| Bethlehem, Free State | |
|---|---|
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Free State |
| District Municipality | Thabo Mofutsanyana |
| Local Municipality | Dihlabeng |
| Time zone | SAST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 9700 |
| Area code(s) | 044 |
Bethlehem is a town in the eastern Free State province of South Africa that is situated on the Liebenbergs river (also called Liebenbergs Vlei) along a fertile valley just south of the Rooiberg Mountains on the N5 highway.
It is a wheat growing area and hence the name Bethlehem (from "Beit Lechem", Hebrew for "house of bread"). Population 66,704 (2001).
The town lies at an altitude of 1700m and this contributes to its cool climate with frosty winters and mild summers. The average annual temperature is around 24 °C.
Premier Soccer League club Free State Stars is based in Bethlehem and plays its home games at Goble Park.
Bethlehem is situated approximately 240km north-east of Bloemfontein, 140km east of Kroonstad and 90km west of Harrismith. The town is strategically situated in the heart of the picturesque north-eastern Free State and originally developed as a service centre.[1] Bethlehem is the seat of the Dihlabeng Local Municipality (this municipality is situated within the boundaries of the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality in the Eastern Free State).
The township associated with Bethlehem is called Bohlokong (Sesotho meaning "place of pain").