The Limpopo Province of South Africa was formed from the northern region of the old Transvaal province in 1994, and was initially named Northern Transvaal. The following year, it was renamed Northern Province, which remained the name until 2003, when the name of the province was formally changed to Limpopo Province. The province shares its name with the Limpopo river which forms the northern boundary with Zimbabwe and Botswana. The most common spoken languages in the Limpopo Province are Tsonga, Northern Sotho, Venda and Afrikaans. Polokwane is the capital of the Limpopo Province. Polokwane was formerly known as Pietersburg and is a popular ecotourism destination in South Africa.
The Limpopo Province shares borders with Zimbabwe and Botswana. The province acts as a the link between South Africa and the other countries in sub-Saharan Africa. On its southern flank from east to west, the Limpopo Province shares borders with Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and North West. The province has excellent road, rail, and air links. The N1 route from Johannesburg, which extends the length of the province, is the busiest overland route in Africa in terms of cross-border trade in raw materials and beneficiated goods. The port of Durban, Africa’s busiest, is served directly by the province, as are the ports of Richards Bay and Maputo.
Several ethnic groups distinguished by culture and language are located in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The Northern Sotho make up the largest number followed by the Tsonga and the Venda. Afrikaans and English speakers make up the smalest percentage.
Much of the Waterberg Biosphere is situated within the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The Waterberg Biosphere is the first region in the northern part of South Africa to be named as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The Waterberg ecosystem can be characterised as a dry deciduous forest or Bushveld. Within the Waterberg there are archaeological finds dating to the Stone Age, and nearby are early evolutionary finds related to the origin of humans.
