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Sutherland
Town
Top left: Fort Steenbok, a fortification from the Second Boer War. Top right: an aerial view of the South African Astronomical Observatory. Middle left: the main church in the town centre. Middle right: a view of the stars in the nights sky in Sutherland. Bottom: a panoramic view of the town centre facing away from the main church.
SutherlandShow map of Northern CapeSutherlandShow map of South AfricaSutherlandShow map of Africa
Coordinates: 32°23′37″S 20°39′41″E / 32.39361°S 20.66139°E / -32.39361; 20.66139
Country	South Africa
Province	Northern Cape
District	Namakwa
Municipality	Karoo Hoogland
Established	1858
Area
• Total	35.98 km (13.89 sq mi)
Elevation	1,460 m (4,790 ft)
Population
• Total	2,836
• Density	79/km (200/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	8.0%
• Coloured	78.2%
• Indian/Asian	0.8%
• White	12.7%
• Other	0.3%
First languages (2011)
• Afrikaans	96.0%
• English	1.9%
• Other	2.1%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	6920
PO box	6920
Area code	023

Sutherland is a town with about 2,841 inhabitants in the Northern Cape province of South Africa. It lies in the western Roggeveld Mountains in the Karoo.

History

Sutherland was founded in 1855 as a church and market town to serve the area's sheep farmers. By 1872 the town had a population of 138 registered citizens living in 19 houses. The large Dutch Reformed church in the centre of Sutherland was built in 1899.

During the Anglo Boer War the church was used as a fort by garrisoned British soldiers. During the war a number of engagements between British and Boer forces occurred in the town. In one such engagement a force of 250 Boer commandos attacked the local British garrison for 10 hours. The ruins of a fort can be found on the outskirts of town on the hill called Rebelskop. This was named after this engagement.

Economy

Major economic activities include tourism and sheep farming. The area includes at least twelve registered B&B's, guest houses and guest farms. The nearby South African Astronomical Observatory also plays a significant role in the town's economy and is a major driver of tourism to the area. The town also has a number of bars, restaurants and an amateur astronomy observatory that service the tourism sector.

Sutherland has recently gained in popularity, with many Capetonians buying property in the town and many more visiting on weekends and vacations.

Geography

Sutherland's arid climate and remote location 1,450 metres (4,760 ft) above sea level make its night skies among the world's clearest and darkest. The telescopes of the South African Astronomical Observatory are nearby at 32°22′46″S 20°48′38.5″E / 32.37944°S 20.810694°E / -32.37944; 20.810694 (SAAO). These include the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), the largest single optical telescope in the southern hemisphere.

Climate

Sutherland is the coldest town in South Africa, although the farm Buffelsfontein near Molteno holds the official lowest temperature record in Continental South Africa, of −20.2 °C (−4 °F).

The South African Prince Edward Islands have experienced significantly lower temperatures, however, these islands have sub-Antarctic, highland climates and are located well to the southeast of mainland South Africa.

Snowfall in Sutherland is common in winter, And precipitation ranges from 170mm to 300mm mostly in the form of rain.  The coldest temperature recorded in Sutherland was −16.4 °C (2.5 °F) on 12 July 2003, And the lowest Daytime temperature was recorded at -6 °C on 2 August 2012. Sutherland has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk).

The climate record is sparse; the data below is drawn from the 2017-2020 records.

Notable residents

Notable residents of Sutherland include:

• NP van Wyk Louw, famous Afrikaner poet and elder brother of WEG Louw was born in Sutherland.
• WEG Louw, famous Afrikaner poet and younger brother of NP van Wyk Louw was born in Sutherland.
• Dr Henry Olivier, chief engineer of the Kariba Dam project and contributing inventor of the Mulberry Harbours was born in Sutherland.
• Adriaan Vlok, national government minister of Law and Order from 1986 to 1991 was born in Sutherland.
• André van der Merwe, a famous South African urologist born in Sutherland.

See also

• South African Astronomical Observatory
• Southern African Large Telescope

References

1. ^ "Main Place Sutherland". Census 2011.
2. "World Gazetteer". Archived from the original on 5 January 2013.
3. "About Sutherland". Kambrokind. Kambrokind. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
4. Roberts, Trygve (17 August 2014). "Sutherland, Northern Cape, South Africa – A real-time tour". Youtube. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
5. ^ Du Plessis, Jolene (April 2012). "Sutherland's environment and history make it one of SA's more interesting dorps. And then, of course, it's the home of SALT …". Show Me. Country Life. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
6. Sutherland Information Archived 24 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine
7. "Home". blesfontein.co.za.
8. SALT home page
9. "New minimum temperature record for South Africa". Retrieved 12 June 2014.
10. "Marion Island, South Africa". earthobservatory.nasa.gov. 18 October 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
11. "Sutherland climate". www.saexplorer.co.za. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
12. "Climate Sutherland". meteoblue. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
13. "Sutherland, South Africa - Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast". Weather Atlas. Yu Media Group. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
14. South African Weather Service Archived 7 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine
15. "Sutherland, Northern Cape". www.accuweather.com. 2 August 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
16. accuweather.com

External links

• South African Astronomical Observatory website
• Discover Sutherland
• Sutherland Tourism – official website
• Sutherland on www.karoo-southafrica.co.za

v t e Municipalities and communities of Namakwa District Municipality, Northern Cape
District seat: Springbok
Hantam	Brandvlei Calvinia Loeriesfontein Nieuwoudtville
Kamiesberg	Garies Hondeklip Bay Kamieskroon Karkams Koingnaas Leliefontein Soebatsfontein Spoegrivier
Karoo Hoogland	Fraserburg Sutherland Williston
Khâi-Ma	Aggeneys Onseepkans Pella Pofadder
Nama Khoi	Buffelsrivier Concordia Goodhouse Grootmis Henkries Kleinzee Komaggas Nababeep Okiep Springbok Steinkopf Vioolsdrif
Richtersveld	Alexander Bay Eksteenfontein Kuboes Lekkersing Port Nolloth Sanddrif

• Populated places in the Karoo Hoogland Local Municipality
• Karoo
• Populated places established in 1858
• 1858 establishments in the British Empire