Africa topographic map

South Africa's topography is characterized by a high central plateau, known as the Highveld, which lies at elevations between 1,200 and 1,800 meters (3,937 to 5,906 feet) above sea level. This plateau is encircled by the Great Escarpment, a prominent mountainous feature that includes the Drakensberg Mountains,…

Average elevation: 221 m

Average elevation: 143 m

Average elevation: 163 m

Gauteng's southern border is the Vaal River, which separates it from the Free State. It also borders on North West to the west, Limpopo to the north, and Mpumalanga to the east. Gauteng is the only landlocked province of South Africa without a foreign border. Most of Gauteng is on the Highveld, a high-altitude…

Average elevation: 1,405 m

Average elevation: 973 m

KwaZulu-Natal has a varied yet verdant climate thanks to diverse, complex topography. Generally, the coast is subtropical with inland regions becoming progressively colder. Durban on the south coast has an annual rainfall of 1009 mm, with daytime maxima peaking from January to March at 28 °C (82 °F) with a…

Average elevation: 777 m

The province is topographically exceptionally diverse. Most of the province falls within the Cape Fold Belt, a set of nearly parallel ranges of sandstone folded mountains of Cambrian-Ordovician age (the age of the rocks is from 510 to about 330 million years ago; their folding into mountains occurred about 350…

Average elevation: 90 m

Average elevation: 778 m

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Average elevation: 1,611 m

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Average elevation: 969 m

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Average elevation: 968 m

The Orange rises in the Drakensberg mountains along the border between South Africa and Lesotho, about 193 km (120 mi) west of the Indian Ocean and at an altitude of over 3,000 m (9,800 ft). The extremity of the Orange River inside Lesotho is known as the Senqu. Parts of the Senqu River freeze in winter…

Average elevation: 966 m

Average elevation: 1,266 m

The river originates west of Carolina, rising at an elevation of about 1,800 m (5,906 ft) near Breyten in the Ermelo district of the Mpumalanga province. It flows in a general northeasterly direction and reaches the Indian Ocean at Maputo Bay, after a course of some 800 km (497 mi).

Average elevation: 477 m

KwaZulu-Natal has a varied yet verdant climate thanks to diverse, complex topography. Generally, the coast is subtropical with inland regions becoming progressively colder. Durban on the south coast has an annual rainfall of 1009 mm, with daytime maxima peaking from January to March at 28 °C (82 °F) with a…

Average elevation: 950 m

Average elevation: 853 m

Average elevation: 1,462 m

Average elevation: 716 m

Average elevation: 1,713 m

The Drakensberg escarpment divides Mpumalanga into a westerly half consisting mainly of high-altitude grassland called the Highveld and an eastern half situated in low-altitude subtropical Lowveld/Bushveld, mostly savanna habitat. The southern half of the Kruger National Park is in the latter region. The…

Average elevation: 1,127 m

Stellenbosch is 53 km (33 mi) east of Cape Town via National Route N1. Stellenbosch is in a hilly region of the Cape Winelands, and is sheltered in a valley at an average elevation of 136 m (446 ft), flanked on the west by Papegaaiberg (Afrikaans: Parrot Mountain), which is actually a hill. To the south is…

Average elevation: 287 m

The elevation of Upington is 2,742 feet (835 metres). It is the closest large centre to the Augrabies Falls (arguably the greatest of South African waterfalls) and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. The landscape is very arid but the soil is fertile and crops such as fruit are grown in irrigated fields. The…

Average elevation: 856 m

The Free State is situated on a succession of flat grassy plains sprinkled with pastureland, resting on a general elevation of 3,800 feet only broken by the occasional hill or kopje. The rich soil and pleasant climate allow for a thriving agricultural industry. With more than 30,000 farms, which produce over…

Average elevation: 1,499 m

Average elevation: 1,502 m

Average elevation: 1,424 m

Average elevation: 1,390 m

The Mogologolo (1,794 m), Mariepskop (1,944 m) and Hebronberg (1,767 m) massifs are partially included in the reserve. Elevation varies from 560 m to 1,944 m above sea level. Its resort areas are F.H. Odendaal and Swadeni, the latter only accessible from Limpopo province. The area of approximately 29,000…

Average elevation: 1,040 m

Average elevation: 1,649 m

Average elevation: 158 m

Average elevation: 1,211 m

Ekurhuleni lies on the highveld plateau at about 1600 metres in altitude above sea level (asl). The highest elevation is at the Gillooly's Ridge – Bill Stewart Side – Fisher's Hill at 1772 metres asl. The lowest point is at 1552 metres asl. The city is rich in wetlands, pans, streams and rivers. The city…

Average elevation: 1,588 m

Average elevation: 1,152 m

Average elevation: 1,181 m

Average elevation: 343 m

Average elevation: 80 m

Kimberley is set in a relatively flat landscape with no prominent topographic features within the urban limits. The only "hills" are debris dumps generated by more than a century of diamond mining. From the 1990s these were being recycled and poured back into De Beers Mine (by 2010 it was filled to within a…

Average elevation: 1,203 m

Average elevation: 116 m

Average elevation: 471 m

Average elevation: 82 m

Average elevation: 614 m

Average elevation: 1,071 m

The type of rock of the reef is of some importance, as it influences the range of possibilities for the local topography, which in turn influences the range of habitats provided, and therefore the diversity of inhabitants. Sandstone and other sedimentary rocks erode and weather very differently, and depending…

Average elevation: 2 m

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Average elevation: 665 m

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Average elevation: 1,241 m

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Average elevation: 1,371 m

Average elevation: 1,543 m

Average elevation: 1,047 m

Being a coastal strip, the topography generally falls towards the coast and is segmented by many water courses (streams/rivers) resulting in numerous hills and valleys as well as very flat areas along the coast.

Average elevation: 458 m

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Average elevation: 1,430 m

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Average elevation: 646 m

Average elevation: 580 m

Average elevation: 1,234 m

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Average elevation: 953 m

Average elevation: 497 m

Average elevation: 612 m

Average elevation: 1,522 m

Average elevation: 283 m

Average elevation: 472 m

Average elevation: 189 m

The Richtersveld is a desert landscape characterised by rugged kloofs and high mountains, situated in the north-western corner of South Africa’s Northern Cape province. It is full of changing scenery from flat, sandy, coastal plains, to craggy sharp mountains of volcanic rock and the lushness of the Orange…

Average elevation: 394 m

Average elevation: 772 m

Average elevation: 325 m

Average elevation: 1,041 m

The reserve includes a variety of landscapes including slopes, cliffs, crests, kloofs, rivers, wetlands and valleys. Although the area covers a diverse geological area, it consists mainly of the Magaliesberg mountain complex comprising two geological formations: the Transvaal System and the Bushveld Igneous…

Average elevation: 1,366 m

Average elevation: 262 m

Average elevation: 800 m

The reserve includes a variety of landscapes including slopes, cliffs, crests, kloofs, rivers, wetlands and valleys. Although the area covers a diverse geological area, it consists mainly of the Magaliesberg mountain complex comprising two geological formations: the Transvaal System and the Bushveld Igneous…

Average elevation: 1,370 m

Average elevation: 136 m

Average elevation: 1,554 m

Average elevation: 1,424 m

Average elevation: 961 m

Average elevation: 1,401 m

Average elevation: 1,231 m