Limpopo
Limpopo (/lɪmˈpoʊpoʊ/) is the northernmost province of South Africa. It is named after the Limpopo River, which forms the province's western and northern borders. The capital and largest city in the province is Polokwane, while the provincial legislature is situated in Lebowakgomo.
Limpopo | |
|---|---|
|
Coat of arms | |
| Motto(s): Peace, Unity and Prosperity | |
Location of Limpopo in South Africa | |
| Coordinates: 24°S 29°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Established | 27 April 1994 |
| Capital | Polokwane Lebowakgomo (legislative) |
| Districts | |
| Government | |
| • Type | Parliamentary system |
| • Premier | Stanley Mathabatha (ANC) |
| • Legislature | Limpopo Provincial Legislature |
| Area : 9 | |
| • Total | 125,754 km2 (48,554 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 5th in South Africa |
| Highest elevation | 2,126 m (6,975 ft) |
| Population (2022) | |
| • Total | 5,404,868 |
| • Rank | 5th in South Africa |
| • Density | 43/km2 (110/sq mi) |
| • Rank | 5th in South Africa |
| Population groups | |
| • Black | 96.5% |
| • White | 2.5% |
| • Indian or Asian | 0.5% |
| • Coloured | 0.3% |
| • Other | 0.1% |
| Languages : 25 | |
| • Pedi | 52.9% |
| • Tsonga | 24.0% |
| • Venda | 16.7% |
| • Afrikaans | 2.6% |
| • Tswana | 2.0% |
| • Southern Ndebele | 2.0% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| ISO 3166 code | ZA-LP |
| HDI (2019) | 0.710 high · 3rd of 9 |
| GDP | US$31.3 billion |
| Website | www.limpopo.gov.za |
| Zulu | iLimpopo |
|---|---|
| Xhosa | iLimpopo |
| Afrikaans | Limpopo |
| Sepedi | Limpopo |
| Setswana | Limpopo |
| Xitsonga | Limpopo |
| Venda | Limpopo |
The province is made up of three former homelands of Lebowa, Gazankulu and Venda and part of the former Transvaal province. The Limpopo province was established as one of the new nine provinces after South Africa's first democratic election on 27 April 1994. The province's name was first "Northern Transvaal", later changed to "Northern Province" on 28 June 1995, together with two other provinces. The name was later changed again in 2002 to the Limpopo province. Limpopo is made up of three main ethnic groups: the Pedi, the Tsonga and the Venda.
Traditional leaders and chiefs still form a strong backbone of the province's political landscape. Established in terms of the Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders Act, Act 5 of 2005, the Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders' main function is to advise government and the legislature on matters related to custom, tradition and culture including developmental initiatives that affect rural communities. On 18 August 2017, Kgosi Malesela Dikgale was re-elected as the Chairperson of the Limpopo House of Traditional Leaders.