Mpumalanga Travel
Mpumalanga means ‘place where the sun rises’. Due to the province’s spectacular scenic beauty and abundance of wildlife, it is one of South Africa’s major tourist destinations. With a surface area of only 79 490 km2, the second-smallest province after Gauteng, it has the fourth-largest economy in South Africa.
Bordered by Mozambique and Swaziland in the east, and Gauteng in the west, it is situated mainly on the high plateau grasslands of the Middleveld, which roll eastwards for hundreds of kilometres. In the north-east, it rises towards mountain peaks and terminates in an immense escarpment. In some places, this escarpment plunges hundreds of metres down to the low-lying area known as the Lowveld.
The area has a network of excellent roads and railway connections, making it highly accessible. Because of its popularity as a tourist destination, Mpumalanga is also served by a number of small airports. The Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport became operational in 2002. The climate and topography vary from cool highland grasslands at 1 600 m above sea level, through the middleveld and escarpment, to the subtropical Lowveld towards the Kruger National Park and many private game reserves. Scenic beauty, climate and wildlife, voted the most attractive features of South Africa, are found in abundance in this province.
Provincial profile
The Maputo Corridor, which links the province with Gauteng and Maputo in Mozambique, is the first international toll road in Africa.
Mpumalanga produces about 80% of the country’s coal, and remains the largest production region for forestry and agriculture.
Lake Chrissie is the largest natural freshwater lake in South Africa and is famous for its variety of aquatic birds, especially flamingos.
Nelspruit is the second-largest citrus-producing area in South Africa and is responsible for one-third of the country’s export in oranges.
The country’s major power stations, three of which are the biggest in the southern hemisphere, are situated here.
Witbank is the biggest coal producer in Africa.
The cultural heritage of the province is varied and fascinating. The Ndebele beadwork and wall-painting in the north-west, the arts and crafts of the Lowveld and the different traditional villages throughout the province offer a unique insight into the people’s history
The spectacular Blyde River Canyon is the third-largest in the world.
Even though it is one of the smaller provinces, Mpumalanga has a population of more than 3,5 million people (Mid-Year Population Estimates, 2006).
