Tshwane

Tshwane, officially the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, is a metropolitan municipality in Gauteng province, South Africa. It encompasses Pretoria, the administrative capital of the country, and a wide surrounding area of towns, suburbs, and rural settlements. The municipal seat is in Pretoria. The municipality is one of nine metropolitan areas in South Africa and is governed by a metropolitan council.

The entity was established in 2000 through the amalgamation of Pretoria with surrounding local authorities as part of national local government reforms. It is named after Tshwane, a Tswana word reflecting the heritage of the region, and is the administrative umbrella for a diverse urban and rural region. In common usage, the core urban area is still identified as Pretoria, while the metropolitan government uses the name Tshwane.

Geography and economy: The area lies to the north of Johannesburg and includes dense urban suburbs as well as townships and rural outskirts. The economy blends government administration, education, commerce, and industry. Major institutions include the University of Pretoria and the Tshwane University of Technology. The region is served by major transport corridors, including the N1 and N4 highways and the Gautrain link between Pretoria and Johannesburg; Wonderboom Airport handles regional air traffic.

Demographics and landmarks: The population comprises multiple ethnic and linguistic communities, with languages such as Afrikaans, Northern Sotho, Setswana, Zulu, and English spoken widely. Notable landmarks include the Union Buildings, the Voortrekker Monument, and the National Zoological Garden.

Governance: The metropolitan council handles service delivery, planning, housing, and regulatory functions across the metro, with ward representation and an elected executive mayor.