Fouriesburg

Fouriesburg

Dutch Reformed Church, Fouriesburg
Fouriesburg

 Fouriesburg shown within South Africa

Coordinates: 28°37′21.9″S 28°12′39.22″E / 28.622750°S 28.2108944°ECoordinates: 28°37′21.9″S 28°12′39.22″E / 28.622750°S 28.2108944°E
Country South Africa
Province Free State
District Thabo Mofutsanyane
Municipality Dihlabeng
Established 1892[1]
Area[2]
 • Total 12.8 km2 (4.9 sq mi)
Population (2011)[2]
 • Total 12,974
 • Density 1,000/km2 (2,600/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[2]
 • Black African 96.5%
 • Coloured 0.3%
 • Indian/Asian 0.6%
 • White 2.5%
 • Other 0.2%
First languages (2011)[2]
 • Sotho 90.7%
 • Afrikaans 3.2%
 • English 2.0%
 • Sign language 1.6%
 • Other 2.6%
Postal code (street) 9725
PO box 9725
Area code 058

Fouriesburg is a small town situated near the Maluti Mountains in the Free State province of South Africa just 9 km from Lesotho. During the late nineteenth century, this land was donated to the Orange Free State by a local farmer of Huguenot descent, Christoffel Fourie, for use as a temporary capital during the Second Boer War.

Fouriesburg is about half an hour's drive from the picturesque town of Clarens and 45 minutes from the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. It is also situated about fifty kilometres south-east of Bethlehem, some fifty-three from Ficksburg, and ten from Caledon's Poort on the Lesotho border. It was the site of several engagements during the Boer Wars; by 1902 the original settlement had been almost completely destroyed.[3]

Fouriesburg ranked first during South Africa's 2013 Kwela Town of the Year competition.

References

  1. ↑ "Chronological order of town establishment in South Africa based on Floyd (1960:20-26)". pp. xlv–lii.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Sum of the Main Places Mashaeng and Fouriesburg from Census 2011.
  3. ↑ "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 166.