Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Cape Town Is The Symbol For Economic Growth In The Western Cape Of South Africa

By Greg Handchild

Fondly known as the 'mother city' and located on the Western Cape of South Africa, the city of Cape Town is the very heart and soul of South Africa. Founded in 1652, it is the only major business district in South Africa and with a population of over 3,500,000, it is also the largest. Cradled in the arms of the imposing Table Mountain and surrounded by two oceans, Cape Town is part of a beautiful and diverse landscape. Both its population and architecture are extremely diverse and encompass influences from the Indonesian, French, Dutch, British, and German settlers as well as the native Afrikaners who inhabit the Western Cape of South Africa.

This is fitting, because Table Mountain not only dominates the city of Cape Town, it looks over almost the entire Western Cape of South Africa. With a plateau of 3,300 feet, Table Mountain usually has a layer of clouds surrounding it, which is often referred to as the "tablecloth". Visitors can reach the summit by roads or cable cars, and when they get to the top they can see both the Atlantic and the Indian Ocean as well as the entire city of Cape Town.

This includes the suburbs, which are scattered around the entire mountain. Here, you will find the residential neighborhoods of Cape Town, which are truly diverse and representative of the different cultures of the Western Cape of South Africa. There is plenty of local shopping here, as well as trendy restaurants and the largest collection of Cape Dutch style architecture in the entire world.

Attractions abound in and around Cape Town. While the more popular pastimes are diamond shopping, whale watching, and going to the pristine beaches known as the South African Riviera, there are important historical sites to see as well. Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for his opposition to apartheid, and the Castle of Good Hope are now symbols of the progress that the Western Cape of South Africa has made toward equality for all people.

This is important, because apartheid, which was introduced in 1948, had long kept the Western Cape of South Africa from realizing its potential as a world class venue. Since apartheid's decline and the release of Nelson Mandela and other protestors, Cape Town has experienced phenomenal economic growth.

Cape Town industries include tourism, manufacturing, mining, drilling for oil, and the importing and exporting of goods. Many major companies have headquarters in Cape Town and the real estate market in the Western Cape of South Africa is booming.

The educational system of the Western Cape of South Africa is also centered in Cape Town. This is thanks to the generous local donations that help fund both the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University, which are the leading universities in South Africa.

Cape Town has survived an incredible amount of adversity to become a city that the Western Cape of South Africa can be proud to call its most well-known city. In fact, this extremely diverse city on the Western Cape of South Africa is a model for all world class destinations to take a look at for their own inspiration. - 15224

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