Namaqualand
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Namaqualand (Khoikhoi: "Nama-kwa" meaning Nama Khoi people's land) is an arid region of Namibia and South Africa, extending along the west coast over 1,000 km (600 mi) and covering a total area of 440,000 km2 (170,000 sq mi). It is divided by the lower course of the Orange River into two portions – Little Namaqualand to the south and Great Namaqualand to the north.
Little Namaqualand is within the
Great Namaqualand, in the
Tourism
The area’s landscape ranges from an unexploited coastal strip in the west to semidesert areas in the north-east. Famed for its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, its wild flowers during spring, its wealth of minerals, and cultural history, Namaqualand is a popular region for international and local tourists. The Namakwa coastline and the banks of the Orange River are popular for their hiking trails and off-roading routes.[1]
The beginning of the flower season varies from year to year, but usually occurs between August and October. The natural landscape is continually monitored with the first sign of spring and flower season being the arrival of Namakwa daisies. When purple vygies bloom, spring is coming to an end.[1]
The Namaqua National Park is situated west of the
The
Drainage
Some of the more prominent towns in this area are
The town of
A vibrant fishing industry is found along this stretch of the South African west coast, especially in
Since the 19th century, copper has been mined at Springbok and its surrounding towns, while a large mine extracting copper, lead, zinc, and silver is located at Aggeneys, 110 kilometres (70 mi) further inland.
People
The region is known for its cultural history, which was preserved by the
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e Discover South Africa: Your Online Travel Directory. Discover Namakwa.
- ^ Van Deventer, M. and J.A.J. Nel. 2006. Habitat, food, and small mammal community structure in Namaqualand. Koedoe 49(1): 99–109. Pretoria. ISSN 0075-6458.
- ^ Brenzinger, Matthias. 2011. The twelve modern Khoisan languages. In Witzlack-Makarevich & Ernszt (eds.), Khoisan Languages and Linguistics. Cologne: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag.
External links