Pretoria

Pretoria
/pri tawr"ee euh, -tohr"-/, n.
a city in and the administrative capital of the Republic of South Africa, in the NE part: also the capital of Transvaal. 595,000.

* * *

City (pop., 1991 est.: metro. area, 1,080,000), administrative capital of the Republic of South Africa.

Founded in 1855, it became the capital of the Transvaal in 1860, the administrative capital of South Africa in 1910, and a city in 1931. During the South African War in 1899, Winston Churchill was imprisoned there until his escape. Pretoria is primarily a seat of government, and most people are employed in the service sector. It is also an important rail centre, with an industrial economy based on iron and steel. Its educational institutions include the University of South Africa (1873) and the University of Pretoria (1908). See also Bloemfontein; Cape Town.

* * *

      city in Gauteng province and administrative capital of the Republic of South Africa. Pretoria stretches along both sides of the Apies River and extends into the western foothills of the Magaliesberg on the east. Founded in 1855 by Marthinus (Pretorius, Marthinus Wessel), son of Andries Pretorius (Pretorius, Andries), the Boer statesman for whom the city was named, it became the capital of the Transvaal in 1860, administrative capital of South Africa in 1910, and a city in 1931. During the South African War, Winston Churchill was imprisoned there (1899) until his escape. The Peace of Vereeniging, ending the war, was signed at Melrose House on May 31, 1902.

      Pretoria is well-planned and famous for its streets lined with jacaranda trees. Church Street stretches east-west for 12 miles (20 km). The post-World War II boom is evidenced by skyscrapers around Church Square. Landmarks commemorate Boer history (notably the Voortrekker Monument and the Paul Kruger and Louis Botha statues). Cultural attractions include the Kruger Museum, the National Cultural History Museum, and an art museum.

      Pretoria is adorned with large parks, notably the terraced gardens of the Union Buildings, the sunken gardens of Venning Park, municipal nature reserves, and the National Zoological Gardens. It has Anglican and Roman Catholic cathedrals and is the seat of the universities of Pretoria (founded 1908, university 1930) and South Africa (founded 1873, correspondence school 1946) and technical and teacher-training colleges. At the city's outskirts are the Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the country's largest research organization.

      Pretoria is primarily a seat of government, but it is also an important rail and industrial centre. Economic activities include engineering, food processing, and diamond mining. In 2000 Pretoria became part of the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. Pop. (2005 est.) urban agglom., 1,282,000.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Pretoria — Héraldique Dra …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Prétoria — Pretoria Pretoria Administration Pays …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Pretoria — Pretoria …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Pretoria — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Imagen del centro de la ciudad. Pretoria es una ciudad situada en la parte norte de la provincia de Gauteng, en Sudáfrica, dentro de la Municipalidad Metropolitana de la Ciudad de Tshwane. Es la capital… …   Wikipedia Español

  • PRETORIA — Située dans la province de Pretoria Witwatersrand Vereeniging formée en 1994 à la suite du redécoupage des anciennes provinces d’Afrique du Sud, Pretoria est depuis 1910 le siège du gouvernement de l’Union sud africaine puis de la république… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • PRETORIA — PRETORIA, administrative capital of the Republic of South Africa. The earliest Jewish settlers after the foundation of Pretoria in 1855 were among the officials whom the Boer government brought from Holland. One such was M. de Vries, and although …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Pretorĭa — Pretorĭa, Hauptstadt der ehemaligen südafrikanischen Republik Transvaal, unter 25°46 südl. Br. und 28°49 östl. L., in baumloser Ebene zwischen den Magalies und Witwatersrandbergen, 1356 m ü. M., durch Eisenbahn mit Kapstadt, Port Elizabeth und… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Pretoria — Pretorĭa, Hauptstadt der brit. Transvaalkolonie [Karte: Afrika I, 6], (1904) 36.700 E., davon 21.161 Weiße; Gymnasium, Lehrerseminar, Bergakademie …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • pretoria — s. f. 1. Sala anexa aos conventos na qual se julgavam pleitos. 2.  [Brasil] Jurisdição do pretor brasileiro. 3. Repartição de pretor.   ‣ Etimologia: pretor + ia …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • pretoría — (De pretor1). f. Dignidad de pretor …   Diccionario de la lengua española

  • Pretoria — [prē tôr′ē ə, pritôr′ē ə] administrative capital of South Africa, in Gauteng province: pop. 526,000 …   English World dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”