Hanover | |
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View of Hanover from Trappieskop
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Hanover shown within Northern Cape | |
Coordinates: 31°4′6″S 24°26′23″E / 31.06833°S 24.43972°ECoordinates: 31°4′6″S 24°26′23″E / 31.06833°S 24.43972°E | |
Country | South Africa |
Province | Northern Cape |
District | Pixley ka Seme |
Municipality | Emthanjeni |
Established | 1854 |
Area | |
• Total | 80.77 km2 (31.19 sq mi) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 4,594 |
• Density | 57/km2 (150/sq mi) |
Racial makeup (2011) | |
• Black African | 49.1% |
• Coloured | 46.4% |
• Indian/Asian | 0.5% |
• White | 3.4% |
• Other | 0.5% |
First languages (2011) | |
• Afrikaans | 54.9% |
• Xhosa | 39.3% |
• English | 1.5% |
• Sotho | 1.4% |
• Other | 2.9% |
Postal code (street) | 7005 |
PO box | 7005 |
Area code | 053 |
Hanover, a small town in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa, is named after Hanover in Germany. The town was established in 1854.
Much of the farming in the area is with Merino sheep.
The Fountain, a powerful spring in town, releases about 205,000 litres of water per day. A footpath leads up to Trappieskop which offers panoramic views of the area.
Hanover claims to be the country's most central place. It is equidistant from Cape Town and Johannesburg, centrally positioned between Cape Town and Durban as well as Port Elizabeth and Upington and it is the hub of an arc formed by Richmond, Middelburg and Colesberg.
Historic figures were at the centre of life here, people like Olive Schreiner, author and women's rights champion, and the tempestuous Rev. Thomas Francois Burgers. Among its residents were the wealthy and eccentric. The town's chief constable was the grandson of Lord Charles Somerset, the magistrate's clerk a son of Charles John Vaughan, Dean of Llandaff, well-known churchman and devotional writer of his day, and the local doctor was the son of a former Solicitor-General of Jamaica.
Well-known people of today hailing from Hanover includes Zwelinzima Vavi, the General Secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions.
The country's first observatory once stood proud at the top of Trappieskop, but it has been moved and is now part of the observatory at Sutherland.