Cape Town

Cape Town is the <a href="/facts/Legislature/ycUCe91S">legislative</a> <a href="/facts/Capital_city/aRTzKRH0">capital</a> of <a href="/facts/South_Africa/vvXQpLgq">South Africa</a>. It is the country's oldest city and the seat of the <a href="/facts/Parliament_of_South_Africa/YfRbuXla">Parliament of South Africa</a>. Cape Town is the country's <a href="/facts/List_of_municipalities_in_South_Africa/Kk4W7aWM">second-largest city</a> by population, after <a href="/facts/Johannesburg/DQd9T8FY">Johannesburg</a>, and the largest city in the <a href="/facts/Western_Cape/oGNVWQn5">Western Cape</a>. The city is part of the <a href="/facts/City_of_Cape_Town/LF41cN8o">City of Cape Town</a> <a href="/facts/Metropolitan_municipality_(South_Africa)/Cx9T4TKk">metropolitan municipality</a>.
The city is known for <a href="/facts/Port_of_Cape_Town/4m6lyRBf">its harbour</a>, its natural setting in the <a href="/facts/Cape_Floristic_Region/q1cYgUyK">Cape Floristic Region</a>, and for landmarks such as <a href="/facts/Table_Mountain/K2aYLgsS">Table Mountain</a> and <a href="/facts/Cape_Point/tXfBSbmw">Cape Point</a>. In 2014, Cape Town was named the best place in the world to visit by <a href="/facts/The_New_York_Times/T9marWVX">The New York Times</a>, and was similarly ranked number one by <a href="/facts/The_Daily_Telegraph/aHa5nNw5">The Daily Telegraph</a> in both 2016 and 2023.
Located on the shore of <a href="/facts/Table_Bay/CJ6uGdMg">Table Bay</a>, the <a href="/facts/City_Bowl/3FdaEPMJ">City Bowl</a> area of Cape Town, which contains its <a href="/facts/Cape_Town_CBD/3FdaEPMJ">central business district</a> (CBD), is <a href="/facts/History_of_Cape_Town/PhuTLzHo">the oldest urban area in the Western Cape</a>, with a significant cultural heritage. It was founded by the <a href="/facts/Dutch_East_India_Company/0pvAaGFP">Dutch East India Company</a> (VOC) as a supply station for Dutch ships sailing to <a href="/facts/East_Africa/WtsAyphI">East Africa</a>, <a href="/facts/India/QW4TV4sy">India</a>, and the <a href="/facts/Far_East/wHcmLNM5">Far East</a>. <a href="/facts/Jan_van_Riebeeck/Lt8Feg8Q">Jan van Riebeeck</a>'s arrival on 6 April 1652 established the <a href="/facts/Dutch_Cape_Colony/F9wvTXpj">VOC Cape Colony</a>, the first permanent European settlement in South Africa.
Cape Town outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost at the <a href="/facts/Castle_of_Good_Hope/UpgYV7Xc">Castle of Good Hope</a>, becoming the economic and cultural hub of the <a href="/facts/Cape_Colony/Pcov4AhT">Cape Colony</a>. Until the <a href="/facts/Witwatersrand_Gold_Rush/Q5bkokRD">Witwatersrand Gold Rush</a> and the development of Johannesburg, Cape Town was the largest city in southern Africa.
The metropolitan area has a long coastline on the <a href="/facts/Atlantic_Ocean/EI4uChIb">Atlantic Ocean</a>, which includes False Bay, and extends to the <a href="/facts/Hottentots_Holland_Mountains/9ATWGHdL">Hottentots Holland Mountains</a> to the east. The <a href="/facts/Table_Mountain_National_Park/mMDSVaw4">Table Mountain National Park</a> is within the city boundaries and there are several other nature reserves and marine-protected areas within, and adjacent to, the city, protecting the diverse terrestrial and marine natural environment.

Cape Town open-in-new

Cape Town