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Large areas of the Free State are dedicated to farming

The Free State Province is situated in the heartland of the Karoo semi-desert of South Africa.

Regions

Map
Map of Free State

Free State
 Lejweleputswa
Western Free State, also known as the Free State Gold Fields
 Motheo
 Northern Free State
Large portions of this area still show the scars of the Vredefort Dome meteor impact.
 Thabo Mofutsanyana
Eastern portion of the Free State, bordering onto the Lesotho highlands to the south.
 Xhariep
The southern grass plains


Cities

Other destinations

National parks

Other nature reserves

Understand

The former Oranje-Vrystaat (Orange Free State) was the heartland of the white Afrikaner population and therefore most people in this region speak Afrikaans, although the majority have SeSotho as mother tongue. It was one of the first independent states, before joining the South African Union, and the people here still live up to the Voortrekker traditions of braaing. The rich soil and pleasant climate allow a thriving agricultural industry. With more than 30,000 farms, which produce over 70% of the country's grain, it is known locally as South Africa's breadbasket.

Bloemfontein is the judicial capital of South Africa, mainly because the founders of the Union of South Africa wanted to unite all people, including the Afrikaner population.

The Free State is an important agricultural area in South Africa, with beef and maize the primary products.

Talk

Afrikaans is still the first language of many, but most will definitely understand and speak English. Be prepared for understanding through the accent.

Get in

By car

The N5 only serves as a connection between the N1 and the N3.

By plane

Bloemfontein Airport (BFN IATA) has flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town and some other cities in South Africa. Flights are operated by the South African Airways family.

Get around

Best by car, as there are little means of public transport and great distances between each of the towns and cities.

The traffic police is very active, especially on the N1 - keep to the speed limit!

See

Do

Eat

Drink

Stay safe

Always have enough water with you, in case your car has a break down. Tell your last hotel where you are going to and which route you use, especially when going into a less populated and rural area.

Go next

This region travel guide to Free State is an outline and may need more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. If there are Cities and Other destinations listed, they may not all be at usable status or there may not be a valid regional structure and a "Get in" section describing all of the typical ways to get here. Please plunge forward and help it grow!