Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng Province which is the wealthiest province in South Africa. Johannesburg was inhabited by the nomadic Bushmen people who lived there until the Bantu-speaking people migrated into the area around the year AD 1060. Settlement of Johannesburg began in 1886, when gold was discovered in the Witwatersrand by an Australian prospector named George Harrison. The discovery spurred a feverish gold rush as fortune hunters from all over the world descended on the area. Black people from the reservations were forced to work in the mines. The Union of South Africa was first declared to be its own region in 1910, but it was a region which was controlled by the British, meaning that there was white control over a primarily black African government. The South African government then imposed heavy taxes on the black and Indian population, and barred them from holding any type of job other than migrant labourers at the growing amount of gold mines. The regulations of apartheid were abandoned in February 1990, and since the 1994 elections, Johannesburg has, in theory, been free of discriminatory laws.
Johannesburg has a delightfully mild climate, dry and sunny all year round. In winter, the nights can be quite cold, even below zero, but during the day the sun shines and lets the temperatures rise up to 25°C (77°F). Rainfall is to be expected only in summer from October to March. Rainstorms are often harsh accompanied by much thunder and lightning and occasional hail, but they are brief and followed by warm sunshine.
Johannesburg is the economic and financial hub of South Africa, producing 16% of South Africa's gross domestic product, and accounting for 40% of Gauteng's economic activity. Johannesburg's economical backbone still is the gold industry. Only a few of the initial mining oprations in Johannesburg are still active in the city area, but the former mines and the mine dumps had a lasting impact on the appearance of the urban landscape and the industrial structure. Johannesburg is also the first address for international tourism.
Located near the center of South Africa and at the heart of a vast developed area in Gauteng Province, Johannesburg is a transportation hub for the region and the country as a whole. City transport consists of an unreliable bus network and a series of minibus taxi routes. Double-decker buses are operated by the municipal transportation system, with most routes originating from the main bus terminal in Venderbijl Square. Buses run within the city and between the city and suburbs but usually not from one suburb to another. Johannesburg has two kinds of taxis, metered taxis and minibus taxis, but the best way to get around is by private car and there is an excellent network of highways and well-maintained roads.
Formal education in South Africa is categorised according to three levels – General Education and Training (GET), Further Education and Training (FET) and Higher Education (HE). The GET band consists of the Reception Year (Grade R) and learners up to Grade 9, as well as an equivalent Adult Basic Education and Training (Abet) qualification. Johannesburg has a well-developed higher education system of both private and public universities. The University of Witwatersrand, originally founded in 1896 as the South African School of Mines, is the country's largest English-speaking university, granting degrees in architecture, art, business, education, engineering, law, medicine, and dentistry. Johannesburg also has several technical and teachers' training colleges.
The Kruger National Park is South Africa's oldest, largest and best-known wildlife conservation area, it was established in 1898 to protect the wildlife of the South African. Visitors have an excellent chance of seeing lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino among the enormous variety of wildlife, including 500 species of birds, over 140 species of mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
Gold Reef City is a huge and very popular entertainment complex made up of a theme park and casino facilities. It is built around the No. 14 Crown mine shaft that began operating in 1887 and, by the time of its closure in 1975, had produced over 1,400 tons of gold. Gold Reef City also houses a number of museums, bars, restaurants, and offers performances by traditional gumboot dancers.
The Johannesburg Zoo was established in 1904, there are lions, gorillas, tigers, elephants, sable antelope, chimpanzees, bat-eared foxes and polar bears among the 2 070 animals, representing 365 different species. The Johannesburg Zoo is a great place to enjoy and learn about the environment and there are tours, such as day safaris and night safaris. On the eastern edge of the zoo is the Museum of Military History, which has some interesting exhibits like tanks, fighter aircraft and submarines.
