veldt

The veldt, also referred to as veldt in older English, is a term for the wide open grassland plains of Southern Africa. The word comes from Afrikaans veld, meaning field or open country. The term is used in geography, ecology, and travel to describe landscape types across southern Africa, including parts of South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe.

Veld landscapes vary from dry, thorny bushveld to tall grass savannas. Common subtypes include the highveld, a high-altitude plateau with a cooler climate; the mid- and lowveld, lower-lying regions with warmer temperatures and distinct flora and fauna. The veld is home to diverse wildlife and is used for grazing, game reserves, and tourism. Rainfall and fire regimes shape vegetation and ecosystem dynamics.

Etymology and usage: veldt is a variant spelling found in some older texts but veld is the standard in contemporary English. In place names and cultural references, veld is widely used; veldt appears less commonly today.

The Veldt is a science fiction short story by Ray Bradbury, published in 1950 as part of The Illustrated Man. It depicts a technologically advanced household with an artificial reality nursery that creates a virtual African veldt, including dangerous lions. The story explores themes of technology, parenting, and the consequences of immersive virtual environments, and is widely studied in literature.