document_title: South Lawn (White House)

question_text: where does marine one land at the white house

text: South Lawn (White House)

text: Description and use[edit]

text: The South Lawn presents a long north-south vista from the house. Open to the public until the Second World War, it is now a closed part of the White House grounds that provides a setting for official events like the State Arrival Ceremony as well as informal gatherings including the annual White House Egg Rolling Contest and staff barbecues. Marine One, the presidential helicopter, departs from and lands on the South Lawn.

text: Design and horticulture[edit]

text: When the White House was first occupied in 1800 the site of the South Lawn was an open meadow gradually descending to a large marsh, the Tiber Creek, and Potomac River beyond.[1] Thomas Jefferson completed grading of the South Lawn, building up mounds on either side of a central lawn. Jefferson, working with architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe located a triumphal arch as a main entry point to the grounds, just southeast of the White House.[2] Pierre-Charles L'Enfant's 1793 plan of the city of Washington, indicates a setting of terraced formal gardens descending to Tiber Creek. Later in 1850, landscape designer Andrew Jackson Davis attempted to soften the geometry of the L'Enfant plan, incorporating a semicircular southern boundary and meandering paths.[3] Andrew Jackson Davis's changes included enlarging the South Lawn, creating a large circular lawn he termed the "Parade or President's Park" and bordered by densely planted shrubs and trees.[4] During the administration of Ulysses S. Grant the marsh to the south was drained, and the South Lawn received additional grading and 8 to 10 feet of fill to make the descent to the Potomac more gradual.[5]

text: During the administrations of Rutherford B. Hayes and (the first of) Grover Cleveland the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were engaged to reconfigure the South Lawn, reducing the size of Downing's circular parade, and creating the current boundaries much as they presently are.[6] Theodore Roosevelt who had engaged the architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White to reconfigure and rebuild parts of the White House in 1902, was influenced to remove the complex of Victorian era glass houses built up the West Colonnade and the site of the present West Wing. In 1934, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt engaged Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. to evaluate the grounds and recommend changes. Olmsted understood the need to offer presidents and their families a modicum of privacy balancing with the requirement for public views of the White House.[5] The Olmsted plan presented the landscape largely as seen today: retaining or planting large specimen trees and shrubs on the perimeter to create boundaries for visual privacy, but punctuated with generous sight lines of the house from north and south.[7] The lawn is planted with a grass variety called tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). [8]

text: Specimen trees[edit]

text: Trees on the South Lawn include the earliest remaining trees on the grounds to have been planted by a United States president – President Andrew Jackson's southern magnolias (Magnolia grandiflora) on either side of the South portico, Japanese threadleaf maple (Acer palmatum dissectum), American elm (Ulmus americana), white oak (Quercus alba), white saucer magnolia (Magnolia × soulangeana), Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), and northern red oak (Quercus rubra).[9]

text: Seasonal plantings[edit]

text: The South Lawn pool and fountain is planted seasonally with borders of tulips edged by grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) for spring, red geranium (Pelargonium) and Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria) in summer, and chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum cinerariaefolium) in fall.[10]

text: Amenities[edit]

text: Ceremonial gardens[edit]

text: The two ceremonial gardens of the White House (the Rose Garden and the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden) face the South Lawn. The Rose Garden (sometimes referred to as "The Presidents Garden") is located south-west of the main residence along the west colonnade, just outside the Oval Office. The Jacqueline Kennedy Garden is located south-east of the main residence along the east colonnade. The garden was dedicated by Lady Bird Johnson as the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden on April 22, 1965, although it has been called the "First Lady's Garden" by some later administrations.

text: Tennis court/basketball court[edit]

text: A tennis court was first installed during the Theodore Roosevelt administration on the south lawn. Since then, the court has been moved several times, eventually landing in its current position in the south-west area. President Obama had basketball court lines and removable baskets installed so he could play full court basketball. Located just west of the tennis/basketball court is a half-court basketball area that also housed a horseshoe pit.

text: Swimming pool[edit]

text: The pool was installed in 1975 by President Gerald Ford. It is located directly south of the West Wing. The original pool at The White House was indoors, located in between the main residence and the West Wing, however President Nixon turned it into an area for the press.

text: Putting green[edit]

text: The putting green was first installed in 1954 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower who was an avid golfer. It was removed by President Nixon[11] and later reinstalled by President George H. W. Bush in 1991.[12] However President Clinton moved it to its current location just south of the Rose Garden, a short walk from the Oval Office.[13]

text: Children's garden[edit]

text: The children's garden is located between the tennis court and basketball court to the south-west area of the property. The garden was a gift to the White House in 1968 from President Johnson and his wife. The garden supplies a secluded location for children to play in private. The garden features a goldfish pond in the sitting area. Footprints and handprints of various President's children and grandchildren are embedded in various stones making up the walkway.

text: Helicopter landing area[edit]

text: The south lawn provides space for the Presidents helicopter, Marine One, to land directly on the White House grounds. The helicopter will take off and land in the grassy area directly south of the main residence. For aesthetic reasons, the lawn does not contain a full helipad, but rather three removable aluminum discs which accommodate the helicopter's individual landing gear.

text: 1974 White House helicopter incident[edit]

text: The climax of the 1974 White House helicopter incident occurred on the South Lawn.[14]

text: Running track[edit]

text: President Clinton had a quarter-mile long jogging track installed during his presidency in 1993. An avid runner, Clinton would regularly want to go on runs, but his doing so greatly disrupted Washington traffic; thus the track was built.

text: Playground[edit]

text: A playground was installed in 2009 under President Obama for his two children Sasha and Malia Obama. The playground is located just south of the Oval Office.

text: Vegetable garden[edit]

text: Michelle Obama installed a vegetable garden during her husband's Presidency on the far south area of the property. The vegetables grown are used at the White House for meals as well as donated to area shelters. The Obamas also installed a beehive on the south lawn.

text: Belleau Wood tree[edit]

text: During French President Emmanuel Macron's 2018 state visit to the United States, President Donald J. Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, French President Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron planted a "European sessile oak from the Belleau Wood" on the South Lawn to commemorate the Battle of Belleau Wood.[15][16] The tree was removed to quarantine soon after planting.[17]


document_title: Despicable Me 3

question_text: who voices the villain in despicable me 3

root

text: Despicable Me 3

text: Plot[edit]

text: Former villain Gru is now an agent for the Anti-Villain League (AVL). He and his partner/wife Lucy are sent to foil the plans of Balthazar Bratt, a former child actor from the 1980s who has turned evil. Gru manages to stop Bratt from stealing the world's largest diamond, but is unable to capture him. As a result of failing to capture Bratt, Gru and Lucy are fired from the AVL by its unreasonable new director Valerie Da Vinci, following the retirement of the AVL's former director, Silas Ramsbottom.

tag: p

text: When Gru and Lucy return home, Gru and Lucy reluctantly tell their children, Margo, Edith, and Agnes, of their dismissal, but assure them they will find new jobs. Most of Gru's Minions leave Gru when he refuses to return to villainy, despite losing his job. Meanwhile, Lucy struggles to adapt to her new role as the children's new mom. The next morning, when Fritz arrives at the Gru house, Gru discovers that he has a twin brother named Dru, who lives in a distant country named Freedonia, who longs to meet him. Shocked to learn he has a twin, Gru confronts his mother, who reveals that when she and her husband divorced, they agreed to keep one child each. The family decides to travel to meet Dru, and they are surprised at his immense wealth, the size of the mansion, which Fritz attributes to their pig farm business. Meanwhile, the Minions are arrested for trespassing at a talent show set. Bratt manages to steal the diamond again, intending to use it to power a giant robot and destroy Hollywood as revenge for the cancellation of his show.

text: Dru reveals to Gru that their recently deceased father was a legendary supervillain, whose villainous activities are the real source of the family's wealth. As Dru was dismissed by their father as a disgrace, he asks his brother to teach him how to be a villain. When Gru refuses to revert to his old ways, Dru takes him on a joyride around Freedonia in their father's technologically advanced car and the siblings bond. Meanwhile, Lucy tries to balance her new tasks as a mom, which she exhibits after turning away a young boy named Niko who had fallen for Margo in the midst of a traditional cheese festival, while Edith and Agnes stumble into a local tavern and learn from the bartender about a mythical unicorn which lurks in a nearby forest. Gru tries to convince Agnes that unicorns are imaginary, but decides against it to avoid hurting her feelings. The next day, Agnes and Edith set out into the woods to track the mythical 'unicorn', only to find a one-horned goat whom Agnes adopts and dubs "Lucky". Meanwhile, the Minions' longing for Gru motivates them to escape from prison and return to their former master.

text: Dru convinces Gru to steal the diamond, with Gru secretly intending to bring it to the AVL, which he hopes will convince Da Vinci to rehire him and Lucy. Despite several setbacks, they manage to retrieve the diamond and are rescued by Lucy after narrowly escaping. After finding out Gru's true motives, Dru confronts his brother about his lie. In return, Gru insults him and decides to leave Freedonia, ending their relationship. Bratt, disguised as Lucy, kidnaps the children, and once again acquires the diamond. Gru and Dru resolve their differences and pursue him after finding the real Lucy.

text: With his robot powered by the diamond, Bratt terrorizes Hollywood, intending to send it into space with the use of superpowered gum. Lucy saves the children while Gru and Dru weaken Bratt's robot with the weapons of their father's car. Gru is knocked unconscious when the car is destroyed, and Dru manages to destroy the robot's core from the inside when Bratt threatens to kill Gru. When Gru recovers, he battles Bratt in a dance fight, using it as a distraction to grab his weaponized keytar, and defeats him. Having rendezvoused with Gru, the Minions manage to destroy the gum already covering the city, and Gru and Dru reunite.

text: Soon afterward, Gru and Lucy are reinstated in the AVL and the newly united family celebrate in Gru's home. Lucy is acknowledged by the children as their mother. Lured back to villainy, Dru, along with most of the Minions, steals Gru's airship, with Gru's emblem replaced with a "D" graffiti. Gru and Lucy decide to give them a five-minute head-start before engaging pursuit.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Steve Carell as Felonious Gru, the former villain turned Anti-Villain League agent, Margo, Edith, and Agnes' adoptive father, and Lucy's husband.[8]
Carell also voices Dru, Gru's long-lost twin brother and the girls' adoptive uncle.[8][9]
Kristen Wiig as Lucy Wilde, an Anti-Villain League agent, Gru's wife and the girls' adoptive mother.[10]
Trey Parker as Balthazar Bratt, a supervillain and former child star who grows up to become obsessed with the character he played in the '80s and is bent on world domination.[8]
Miranda Cosgrove as Margo, Gru and Lucy's oldest adoptive daughter.[10]
Dana Gaier as Edith, Gru and Lucy's middle adoptive daughter.[11]
Nev Scharrel as Agnes, Gru and Lucy's youngest adoptive daughter.[12] She was previously voiced by Elsie Fisher in the first two films.
Pierre Coffin as Mel, Kevin, Stuart, Bob and The Minions.[13]
Coffin also voices a Museum Director.
Steve Coogan as Silas Ramsbottom, the director of the Anti-Villain League, who retires at the start of the film.[14][15]
Coogan also voices Fritz, Dru’s butler.
Julie Andrews as Marlena Gru, Gru and Dru's mother.[14][16]
Jenny Slate as Valerie Da Vinci, a tyrannical member of the Anti-Villain League who becomes the new AVL director.[14][17]
Andy Nyman as Clive, a robot who is Bratt's sidekick.
Adrian Ciscato as Niko, a boy from Freedonia who falls in love with Margo.

tag: ul

text: Production[edit]

text: Steve Burke, the NBCUniversal CEO, confirmed in September 2013 that a third film in the Despicable Me series was in development.[18] Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio, the writers of the first two films, announced that they would return to write the screenplay for the film.[19] On April 13, 2016, Trey Parker, co-creator of South Park, was cast as the main antagonist for the film, Balthazar Bratt.[8]

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text:
Despicable Me 3: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by Various ArtistsReleased
June 23, 2017 (2017-06-23)Genre
PopR&BLength
51:14Label
I Am OtherColumbiaProducer
Alan TarneyAndrew ColemanHart GuntherHeitor PereiraMadonnaManne PraekerMarvin dM. NitazalMichael JacksonMike LarsonPharrell WilliamsQuincy JonesReinhold HeilRick BryantStephen BrayToto Gamyar

tag: table

text: The soundtrack for Despicable Me 3 was released on June 23, 2017. Pharrell Williams released the new song "Yellow Light" for the soundtrack, which was made available through digital download and streaming.[20] Some songs are unavailable on iTunes and Google Play.

text: Track listing[edit]

text: No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length1."Yellow Light" (performed by Pharrell Williams)Pharrell WilliamsPharrell WilliamsMike Larson[b]3:372."Hug Me" (performed by Pharrell Williams and Trey Parker)Pharrell WilliamsTrey ParkerPharrell WilliamsHart GuntherRick BryantMike Larson[b]2:203."Bad" (performed by Michael Jackson)Michael JacksonQuincy JonesMichael Jackson[a]4:074."Take on Me" (performed by A-ha)Pål WaaktaarMorten HarketMagne FuruholmenMarvin dM. NitazalAlan TarneyToto Gamyar3:465."Papa Mama Loca Pipa" (performed by The Minions)W. S. GilbertArthur SullivanPierre Coffin1:296."There's Something Special" (performed by Pharrell Williams)Pharrell WilliamsPharrell WilliamsMike Larson[b]3:447."Tiki Tiki Babeloo" (performed by The Minions) Pierre Coffin1:138."Freedom" (performed by Pharrell Williams)Pharrell WilliamsPharrell Williams2:439."Doowit" (performed by Pharrell Williams)Pharrell WilliamsPharrell WilliamsMike Larson[b]4:0210."99 Luftballons" (performed by Nena)Carlo KargesJörn-Uwe Fahrenkrog-PetersenReinhold HeilManne Praeker3:5211."Into the Groove" (performed by Madonna)Madonna CicconeStephen BrayMadonnaBray4:4412."Chuck Berry" (performed by Pharrell Williams)Pharrell WilliamsPharrell WilliamsAndrew Coleman[b]Mike Larson[b]3:1513."Fun, Fun, Fun" (performed by Pharrell Williams)Pharrell WilliamsPharrell Williams3:2514."Despicable Me" (performed by Pharrell Williams)Pharrell WilliamsPharrell Williams4:1515."Despicable Me 3 Score Suite" (performed by Heitor Pereira)Heitor PereiraHeitor Pereira4:0516."Malatikalano Polatina" (performed by The Minions) Pierre Coffin0:37Total length:51:14

text: Notes

text:
^[a]  signifies a co-producer
^[b]  signifies an additional producer

text: Charts[edit]

text:
Chart (2017)

Peak position

Australian Albums (ARIA)[21]

76

US Soundtrack Albums (Billboard)[22]

17

text: Release[edit]

text: The film premiered on June 14, 2017, at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival.[3] It was released in the United States on June 30, 2017.[23] This is the first Illumination movie to be released in Dolby Vision and to be in the 2.39:1 anamorphic format.

text: The first official trailer for the film was released on December 14, 2016;[11] with the second released on March 14, 2017.[24] A secondary trailer, designed for TV usage was released on April 21, 2017.[25] A third trailer was released on May 24, 2017.[26]

text: Home media[edit]

text: Despicable Me 3 was released on DVD, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D and Ultra HD Blu-ray in the United Kingdom on November 6, 2017.[27] In the US, Despicable Me 3 was released on digital download on November 21, 2017, and was released on DVD, Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray on December 5, 2017.[28] The releases also include a short film, titled The Secret Life of Kyle.[27]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Box office[edit]

text: Despicable Me 3 grossed $264.6 million in the United States and Canada and $770.2 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $1.035 billion, against a production budget of $80 million.[5] On September 8, it passed the $1 billion threshold, becoming the second Despicable Me film (after Minions), second non-Disney-animated film (after Minions), third film of 2017 (after Beauty and the Beast and The Fate of the Furious), and the sixth animated film (after Toy Story 3, Frozen, Minions, Zootopia, and Finding Dory) to pass the mark. It became the first film since The Fate of the Furious (also a Universal property) in April 2017 to make over a billion dollars.[29] Deadline Hollywood calculated the net profit of the film to be $366.2 million, when factoring together all expenses and revenues, making it the third most profitable release of 2017.[30]

text: In North America, the film opened alongside The House and Baby Driver, as well as the wide expansion of The Beguiled, and was projected to gross $85–95 million in its opening weekend. It played in 4,529 theaters, setting the record for widest release of all time, beating the amount set by The Twilight Saga: Eclipse in 2010.[31] It made $4.1 million from Thursday night previews, down slightly from the $4.7 million of the second film and $6.2 million made by Minions, and $29.2 million on its first day. It went on to debut to $72.4 million, slightly below expectations and the lowest of the series since the first film, but still topped the box office and was the 4th-best opening for Illumination.[32] It also opened to more than the next five films did combined (Baby Driver's $20.6 million, Transformers: The Last Knight's $16.9 million, Wonder Woman's $15.7 million, Cars 3's $9.7 million and The House's $8.7 million).[7] In its second weekend the film grossed $33.6 million (a drop of 53.6%, more than the previous Despicable Me films but similar to Minions), finishing second at the box office (with a fresh record of 4,536 theaters showing the movie) behind newcomer Spider-Man: Homecoming ($117 million).[33]

text: Internationally the film was released in five markets on June 16, 2017, and grossed $9.9 million in its opening weekend.[34] In its third week of release the film opened in 46 more markets, grossing $95.6 million.[7] The film's largest markets were China ($158.2 million), Japan ($66.2 million), the UK ($62.7 million), Germany ($43.8 million) and France ($41.4 million).[35]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 59% based on 177 reviews, and an average rating of 5.7/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Despicable Me 3 should keep fans of the franchise consistently entertained with another round of colorful animation and zany—albeit somewhat scattershot—humor."[36] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 49 out of 100 based on 37 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[37] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A−" on an A+ to F scale, down from the first two films' and the spin-off's "A".[32]

text: IGN gave the film a score of 6/10, saying, "It’s not much, but Despicable Me 3 is at least enough for the younger fans of the franchise."[38] Peter Debruge of Variety wrote, "Despicable Me 3 is unwieldy, but it mostly works, as co-directors Pierre Coffin (who also voices the Minions) and Kyle Balda never lose sight of the film's emotional center, packing the rest with as much humor as they can manage. The jokes come so fast and furious, the movie can hardly find room for Heitor Pereira's funky score, and though Pharrell Williams has contributed five new songs to sell soundtracks (including the sweet There's Something Special), the movie hardly needs them."[39] Alonso Duralde of TheWrap gave the film a mixed review, saying: "Ultimately, none of these flaws will matter to the throngs of little kids who have made the previous Despicable Me movies (and the superior Minions spin-off) into giant global hits."[40]

text: Sandy Schaefer for Screen Rant gives the film a 3 out of 5 stars saying "Despicable Me 3 offers enough in the way of zany, irreverent entertainment (with a dose of heart) to please steadfast fans of the franchise."[41] Jordan Mintzer for The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review saying "This rather clever, breakneck-paced cartoon gives fans exactly what they want: Like the new nemesis voiced by Trey Parker, it shoots multiple machine-gun bursts of bubblegum at the audience, asking them to chew and enjoy"[42] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave the film three out of four stars, saying "Pierre Coffin (who voices the Minions) and co-director Kyle Balda keep the plot spinning merrily. Pharrell Williams contributes five new songs to the mix, including the hummable "There's Something Special." It's no mystery why Illumination's franchise is still something special after three go-rounds – the box-office gross is a whopping $1.5 billion and counting."[43]

text: Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a 'B' grade, saying "What shines through is the visual wit and innate sweetness of the storytelling, and Carell’s cackling, cueball-skulled misanthrope — a (mostly) reformed scoundrel who can still have his cake, and arsenic too."[44] Stephen Whitty of the New York Daily News gave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, saying "The film has to rush at the end, to wrap up all these different stories, and it still leaves one of them open-ended."[45]

text: Accolades[edit]

text:
Award

Category

Recipient(s)

Result

45th Annie Awards[46]

Best Animated Feature

Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy

Nominated

Animated Effects in an Animated Production

Bruno Chauffard, Frank Baradat, Nicolas Brack and Milo Riccarand

Character Design in an Animated Feature Production

Eric Guillon

ACE Eddie Awards[47]

Best Edited Animated Feature Film

Claire Dodgson

Art Directors Guild[48]

Production Design in an Animated Feature

Olivier Adam

Cinema Audio Society Awards[49]

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Motion Picture  –  Animated Film

Carlos Sotolongo, Randy Thom, Tim Nielson, Brandon Proctor, Greg Hayes and Scott Curtis

Central Ohio Film Critics Association[50]

Best Animated Film

Despicable Me 3

23rd Critics' Choice Awards[51]

Best Animated Film

Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda

Denver Film Critics Society Awards[52]

Best Animated Film

Despicable Me 3

Golden Trailer Awards 2017[53]

Best Animation/Family

Best Animation/Family Poster

Golden Reel Awards[54]

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing – Feature Animation

Dennis Leonard, Tim Nielsen, Matthew Hartman,  Mac Smith, Andre J.H. Zweers, Christopher Flick, Richard Gould, John Roesch, Shelley Roden and Slamm Andrews

Hollywood Music in Media Awards 2017[55]

Best Original Song - Animated Film

"There's Something Special" for Pharrell Williams

Houston Film Critics Society Awards 2017[56]

Best Animated Film

Despicable Me 3

Producers Guild of America Award[57]

Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Picture

Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy

Movieguide Awards[58]

Best Movie for Families

Despicable Me 3

Nickelodeon Brazil Kids' Choice Awards[59]

Favorite Animated Film

Won

Nickelodeon Mexico Kids' Choice Awards 2017[60]

Favorite Movie

2018 Kids' Choice Awards[61]

Favorite Animated Film

Nominated

Nickelodeon Argentina Kids' Choice Awards 2017[62]

Favorite Movie

Nickelodeon Colombia Kids' Choice Awards 2017[63]

Favorite Movie

North Texas Film Critics Association[64]

Best Animated Film

Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda and Eric Guillion

Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards[65]

Best Animated Film

Despicable Me 3

Saturn Awards[66]

Best Animated Film

Nominated

St. Louis Film Critics Association[67]

Best Animated Feature

Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda

Nominated

16th Visual Effects Society Awards[68]

Outstanding Visual Effects in an Animated Feature

Pierre Coffin, Chris Meledandri, Kyle Balda and Eric Guillon

Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature

Eric Guillon, Bruno Dequier, Julien Soret, Benjamin Fournet for "Bratt"

Outstanding Created Environment in an Animated Feature

Axelle De Cooman, Pierre Lopes, Milo Riccarand, Nicolas Brack for "Hollywood Destruction"

Outstanding Model in a Photoreal or Animated Project

Eric Guillon, Francois-Xavier Lepeintre, Guillaume Boudeville, Pierre Lopes for "Dru's Car"

Outstanding Effects Simulations in an Animated Feature

Bruno Chauffard, Frank Baradat, Milo Riccarand, Nicolas Brack

Washington, D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards[69]

Best Animated Feature

Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda

text: Sequel[edit]

text: Illumination's CEO Chris Meledandri has said in September 2017 that a fourth Despicable Me film is in development.[70]


document_title: Cape Town

question_text: what is the main language spoken in cape town

question_tokens: what is the main language spoken in cape town

text: Cape Town

text: History[edit]

text: The earliest known remnants in the region were found at Peers Cave in Fish Hoek and date to between 15,000 and 12,000 years ago.[14] Little is known of the history of the region's first residents, since there is no written history from the area before it was first mentioned by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias in 1486 who was the first European to reach the area and named it "Cape of Storms" (Cabo das Tormentas). It was later renamed by John II of Portugal as "Cape of Good Hope" (Cabo da Boa Esperança) because of the great optimism engendered by the opening of a sea route to India and the East. Vasco da Gama recorded a sighting of the Cape of Good Hope in 1497. In the late 16th century, Portuguese, French, Danish, Dutch and English but mainly Portuguese ships regularly stopped over in Table Bay en route to the Indies. They traded tobacco, copper and iron with the Khoikhoi in exchange for fresh meat.

text: In 1652, Jan van Riebeeck and other employees of the Dutch East India Company (Dutch: Verenigde Oost-indische Compagnie, VOC) were sent to the Cape to establish a way-station for ships travelling to the Dutch East Indies, and the Fort de Goede Hoop (later replaced by the Castle of Good Hope). The settlement grew slowly during this period, as it was hard to find adequate labour. This labour shortage prompted the authorities to import slaves from Indonesia and Madagascar. Many of these became ancestors of the first Cape Coloured communities.[15][16] Under Van Riebeeck and his successors as VOC commanders and later governors at the Cape, an impressive range of useful plants were introduced to the Cape – in the process changing the natural environment forever. Some of these, including grapes, cereals, ground nuts, potatoes, apples and citrus, had an important and lasting influence on the societies and economies of the region.[17]

text: The Dutch Republic being transformed in Revolutionary France's vassal Batavian Republic, Great Britain moved to take control of its colonies. Britain captured Cape Town in 1795, but the Cape was returned to the Dutch by treaty in 1803. British forces occupied the Cape again in 1806 following the Battle of Blaauwberg. In the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814, Cape Town was permanently ceded to Britain. It became the capital of the newly formed Cape Colony, whose territory expanded very substantially through the 1800s. With expansion came calls for greater independence from Britain, with the Cape attaining its own parliament (1854) and a locally accountable Prime Minister (1872). Suffrage was established according to the non-racial, but sexist Cape Qualified Franchise.[18][19]

text: The discovery of diamonds in Griqualand West in 1867, and the Witwatersrand Gold Rush in 1886, prompted a flood of immigrants to South Africa.[20] Conflicts between the Boer republics in the interior and the British colonial government resulted in the Second Boer War of 1899–1902, which Britain won. In 1910, Britain established the Union of South Africa, which unified the Cape Colony with the two defeated Boer Republics and the British colony of Natal. Cape Town became the legislative capital of the Union, and later of the Republic of South Africa.

text: In the 1948 national elections, the National Party won on a platform of apartheid (racial segregation) under the slogan of "swart gevaar". This led to the erosion and eventual abolition of the Cape's multiracial franchise, as well as to the Group Areas Act, which classified all areas according to race. Formerly multi-racial suburbs of Cape Town were either purged of unlawful residents or demolished. The most infamous example of this in Cape Town was District Six. After it was declared a whites-only region in 1965, all housing there was demolished and over 60,000 residents were forcibly removed.[21] Many of these residents were relocated to the Cape Flats and Lavender Hill. Under apartheid, the Cape was considered a "Coloured labour preference area", to the exclusion of "Bantus", i.e. Africans.

text: School students from Langa, Gugulethu and Nyanga in Cape Town reacted to the news of protests against Bantu Education in Soweto in June 1976 and organised gatherings and marches which were met with resistance from the police. A number of school buildings were burnt down.[22][23]

text: Cape Town was home to many leaders of the anti-apartheid movement. On Robben Island, a former penitentiary island 10 kilometres (6 miles) from the city, many famous political prisoners were held for years. In one of the most famous moments marking the end of apartheid, Nelson Mandela made his first public speech since his imprisonment, from the balcony of Cape Town City Hall hours after being released on 11 February 1990. His speech heralded the beginning of a new era for the country, and the first democratic election, was held four years later, on 27 April 1994. Nobel Square in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront features statues of South Africa's four Nobel Peace Prize winners: Albert Luthuli, Desmond Tutu, F. W. de Klerk and Nelson Mandela. Since 1994, the city has struggled with problems such as drugs, a surge in violent drug-related crime and more recently gang violence. At the same time, the economy has surged to unprecedented levels due to the boom in the tourism and the real estate industries.[citation needed] With a Gini coefficient of 0.67, Cape Town has the highest rate of equality in South Africa.[24]

text: Geography[edit]

text: Cape Town is located at latitude 33.55° S (approx. the same as Sydney and Buenos Aires and equivalent to Casablanca and Los Angeles in the northern hemisphere) and longitude 18.25° E. Table Mountain, with its near vertical cliffs and flat-topped summit over 1,000 m (3,300 ft) high, and with Devil's Peak and Lion's Head on either side, together form a dramatic mountainous backdrop enclosing the central area of Cape Town, the so-called City Bowl. A thin strip of cloud, known colloquially as the "tablecloth", sometimes forms on top of the mountain. To the immediate south, the Cape Peninsula is a scenic mountainous spine jutting 40 kilometres (25 mi) southwards into the Atlantic Ocean and terminating at Cape Point. There are over 70 peaks above 300 m (980 ft) within Cape Town's official city limits. Many of the city's suburbs lie on the large plain called the Cape Flats, which extends over 50 kilometres (30 mi) to the east and joins the peninsula to the mainland. The Cape Flats is situated on what is known as a rising marine plain, consisting mostly of sandy geology and confirming that at one point Table Mountain was itself an island.[citation needed] The Cape Town region generally, with its Mediterranean climate, extensive coastline, rugged mountain ranges, coastal plains, inland valleys and semi-desert fringes, has much in common with Southern California.

text: Robben Island

text: Unesco declared Robben Island in the Western Cape a World Heritage Site in 1999. Robben Island is located in Table Bay, some 6km west of Bloubergstrand in Cape Town, and stands some 30m above sea level. Robben Island has been used as prison where people were isolated, banished and exiled to for nearly 400 years. It was also used as a leper colony, a post office, a grazing ground, a mental hospital, and an outpost. [25]

text: Currently visitors can only access the island via the Robben Island Museum boat service, which run three times daily until the beginning of the peak season (01 September). The ferries depart from the Nelson Mandela Gateway at the V&A Waterfront.

text: Climate[edit]

text: Cape Town has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb),[26][27][28] with mild, moderately wet winters and dry, warm summers. Winter, which lasts from the beginning of June to the end of August, may see large cold fronts entering for limited periods from the Atlantic Ocean with significant precipitation and strong north-westerly winds. Winter months in the city average a maximum of 18.0 °C (64 °F) and minimum of 8.5 °C (47 °F) [29] Total annual rainfall in the city averages 515 millimetres (20.3 in). Summer, which lasts from early December to March, is warm and dry with an average maximum of 26.0 °C (79 °F) and minimum of 16.0 °C (61 °F). The region can get uncomfortably hot when the Berg Wind, meaning "mountain wind", blows from the Karoo interior for a couple of weeks in February or early March. Late spring and early summer generally feature a strong wind from the south-east, known locally as the south-easter or the Cape Doctor, so called because it blows air pollution away. This wind is caused by a high-pressure system which sits in the South Atlantic to the west of Cape Town, known as the South Atlantic High. Cape Town receives 3,100 hours of sunshine per year.[30]

text: Water temperatures range greatly, between 10 °C (50 °F) on the Atlantic Seaboard, to over 22 °C (72 °F) in False Bay. Average annual Ocean temperatures are between 13 °C (55 °F) on the Atlantic Seaboard (similar to Californian waters, such as San Francisco or Big Sur), and 17 °C (63 °F) in False Bay (similar to Northern Mediterranean temperatures, such as Nice or Monte Carlo).

text: From 2015 Cape Town started experiencing the worst drought in one hundred years.[31][32]

text:
[hide]Climate data for Cape Town (1961–1990)

Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year

Record high °C (°F)
39.3
(102.7)
38.3
(100.9)
43.0
(109.4)
38.6
(101.5)
33.5
(92.3)
29.8
(85.6)
29.02
(84.24)
32.0
(89.6)
33.1
(91.6)
37.2
(99)
39.9
(103.8)
41.4
(106.5)
43.0
(109.4)

Average high °C (°F)
26.1
(79)
26.5
(79.7)
25.4
(77.7)
23.0
(73.4)
20.3
(68.5)
18.1
(64.6)
17.5
(63.5)
17.8
(64)
19.2
(66.6)
21.3
(70.3)
23.5
(74.3)
24.9
(76.8)
22.0
(71.6)

Daily mean °C (°F)
20.4
(68.7)
20.4
(68.7)
19.2
(66.6)
16.9
(62.4)
14.4
(57.9)
12.5
(54.5)
11.9
(53.4)
12.4
(54.3)
13.7
(56.7)
15.6
(60.1)
17.9
(64.2)
19.5
(67.1)
16.2
(61.2)

Average low °C (°F)
15.7
(60.3)
15.6
(60.1)
14.2
(57.6)
11.9
(53.4)
9.4
(48.9)
7.8
(46)
7.0
(44.6)
7.5
(45.5)
8.7
(47.7)
10.6
(51.1)
13.2
(55.8)
14.9
(58.8)
11.4
(52.5)

Record low °C (°F)
7.4
(45.3)
6.4
(43.5)
4.6
(40.3)
2.4
(36.3)
0.9
(33.6)
−1.2
(29.8)
−4.3
(24.3)
−0.4
(31.3)
0.2
(32.4)
1.0
(33.8)
3.9
(39)
6.2
(43.2)
−4.3
(24.3)

Average precipitation mm (inches)
15
(0.59)
17
(0.67)
20
(0.79)
41
(1.61)
69
(2.72)
93
(3.66)
82
(3.23)
77
(3.03)
40
(1.57)
30
(1.18)
14
(0.55)
17
(0.67)
515
(20.28)

Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)
5.5
4.6
4.8
8.3
11.4
13.3
11.8
13.7
10.4
8.7
4.9
6.3
103.7

Average relative humidity (%)
71
72
74
78
81
81
81
80
77
74
71
71
76

Mean monthly sunshine hours
337.9
297.4
292.9
233.5
205.3
175.4
193.1
212.1
224.7
277.7
309.8
334.2
3,094

Source: World Meteorological Organization,[29] NOAA,[30] South African weather service,[33] eNCA[34]

text: Flora and fauna[edit]

text: Located in a CI Biodiversity hotspot as well as the unique Cape Floristic Region, the city of Cape Town has one of the highest levels of biodiversity of any equivalent area in the world.[35] These protected areas are a World Heritage Site, and an estimated 2,200 species of plants are confined to Table Mountain – more than exist in the whole of the United Kingdom which has 1200 plant species and 67 endemic plant species.[36][37][38] Many of these species, including a great many types of proteas, are endemic to the mountain and can be found nowhere else.[39]

text: It is home to a total of 19 different vegetation types, of which several are completely endemic to the city and occur nowhere else in the world.[40] It is also the only habitat of hundreds of endemic species,[41] and hundreds of others which are severely restricted or threatened. This enormous species diversity is mainly because the city is uniquely located at the convergence point of several different soil types and micro-climates.

text: Table Mountain has an unusually rich biodiversity. Its vegetation consists predominantly of several different types of the unique and rich Cape Fynbos. The main vegetation type is endangered Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos, but critically endangered Peninsula Granite Fynbos, Peninsula Shale Renosterveld and Afromontane forest occur in smaller portions on the mountain.

text: Unfortunately, rapid population growth and urban sprawl has covered much of these ecosystems with development. Consequently, Cape Town now has over 300 threatened plant species and 13 which are now extinct. The Cape Peninsula, which lies entirely within the city of Cape Town, has the highest concentration of threatened species of any continental area of equivalent size in the world.[42] Tiny remnants of critically endangered or near extinct plants often survive on road sides, pavements and sports fields.[43] The remaining ecosystems are partially protected through a system of over 30 nature reserves – including the massive Table Mountain National Park.

text: Suburbs[edit]

text: Cape Town's urban geography is influenced by the contours of Table Mountain, its surrounding peaks, the Durbanville Hills, and the expansive lowland region known as the Cape Flats. These geographic features in part divide the city into several commonly known groupings of suburbs (equivalent to districts outside South Africa), many of which developed historically together and share common attributes of language and culture.

text: City Bowl[edit]

text: The City Bowl is a natural amphitheatre-shaped area bordered by Table Bay and defined by the mountains of Signal Hill, Lion's Head, Table Mountain and Devil's Peak.

text: The area includes the central business district of Cape Town, the harbour, the Company's Garden, and the residential suburbs of De Waterkant, Devil's Peak, District Six, Zonnebloem, Gardens, Bo-Kaap, Higgovale, Oranjezicht, Schotsche Kloof, Tamboerskloof, University Estate, Vredehoek, Walmer Estate and Woodstock.

text: Atlantic Seaboard[edit]

text: The Atlantic Seaboard lies west of Cape Town and Table Mountain, and is characterised by its beaches, cliffs, promenade and hillside communities. The area includes, from north to south, the neighbourhoods of Green Point, Mouille Point, Three Anchor Bay, Sea Point, Fresnaye, Bantry Bay, Clifton, Camps Bay, Llandudno, and Hout Bay. The Atlantic Seaboard has some of the most expensive real estate in South Africa particularly on Nettleton and Clifton Roads in Clifton, Ocean View Drive and St Leon Avenue in Bantry Bay, Theresa Avenue in Bakoven and Fishermans Bend in Llandudno. Camps Bay is home to the highest concentration of multimillionaires in Cape Town and has the highest number of high-priced mansions in South Africa with more than 155 residential units exceeding R20 million (or $US1.8 million).[when?][44]

text: West Coast[edit]

text: The West Coast suburbs lie along the beach to the north of the Cape Town city centre, and include Bloubergstrand, Milnerton, Tableview, West Beach, Big Bay, Sunset Beach, Sunningdale and Parklands, as well as the exurbs of Atlantis and Melkbosstrand. The Koeberg Nuclear Power Station is located within this area and maximum housing density regulations are enforced in much of the area surrounding the nuclear plant.

text: Northern Suburbs[edit]

text: The Northern Suburbs are Afrikaans-speaking, and include Bellville, Kanonberg, Bothasig, Brooklyn, Burgundy Estate, Durbanville, Edgemead, Elsie's River, Factreton, Goodwood, Kensington, Maitland, Monte Vista, Panorama, Parow, Richwood, Table View, and Welgemoed.[45] The Northern Suburbs are home to Tygerberg Hospital, the largest hospital in the Western Cape and second largest in South Africa[46]

text: Southern Suburbs[edit]

text: The Southern Suburbs hug along the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, southeast of the city centre. This area has mixed languages but is predominantly English-speaking, and includes, from north to south, Rondebosch, Pinelands, Thornton, Newlands, Mowbray, Observatory, Bishopscourt, Claremont, Lansdowne, Wynberg, Plumstead, Hout Bay, Ottery, and Bergvliet. West of Wynberg lies Constantia which, in addition to being a wealthy neighbourhood, is a notable wine-growing region within the City of Cape Town. Constantia not only offers a luscious suburban living lifestyle, but also attracts tourists for its well-known wine farms and Cape Dutch architecture.

text: South Peninsula[edit]

text: The South Peninsula is generally regarded as the area south of Muizenberg on False Bay and Noordhoek on the Atlantic Ocean, all the way to Cape Point. Until recently quite rural, the population of the area is growing quickly as new coastal developments proliferate and larger plots are subdivided to provide more compact housing. It includes Capri Village, Clovelly, Fish Hoek, Glencairn, Kalk Bay, Kommetjie, Masiphumelele, Muizenberg, Noordhoek, Ocean View, Scarborough, Simon's Town, St James, Sunnydale, Sun Valley, and Steenberg. South Africa's largest naval base is located at Simon's Town harbour, and close by is Boulders Beach, the site of a large colony of African penguins.[47]

text: Eastern Suburbs[edit]

text: The Eastern Suburbs lie southeast of the Afrikaans-speaking neighbourhoods in the Northern Suburbs, beyond the airport, and notably are the site of several new subsidized housing projects and are also Afrikaans-speaking. Communities include Fairdale, Brackenfell, Kraaifontein, Kuils River, Blue Downs, Belhar, Delft, Mfuleni and Protea Hoogte.

text: Cape Flats[edit]

text: The Cape Flats (Die Kaapse Vlakte in Afrikaans) is an expansive, low-lying, flat Afrikaans-speaking area situated to the southeast of the central business district of Cape Town. From the 1950s the area became home to people the apartheid government designated as non-White and has been described by some as 'Apartheid's dumping ground'. Race-based legislation such as the Group Areas Act and pass laws either forced non-white people out of more central urban areas designated for white people and into government-built townships in the Flats or made living in the area illegal, forcing many people designated as Black and Coloured into informal settlements elsewhere in the Flats.

text: Since then the Flats have been home to much of the population of Greater Cape Town. This area includes the neighbourhoods of Mitchell's Plain, Athlone, Elsie's River, Hanover Park, Bishop Lavis, Manenberg, Strandfontein, Gugulethu, Nyanga, Langa, and Khayelitsha.

text: Helderberg[edit]

text: The Helderberg consists of Somerset West, Strand, Gordons Bay and a few other towns. The district takes its name from the imposing Helderberg Mountain, which is Afrikaans for "clear mountain", and culminates at a height of 1,137 metres (3,730 feet) as The Dome.

text: Government[edit]

text: Cape Town's local government is the City of Cape Town, which is a metropolitan municipality. Cape Town is governed by a 221-member city council. The city is divided into 111 electoral wards; each ward directly elects one member of the council, whilst the other 110 councillors are elected by a system of party-list proportional representation. The Executive Mayor and Executive Deputy Mayor are chosen by the city council.

text: In the local government elections of 18 May 2011, the Democratic Alliance (DA) won an outright majority, taking 135 of the 221 council seats. The African National Congress, the national ruling party, received 73 seats.[48] As a result of this victory Patricia de Lille, the DA mayoral candidate, was inaugurated as Executive Mayor on 1 June.

text: Demographics[edit]

text:
<1 /km²
  1–3 /km²
  3–10 /km²
  10–30 /km²
  30–100 /km²

  100–300 /km²
  300–1000 /km²
  1000–3000 /km²
  >3000 /km²

text:
Historical population

Year
Pop.
±% p.a.

1658
360
—

1731
3,157
+3.02%

1836
20,000
+1.77%

1875
45,000
+2.10%

1891
67,000
+2.52%

1901
171,000
+9.82%

1950
618,000
+2.66%

1955
705,000
+2.67%

1960
803,000
+2.64%

1965
945,000
+3.31%

Year
Pop.
±% p.a.

1970
1,114,000
+3.35%

1975
1,339,000
+3.75%

1980
1,609,000
+3.74%

1985
1,933,000
+3.74%

1990
2,296,000
+3.50%

1996
2,565,018
+1.86%

2001
2,892,243
+2.43%

2007
3,497,097
+3.22%

2011
3,740,025
+1.69%

2014
3,750,000
+0.09%

Note: Census figures (1996–2011) cover figures after 1994 reflect the greater Cape Town metropolitan municipality reflecting post-1994 reforms. Sources: 1658-1904,[49] 1950-1990,[50]
1996,[51] 2001, and 2011 Census;[52]
2007,[53] 2014 Census estimates.[citation needed]

text: According to the South African National Census of 2011, the population of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality – an area that includes suburbs and exurbs not always considered as part of Cape Town – is 3,740,026 people. This represents an annual growth rate of 2.6% compared to the results of the previous census in 2001 which found a population of 2,892,243 people.[54] :54 The sex ratio is 96, meaning that there are slightly more women than men.[54]:55 45.4% of the population described themselves as "Coloured", 42.7% as "White", 8.6% as "Black African", and 1.4% as "Indian or Asian".[54]:56–59 In 1944, 47% of the city's population was White, 46% was Coloured, less than 6% was Black African and 1% was Asian.[55] Of those residents who were asked about their first language, 35.7% spoke Afrikaans, 29.8% spoke Xhosa and 28.4% spoke English. 24.8% of the population is under the age of 15, while 5.5% is 65 or older.[54]:64

text: Of those residents aged 20 or older, 1.8% have no schooling, 8.1% have some schooling but did not finish primary school, 4.6% finished primary school but have no secondary schooling, 38.9% have some secondary schooling but did not finish Grade 12, 29.9% finished Grade 12 but have no higher education, and 16.7% have higher education. Overall, 46.6% have at least a Grade 12 education.[54]:74 Of those aged between 5 and 25, 67.8% are attending an educational institution.[54]:78 Amongst those aged between 15 and 65 the unemployment rate is 23.7%.[54]:79 The average annual household income is R161,762.[54]:88

text: There are 1,068,573 households in the municipality, giving an average household size of 3.3 people.[54]:80 Of those households, 78.4% are in formal structures (houses or flats), while 20.5% are in informal structures (shacks).[54]:81 94.0% of households use electricity for lighting.[54]:84 87.3% of households have piped water to the dwelling, while 12.0% have piped water through a communal tap.[54]:85 94.9% of households have regular refuse collection service.[54]:86 91.4% of households have a flush toilet or chemical toilet, while 4.5% still use a bucket toilet.[54]:87 82.1% of households have a refrigerator, 87.3% have a television and 70.1% have a radio. Only 34.0% have a landline telephone, but 91.3% have a cellphone. 37.9% have a computer, and 49.3% have access to the Internet (either through a computer or a cellphone).[54]:83

text: Economy[edit]

text: Cape Town is the economic hub of the Western Cape Province, South Africa's second main economic centre and Africa's third main economic hub city. It serves as the regional manufacturing centre in the Western Cape. In 2011 the city's GDP was US$56.8 billion with a GDP per capita of US$15,721.[5] In the five years preceding 2014 Cape Town GDP grew at an average of 3.7% a year. As a proportion of GDP the agriculture and manufacturing sectors have declined whilst finance, business services, transport and logistics have grown reflecting the growth in specialised services sectors of the local economy. Fishing, clothing and textiles, wood product manufacturing, electronics, furniture, hospitality, finance and business services are industries in which Cape Town's economy has the largest comparative advantage.[9]

text: Between 2001 and 2010 the city's Gini coefficient, a measure of inequality, improved by dropping from 0.59 in 2007 to 0.57 in 2010 only to increase to 0.67 by 2011/12.[9]

text: Cape Town has recently enjoyed a booming real estate and construction market, because of the 2010 World Cup as well as many people buying summer homes in the city or relocating there permanently. Cape Town hosted nine World Cup matches: Six first-round matches, one second-round match, one quarter final and one semifinal. The central business district is under an extensive urban renewal programme, with numerous new buildings and renovations taking place under the guidance of the Cape Town Partnership.[56]

text: Cape Town has four major commercial nodes, with Cape Town Central Business District containing the majority of job opportunities and office space. Century City, the Bellville/TygerValley strip and Claremont commercial nodes are well established and contain many offices and corporate headquarters as well. Most companies headquartered in the city are insurance companies, retail groups, publishers, design houses, fashion designers, shipping companies, petrochemical companies, architects and advertising agencies.[57] The most notable companies headquartered in the city are food and fashion retailer Woolworths,[58] supermarket chain Pick n Pay Stores and Shoprite,[59] New Clicks Holdings Limited, fashion retailer Foschini Group,[60] isp MWEB, Mediclinic International, etv, multi-national mass media giant Naspers, and financial services giant Sanlam.[61] Other notable companies include Belron (vehicle glass repair and replacement group operating worldwide), CapeRay (develops, manufactures and supplies medical imaging equipment for the diagnosis of breast cancer), Ceres Fruit Juices (produces fruit juice and other fruit based products), Coronation Fund Managers (third-party fund management company), ICS (was one of the largest meat processing and distribution companies in the world), Vida e Caffè (chain of coffee retailers), Capitec Bank (commercial bank in the Republic of South Africa). The city is a manufacturing base for several multi-national companies including, Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, Levi Strauss & Co., Adidas, Bokomo Foods, and Nampak.

text: Much of the produce is handled through the Port of Cape Town or Cape Town International Airport. Most major shipbuilding companies have offices and manufacturing locations in Cape Town.[62] The Province is also a centre of energy development for the country, with the existing Koeberg nuclear power station providing energy for the Western Cape's needs.

text: The Western Cape is an important tourist region in South Africa; the tourism industry accounts for 9.8% of the GDP of the province and employs 9.6% of the province's workforce. In 2010, over 1.5 million international tourists visited the area.[63]

text: With the highest number of successful Information Technology companies in Africa, Cape Town is an important centre for the industry on the continent. Growing at an annual rate of 8.5% and an estimated worth of R77 billion in 2010 nationwide the IT industry in Cape Town is becoming increasingly important to the city's economy.[64]

text: The city was recently named as the most entrepreneurial city in South Africa, with the percentage of Capetonians pursuing business opportunities almost three times higher than the national average. Those aged between 18 and 64 were 190% more likely to pursue new business, whilst in Johannesburg, the same demographic group was only 60% more likely than the national average to pursue a new business.[65]

text: Tourism[edit]

text: Cape Town is not only a popular international tourist destination in South Africa, but Africa as a whole. This is due to its good climate, natural setting, and well-developed infrastructure. The city has several well-known natural features that attract tourists, most notably Table Mountain,[66] which forms a large part of the Table Mountain National Park and is the back end of the City Bowl. Reaching the top of the mountain can be achieved either by hiking up, or by taking the Table Mountain Cableway. Cape Point is recognised as the dramatic headland at the end of the Cape Peninsula.[67] Many tourists also drive along Chapman's Peak Drive, a narrow road that links Noordhoek with Hout Bay, for the views of the Atlantic Ocean and nearby mountains. It is possible to either drive or hike up Signal Hill for closer views of the City Bowl and Table Mountain.[68]

text: Many tourists also visit Cape Town's beaches, which are popular with local residents.[69] Due to the city's unique geography, it is possible to visit several different beaches in the same day, each with a different setting and atmosphere. Though the Cape's water ranges from cold to mild, the difference between the two sides of the city is dramatic. While the Atlantic Seaboard averages annual water temperatures barely above that of coastal California around 13 °C (55 °F), the False Bay coast is much warmer, averaging between 16 and 17 °C (61 and 63 °F) annually. This is similar to water temperatures in much of the Northern Mediterranean (for example Nice). In summer, False Bay water averages slightly over 20 °C (68 °F), with 22 °C (72 °F) a common high. Beaches located on the Atlantic Coast tend to have very cold water due to the Benguela current which originates from the Southern Ocean, whilst the water at False Bay beaches may be warmer by up to 10 °C (18 °F) at the same moment due to the influence of the warm Agulhas current, and the surface warming effects of the South Easter wind.[69] It is a common misconception that False Bay is part of the Indian Ocean, with Cape Point being both the meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, and the southernmost tip of Africa. The oceans in fact meet at the actual southernmost tip, Cape Agulhas, which lies approximately 150 kilometres (93 miles) to the south east. The misconception is fuelled by the relative warmth of the False Bay water to the Atlantic Seaboard water, and the many confusing instances of "Two Oceans" in names synonymous with Cape Town, such as the Two Oceans Marathon, the Two Oceans Aquarium, and places such as Two Oceans wine farm.

text: Both coasts are equally popular, although the beaches in affluent Clifton and elsewhere on the Atlantic Coast are better developed with restaurants and cafés, with a strip of restaurants and bars accessible to the beach at Camps Bay. The Atlantic seaboard, known as Cape Town's Rivera, is regarded as one of the most scenic routes in South Africa. The majestic slopes of the Twelve Apostles to the unspoilt boulders and white sand beaches of Llandudno, which the route ending in Hout Bay - a diverse bustling suburb with a harbour and a seal island. This fishing village is flanked by the luscious Constantia valley and the picturesque Chapmans Peak drive. Boulders Beach near Simon's Town is known for its colony of African penguins.[70] Surfing is popular and the city hosts the Red Bull Big Wave Africa surfing competition every year.

text: The city has several notable cultural attractions. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, built on top of part of the docks of the Port of Cape Town, is the city's most visited tourist attraction. It is also one of the city's most popular shopping venues, with several hundred shops and the Two Oceans Aquarium.[71][72] The V&A also hosts the Nelson Mandela Gateway, through which ferries depart for Robben Island.[73] It is possible to take a ferry from the V&A to Hout Bay, Simon's Town and the Cape fur seal colonies on Seal and Duiker Islands. Several companies offer tours of the Cape Flats, a mostly Coloured township, and Khayelitsha, a mostly black township.[74]

text: Cape Town is noted for its architectural heritage, with the highest density of Cape Dutch style buildings in the world. Cape Dutch style, which combines the architectural traditions of the Netherlands, Germany, France and Indonesia, is most visible in Constantia, the old government buildings in the Central Business District, and along Long Street.[75][76] The annual Cape Town Minstrel Carnival, also known by its Afrikaans name of Kaapse Klopse, is a large minstrel festival held annually on 2 January or "Tweede Nuwe Jaar" (Afrikaans: Second New Year). Competing teams of minstrels parade in brightly coloured costumes, performing Cape Jazz, either carrying colourful umbrellas or playing an array of musical instruments. The Artscape Theatre Centre is the largest performing arts venue in Cape Town.[77]

text: The city also encloses the 36 hectare Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden that contains protected natural forest and fynbos along with a variety of animals and birds. There are over 7,000 species in cultivation at Kirstenbosch, including many rare and threatened species of the Cape Floristic Region. In 2004 this Region, including Kirstenbosch, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[78]

text: Cape Town's transport system links it to the rest of South Africa; it serves as the gateway to other destinations within the province. The Cape Winelands and in particular the towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek are popular day trips from the city for sightseeing and wine tasting.[79][80] Whale watching is popular amongst tourists: southern right whales and humpback whales are seen off the coast during the breeding season (August to November) and Bryde's whales and killer whale can be seen any time of the year.[81] The nearby town of Hermanus is known for its Whale Festival, but whales can also be seen in False Bay.[81] Heaviside's dolphins are endemic to the area and can be seen from the coast north of Cape Town; dusky dolphins live along the same coast and can occasionally be seen from the ferry to Robben Island.[81]

text: The only complete windmill in South Africa is Mostert's Mill, Mowbray. It was built in 1796 and restored in 1935 and again in 1995.

text: The most popular areas for visitors to stay include Camps Bay, Sea Point, the V&A Waterfront, the City Bowl, Hout Bay, Constantia, Rondebosch, Newlands, Somerset West, Hermanus and Stellenbosch.[82]

text: In November 2013, Cape Town was voted the best global city in The Daily Telegraph's annual Travel Awards.[83]

text: Tourism marketing[edit]

text: The City of Cape Town works closely with Cape Town Tourism to promote the city both locally and internationally. The primary focus of Cape Town Tourism is to represent Cape Town as a tourist destination.[84][85] Cape Town Tourism receives a portion of its funding from the City of Cape Town while the remainder is made up of membership fees and own-generated funds.[86]

text:
Cape of Good Hope

Clifton's 4th Beach

Panoramic view across the Victoria Basin at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, with Table Mountain in the background

The distinctive Cape Malay Bo-Kaap is one of the most visited areas in Cape Town.

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

Mostert's Mill

Groote Kerk, Cape Town

text: Communications and media[edit]

text: Several newspapers, magazines and printing facilities have their offices in the city. Independent News and Media publishes the major English language papers in the city, the Cape Argus and the Cape Times. Naspers, the largest media conglomerate in South Africa, publishes Die Burger, the major Afrikaans language paper.[87]

text: Cape Town has many local community newspapers. Some of the largest community newspapers in English are the Athlone News from Athlone, the Atlantic Sun, the Constantiaberg Bulletin from Constantiaberg, the City Vision from Bellville, the False Bay Echo from False Bay, the Helderberg Sun from Helderberg, the Plainsman from Michells Plain, the Sentinel News from Hout Bay, the Southern Mail from the Southern Peninsula, the Southern Suburbs Tatler from the Southern Suburbs, Table Talk from Table View and Tygertalk from Tygervalley/Durbanville. Afrikaans language community newspapers include the Landbou-Burger and the Tygerburger. Vukani, based in the Cape Flats, is published in Xhosa.[88]

text: Cape Town is a centre for major broadcast media with several radio stations that only broadcast within the city. 94.5 Kfm (94.5 MHz FM) and Good Hope FM (94–97 MHz FM) mostly play pop music. Heart FM (104.9 MHz FM), the former P4 Radio, plays jazz and R&B, while Fine Music Radio (101.3 FM) plays classical music and jazz. Bush Radio is a community radio station (89.5 MHz FM). The Voice of the Cape (95.8 MHz FM) and Cape Talk (567 kHz MW) are the major talk radio stations in the city.[89] Bokradio (98.9 MHz FM) is an Afrikaans music station.[90] The University of Cape Town also runs its own radio station, UCT Radio (104.5 MHz FM).

text: The SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) has a small presence in the city, with satellite studios located at Sea Point. e.tv has a greater presence, with a large complex located at Longkloof Studios in Gardens. M-Net is not well represented with infrastructure within the city. Cape Town TV is a local TV station, supported by numerous organisation and focusing mostly on documentaries. Numerous productions companies and their support industries are located in the city, mostly supporting the production of overseas commercials, model shoots, TV-series and movies.[91] The local media infrastructure remains primarily in Johannesburg.

text: Sports[edit]

text:
Venue
Sport
Capacity
Club(s)

Cape Town Stadium
Association football/Rugby
69,070
Ajax CT, Cape Town City FC

Newlands Cricket Ground
Cricket
25,000
Cape Cobras, Western Province Cricket

Newlands Rugby Stadium
Rugby
47,000
Stormers, Western Province

Athlone Stadium
Association football
24,000
Santos Football Club

Philippi Stadium
Association football
5,000

Bellville Velodrome
Cycling track
3,000
Western Province Cycling

Hartleyvale Hockey Centre
Field Hockey
2,000
Western Province Hockey

Turfhall Stadium
Softball
3,000
Western Province Softball

Good Hope Centre
Various indoor sports
6,000
Various

Royal Cape Yacht Club
Sailing
N/A
Royal Cape Yacht Club

Grand West Arena
Various
6,000
N/A

Green Point Athletics Stadium
Athletics, Association football
5,000
N/A

Newlands Swimming Pool
Swimming/water polo/diving
2,000
WP Aquatics

Autshumato/Berg River Dam
Rowing/Canoe-Kayak
N/A
N/A]

Khayelitsha canal
Rowing/Canoe

Khayelitsha Rugby & Soccer stadium
Association football/Rugby
6,000

text: Cape Town's most popular sports by participation are cricket, association football, swimming, and rugby union.[92] In rugby union, Cape Town is the home of the Western Province side, who play at Newlands Stadium and compete in the Currie Cup. In addition, Western Province players (along with some from Wellington's Boland Cavaliers) comprise the Stormers in the Southern Hemisphere's Super Rugby competition. Cape Town also regularly hosts the national team, the Springboks, and hosted matches during the 1995 Rugby World Cup, including the opening ceremony and game, as well as the semi-final between New Zealand and England that saw Jonah Lomu run in four tries.

text: Association football, which is better known as soccer in South Africa, is also popular. Two clubs from Cape Town play in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), South Africa's premier league. These teams are Ajax Cape Town, which formed as a result of the 1999 amalgamation of the Seven Stars and the Cape Town Spurs and resurrected Cape Town City F.C.. Cape Town was also the location of several of the matches of the FIFA 2010 World Cup including a semi-final,[93] held in South Africa. The Mother City built a new 70,000 seat stadium (Cape Town Stadium) in the Green Point area.

text: In cricket, the Cape Cobras represent Cape Town at the Newlands Cricket Ground. The team is the result of an amalgamation of the Western Province Cricket and Boland Cricket teams. They take part in the Supersport and Standard Bank Cup Series. The Newlands Cricket Ground regularly hosts international matches.

text: Cape Town has had Olympic aspirations. For example, in 1996, Cape Town was one of the five candidate cities shortlisted by the IOC to launch official candidatures to host the 2004 Summer Olympics. Although the games ultimately went to Athens, Cape Town came in third place. There has been some speculation that Cape Town was seeking the South African Olympic Committee's nomination to be South Africa's bid city for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.[94] That however was quashed when the International Olympic Committee awarded the 2020 games to Tokyo.

text: Sports events[edit]

text: The city of Cape Town has vast experience in hosting major national and international sports events.

text: The Cape Town Cycle Tour is the world's largest individually timed cycle race – and the first event outside Europe to be included in the International Cycling Union's Golden Bike Series. It sees over 35,000 cyclists tackling a 109 km (68 mi) route around Cape Town. The Absa Cape Epic is the largest full-service mountain bike stage race in the world.

text: Some notable events hosted by Cape Town have included the 1995 Rugby World Cup, 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, and World Championships in various sports such as athletics, fencing, weightlifting, hockey, cycling, canoeing, gymnastics and others.

text: Cape Town was also a host city to the 2010 FIFA World Cup from 11 June to 11 July 2010, further enhancing its profile as a major events city. It was also one of the host cities of the 2009 Indian Premier League cricket tournament.

text: Education[edit]

text: Public primary and secondary schools in Cape Town are run by the Western Cape Education Department. This provincial department is divided into seven districts; four of these are "Metropole" districts – Metropole Central, North, South, and East – which cover various areas of the city.[95] There are also many private schools, both religious and secular, in Cape Town.

text: Tertiary education[edit]

text: Cape Town has a well-developed higher system of public universities. Cape Town is served by three public universities: the University of Cape Town (UCT), the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). Stellenbosch University, while not in the city itself, is 50 kilometres from the City Bowl and has additional campuses, such as the Tygerberg Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and the Bellville Business Park closer to the City.

text: Both the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University are leading universities in South Africa. This is due in large part to substantial financial contributions made to these institutions by both the public and private sector. UCT is an English-speaking institution. It has over 21,000 students and has an MBA programme that is ranked 51st by the Financial Times in 2006.[96] It is also the top-ranked university in Africa, being the only African university to make the world's Top 200 university list at number 146.[97] Since the African National Congress has come into governmental power, some restructuring of Western Cape universities has taken place and as such, traditionally non-white universities have seen increased financing, which has benefitted the University of the Western Cape.[98][99]

text: The public Cape Peninsula University of Technology was formed on 1 January 2005, when two separate institutions – Cape Technikon and Peninsula Technikon – were merged. The new university offers education primarily in English, although one may take courses in any of South Africa's official languages. The institution generally awards the National Diploma.

text: Cape Town has also become a popular study abroad destination for many international college students. Many study abroad providers offer semester, summer, short-term, and internship programs in partnership with Cape Town universities as a chance for international students to gain intercultural understanding.

text: Transport[edit]

text: Air[edit]

text: Cape Town International Airport serves both domestic and international flights. It is the second-largest airport in South Africa and serves as a major gateway for travellers to the Cape region. Cape Town has direct flights to most cities in South Africa as well as a number of international destinations.[100]

text: Cape Town International Airport recently opened a brand new central terminal building that was developed to handle an expected increase in air traffic as tourism numbers increased in the lead-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[101] Other renovations include several large new parking garages, a revamped domestic departure terminal, a new Bus Rapid Transit system station and a new double-decker road system. The airport's cargo facilities are also being expanded and several large empty lots are being developed into office space and hotels.

text: The Cape Town International Airport was among the winners of the World Travel Awards for being Africa's leading airport.[102]

text: Sea[edit]

text: Cape Town has a long tradition as a port city. The Port of Cape Town, the city's main port, is in Table Bay directly to the north of the central business district. The port is a hub for ships in the southern Atlantic: it is located along one of the busiest shipping corridors in the world. It is also a busy container port, second in South Africa only to Durban. In 2004, it handled 3,161 ships and 9.2 million tonnes of cargo.[103]

text: Simon's Town Harbour on the False Bay coast of the Cape Peninsula is the main operational base of the South African Navy.

text: Rail[edit]

text: The Shosholoza Meyl is the passenger rail operations of Spoornet and operates two long-distance passenger rail services from Cape Town: a daily service to and from Johannesburg via Kimberley and a weekly service to and from Durban via Kimberley, Bloemfontein and Pietermaritzburg. These trains terminate at Cape Town railway station and make a brief stop at Bellville. Cape Town is also one terminus of the luxury tourist-oriented Blue Train as well as the five-star Rovos Rail.

text: Metrorail operates a commuter rail service in Cape Town and the surrounding area. The Metrorail network consists of 96 stations throughout the suburbs and outskirts of Cape Town.

text: Road[edit]

text: Cape Town is the origin of three national roads. The N1 and N2 begin in the foreshore area near the city centre.

text: The N1 runs ENE as a highway through Edgemead, Parow, Bellville, and Brackenfell. It connects Cape Town to Paarl and the major cities in the interior - Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Zimbabwe. An older at-grade road, the R101, runs parallel to the N1 from Bellville.

text: The N2 runs ESE as a highway through Rondebosch, Guguletu, Khayelitsha, Macassar to Somerset West. It becomes a multiple-carriageway at-grade road from the intersection with the R44 onwards. The N2 continues east along the coast, linking Cape Town to the coastal cities of Port Elizabeth, East London and Durban. An older at-grade road, the R101, runs parallel to the N1 initially, before veering south at Bellville, to join the N2 at Somerset West via the suburbs of Kuils River and Eerste River.

text: The N7 originates from the N1 at Wingfield Interchange near Edgemead. It runs north, initially as a highway, but becoming an at-grade road from the intersection with the M5 (Potsdam Rd) onwards. It links Cape Town with the Northern Cape Province and Namibia.

text: There are also a number of two- and three-digit regional routes linking Cape Town with surrounding areas. The R27 originates from the N1 near the Foreshore and runs north parallel to the N7, but nearer to the coast. It passes through the suburbs of Milnerton, Table View and Bloubergstrand and links the City to the West Coast, ending at the town of Velddrif. The R44 enters the east of the metro from the north, from Stellenbosch. It connects Stellenbosch to Somerset West, then crosses the N2 to Strand and Gordon's Bay. It exits the metro heading south hugging the coast, leading to the towns of Betty's Bay and Kleinmond.

text: Of the three-digit routes, the R300, which is informally known as the Cape Flats Freeway, is a highway linking the N1 at Brackenfell to the N2 near Mitchells Plain and the Cape Town International Airport. The R302 runs from the R102 in Bellville, heading north across the N1 through Durbanville leaving the metro to Malmesbury. The R304 enters the northern limits of the metro from Stellenbosch, running NNW before veering west to cross the N7 at Philadelphia to end at Atlantis at a junction with the\sR307. This R307 starts north of Koeberg from the R27 and, after meeting the R304, continues north to Darling, Western Cape, Darling. The R310 originates from Muizenberg and runs along the coast, to the south of Mitchell's Plain and Khayelitsha, before veering north-east, crossing the N2 west of Macassar, and exiting the metro heading to Stellenbosch.

text: Cape Town, like most South African cities, uses Metropolitan or "M" routes for important intra-city routes, a layer below National (N) roads and Regional (R) routes. Each city's M roads are independently numbered. Most are at-grade roads. However, the M3 splits from the N2 and runs to the south along the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, connecting the City Bowl with Muizenberg. Except for a section between Rondebosch and Newlands that has at-grade intersections, this route is a highway. The M5 splits from the N1 further east than the M3, and links the Cape Flats to the CBD. It is a highway as far as the interchange with the M68 at Ottery, before continuing as an at-grade road.

text: Cape Town suffers from the worst traffic congestion in South Africa.[104][105]

text: Buses[edit]

text: Golden Arrow Bus Services operates scheduled bus services throughout the Cape Town metropolitan area. Several companies run long-distance bus services from Cape Town to the other cities in South Africa.

text: Integrated Rapid Transit (IRT)[106][edit]

text: Cape Town has a significantly enhanced public transport system in about 10% of the City, running north to south along the west coastline of the City, comprising Phase 1 of the IRT system. This is known as the MyCiTi service.

text: MyCiTi Phase 1 includes services linking the Airport to the Cape Town inner city, as well as the following areas: Blouberg / Table View, Dunoon, Atlantis and Melkbosstrand, Milnerton, Paarden Eiland, Century City, Salt River and Walmer Estate, and all suburbs of the City Bowl and Atlantic Seaboard all the way to Llandudno and Hout Bay.

text: The MyCiTi N2 Express service consists of two routes each linking the Cape Town inner city and Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain on the Cape Flats.

text: The service use high floor articulated and standard size buses in dedicated busways, low floor articulated and standard size buses on the N2 Express service, and smaller 9-metre (30-foot) Optare buses in suburban and inner city areas. It offers universal access through level boarding and numerous other measures, and requires cashless fare payment using the EMV compliant smart card system, called myconnect. Headway of services (i.e. the time between buses on the same route) range from 3 mins to 20 mins in peak times to 60 minutes during quiet off-peak periods.

text: Taxis[edit]

text: Cape Town has two kinds of taxis: metered taxis and minibus taxis. Unlike many cities, metered taxis are not allowed to drive around the city to solicit fares and instead must be called to a specific location.

text: Cape Town metered taxi cabs mostly operate in the city bowl, suburbs and Cape Town International Airport areas. Large companies that operate fleets of cabs can be reached by phone and are cheaper than the single operators that apply for hire from taxi ranks and Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. There are about one thousand meter taxis in Cape Town. Their rates vary from R8 per kilometre to about R15 per kilometre. The larger taxi companies in Cape Town are Excite Taxis, Cabnet and Intercab and single operators are reachable by cellular phone. The seven seated Toyota Avanza are the most popular with larger Taxi companies. Meter cabs are mostly used by tourists and are safer to use than minibus taxis.

text: Minibus taxis are the standard form of transport for the majority of the population who cannot afford private vehicles.[107] Although essential, these taxis are often poorly maintained and are frequently not road-worthy. These taxis make frequent unscheduled stops to pick up passengers, which can cause accidents.[108][109] With the high demand for transport by the working class of South Africa, minibus taxis are often filled over their legal passenger allowance. Minibuses are generally owned and operated in fleets.[110]

text:
Table Mountain from the harbour

Metrorail train leaving Kalk Bay station

N2 highway, entering the City Bowl

Taxi rank above Cape Town railway station

text: Twin towns – sister cities[edit]

text: Cape Town has nine twin towns and sister cities:

text:
Country
City
Established

 Belgium
Antwerp[111][unreliable source]
1996

 Germany
Aachen[112]
2000

 Israel
Haifa[113]
1975

 China
Hangzhou[114]
2005

 Mozambique
Maputo[citation needed]
1994

 France
Nice[115]
1974

 Russia
Saint Petersburg[116]
2001

 Portugal
Funchal[citation needed]
1995

 Angola
Luanda[citation needed]
1997