong center and achieve a strong balance for the state of South Africa. They were chosen based on their distinguished strategic location, as each city has a separate segment of the country’s government. We will explain what each capital includes, which are:
Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa.
Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa and is also the seat of Parliament when Parliament permits it to move its seat of government.
Cape Town is the original home of the Cape Floral Kingdom and was the former capital of the British Cape Province.
Cape Town is located in the southwest of South Africa, at the foot of Table Mountain. The country's borders extend to the northern tip of Cape Town Island, which lies between Table Bay and False Bay.
This city was established in 1652 AD, founded by the Dutch East India Company. In the past, it was a station where the ships coming from Amsterdam were resupplied with fuel to the East African islands, where all kinds of spices were produced.
Cape Town is the second largest city in South Africa, with a population of 3,740,000 and a population density of 11,536 people per square kilometer.
The city has three languages spoken by its residents: 25% of its residents speak English, 30% of its residents speak Xhosa, and 36% of its residents also speak Afrikaans.
Cape Town has great historical importance for South Africa, especially in terms of its connection to Europe, due to its location. From this standpoint, it became an important route for the spice trade.
Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa.
Pretoria is the administrative capital of South Africa. It was formerly the capital of the apartheid state, and was also the capital of the Boer Republic within the Tratsvaal.
Recently, it has become a special home for foreign cars and government departments in South Africa. Pretoria is distinguished by its large size and distinguished location, due to its proximity to Johannesburg.
Pretoria is known for its streets decorated with violet and jacaranda trees every year, hence the name Jacaranda City.
Pretoria is a popular destination for postgraduate students due to its educational mission within universities at the national level. The city also houses a university named after it, the University of Pretoria, which was founded in 1908. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in the country and is the academic center of the country, with three prestigious universities.
Pretoria is located in the northern part of Goentong Province, which is located in the north-east of South Africa. It is the central part of the Tshwane Urban Municipality.
The city's population is approximately 741,651, meaning a population density of 3,732 people per 2 km². There are four official languages in the city: Ndele, Afrikaans, Tswana, and English.
There are many public places within the city of Pretoria, namely:
- South African Bureau of Standards.
- Industrial and Scientific Research Center.
- The Union Building is the official seat of government and the President's national offices.
- The Voortrekker Monument, which commemorates the pioneering history of South Africa.
- The historic residence of Boer leader and head of state Paul Kruger, called Kruger House.
- The church square is called the historic centre of Pretoria.
- Daetseong National Historical Museum houses fossils of dinosaur bones from hundreds of years ago.
- National Museum of Cultural History Daetseong.
- Van Woo Museum, which displays sculptures by the artist Van Woo, is named after him.
- The botanical garden that houses the Burgers' Garden National Monument.
- Wonderboom Reserve is unique because it was a Stone Age site.
- The National Botanical Garden is distinguished by its unique shape, which is why many residents visit it.
- Zoo in South Africa.
- Bloemfontein, the judicial capital of South Africa
Bloemfontein is the judicial capital of South Africa and is home to the country's Supreme Court.