Gauteng

Gauteng is one of South Africa's nine provinces. It is the smallest by land area but the most populous. Located in the northeast of the country, it sits on the Highveld and is bounded by the provinces of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, and KwaZulu-Natal. Pretoria, within the City of Tshwane, serves as the provincial administrative capital, while Johannesburg, the province's largest city, is its economic hub. The metropolitan area also includes major urban centers such as Sandton and Soweto.

In history, gold was discovered on the Witwatersrand in 1886, fueling a rapid influx of migrants and the founding of Johannesburg. The area became part of the Union of South Africa in 1910 and was reorganized as a province after 1994.

Gauteng is the economic heart of South Africa, contributing a large share of the nation's GDP through finance, manufacturing, mining, logistics, and services. It hosts the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and numerous corporate headquarters. The province relies on modern infrastructure, including O.R. Tambo International Airport near Johannesburg and the Gautrain rapid rail link between Johannesburg and Pretoria.

The population is highly urbanized and diverse, with multiple languages spoken and strong internal migration. The provincial government is headed by a Premier and a provincial legislature, with administration exercised from Pretoria and Johannesburg. The province is subdivided into three metropolitan municipalities and several district municipalities.

Notable cultural and historical sites include the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill, and the region is known for its high-level business districts, world-class universities, and vibrant urban culture.