Grootfontein
Encyclopedia
Grootfontein is a city of 14,200 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of central Namibia
. It is one of the three towns in the Otavi Triangle, situated on the B8 national road
that leads from Windhoek
to the Caprivi Strip
. Grootfontein receives an annual average rainfall of 557 millimetres (21.9 in), although in the 2010/2011 rainy season 956 millimetres (37.6 in) were measured.
families from the north-west of South Africa
settled at Grootfontein. Part of the Dorsland trek
kers, they were heading towards Angola
. When that territory fell under Portuguese
control, they turned back and tried to establish the "Republic Upingtonia" at Grootfontein. Abandoned by 1887, it became the headquarters of the South West Africa Company in 1893.
Like all the towns in the Otavi Triangle, Grootfontein is very green in summer but drier in winter. In spring, jacaranda
and flamboyant trees
bloom in profusion. The town has an old German Schutztruppe
fortress from the year 1896, which today houses a museum
that expounds on the local history. The economic mainspring of the area were for many decades the Berg Aukas and Abenab mines to the north east of the town. These produced zinc
and vanadium
but have since closed. This is dolomite
country and the carbonate
deposits in the upper parts of the mine have yielded interesting fossil
s of simian
or pongoid creatures that lived millions of years before modern humans evolved.
Twenty four kilometres west of Grootfontein lies the huge Hoba meteorite
. At over 60 tons, it is the largest known meteorite
on Earth, as well as being the largest naturally occurring mass of iron known to exist on the planet's surface.
on TransNamib
, the national railway and transport system. Grootfontein also has a military base which housed several units of the now departed South African Defence Force
. It has an airfield that can handle large transport carriers such as the Hercules C130, as well as commercial passenger aircraft.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
. It is one of the three towns in the Otavi Triangle, situated on the B8 national road
B8 road (Namibia)
The B8 road often known as the Golden Highway is one of the national highways of Namibia. It leads from the capital Windhoek to the Caprivi Strip, in the Otavi triangle....
that leads from Windhoek
Windhoek
Windhoek is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Namibia. It is located in central Namibia in the Khomas Highland plateau area, at around above sea level. The 2001 census determined Windhoek's population was 233,529...
to the Caprivi Strip
Caprivi Strip
Caprivi, sometimes called the Caprivi Strip , Caprivi Panhandle or the Okavango Strip and formally known as Itenge, is a narrow protrusion of Namibia eastwards about , between Botswana to the south, Angola and Zambia to the north, and Okavango Region to the west. Caprivi is bordered by the...
. Grootfontein receives an annual average rainfall of 557 millimetres (21.9 in), although in the 2010/2011 rainy season 956 millimetres (37.6 in) were measured.
Overview
The place was known to the Herero under the name Otjivanda. In 1885, 40 BoerBoer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
families from the north-west of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
settled at Grootfontein. Part of the Dorsland trek
Dorsland Trek
Dorsland Trek is the collective name of a series of northwards explorations undertaken by South African settlers in the second half of the 19th century in search of political independence...
kers, they were heading towards Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
. When that territory fell under Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
control, they turned back and tried to establish the "Republic Upingtonia" at Grootfontein. Abandoned by 1887, it became the headquarters of the South West Africa Company in 1893.
Like all the towns in the Otavi Triangle, Grootfontein is very green in summer but drier in winter. In spring, jacaranda
Jacaranda
Jacaranda is a genus of 49 species of flowering plants in the family Bignoniaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions of South America , Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. It is also found in Asia, especially in Nepal...
and flamboyant trees
Royal Poinciana
Delonix regia is a species of flowering plant from the Fabaceae family, Caesalpinioideae subfamilia, noted for its fern-like leaves and flamboyant display of flowers. In many tropical parts of countries around the world it is grown as an ornamental tree and in English it is given the name Royal...
bloom in profusion. The town has an old German Schutztruppe
Schutztruppe
Schutztruppe was the African colonial armed force of Imperial Germany from the late 19th century to 1918, when Germany lost its colonies. Similar to other colonial forces, the Schutztruppe consisted of volunteer European commissioned and non-commissioned officers, medical and veterinary officers. ...
fortress from the year 1896, which today houses a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
that expounds on the local history. The economic mainspring of the area were for many decades the Berg Aukas and Abenab mines to the north east of the town. These produced zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
and vanadium
Vanadium
Vanadium is a chemical element with the symbol V and atomic number 23. It is a hard, silvery gray, ductile and malleable transition metal. The formation of an oxide layer stabilizes the metal against oxidation. The element is found only in chemically combined form in nature...
but have since closed. This is dolomite
Dolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
country and the carbonate
Carbonate
In chemistry, a carbonate is a salt of carbonic acid, characterized by the presence of the carbonate ion, . The name may also mean an ester of carbonic acid, an organic compound containing the carbonate group C2....
deposits in the upper parts of the mine have yielded interesting fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s of simian
Simian
The simians are the "higher primates" familiar to most people: the Old World monkeys and apes, including humans, , and the New World monkeys or platyrrhines. Simians tend to be larger than the "lower primates" or prosimians.- Classification and evolution :The simians are split into three groups...
or pongoid creatures that lived millions of years before modern humans evolved.
Twenty four kilometres west of Grootfontein lies the huge Hoba meteorite
Hoba meteorite
Hoba is a meteorite that lies on the farm "Hoba West", not far from Grootfontein, in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia. It has been uncovered but, because of its large mass, has never been moved from where it fell...
. At over 60 tons, it is the largest known meteorite
Meteorite
A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
on Earth, as well as being the largest naturally occurring mass of iron known to exist on the planet's surface.
Transport
Grootfontein is a railheadRailhead
The word railhead is a railway term with two distinct meanings, depending upon its context.Sometimes, particularly in the context of modern freight terminals, the word is used to denote a terminus of a railway line, especially if the line is not yet finished, or if the terminus interfaces with...
on TransNamib
TransNamib
TransNamib is the railway parastatal of Namibia. Organised as a holding company, it provides freight by rail and road as well as passenger services. Its administration is located in Windhoek.-History:...
, the national railway and transport system. Grootfontein also has a military base which housed several units of the now departed South African Defence Force
South African Defence Force
The South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...
. It has an airfield that can handle large transport carriers such as the Hercules C130, as well as commercial passenger aircraft.
Famous residents
- Behati PrinslooBehati PrinslooBehati Prinsloo is a Namibian model. She is known for her work as spokesmodel for the Victoria's Secret sub-brand Pink.-Biography and career:...
- model, best known for working with Victoria's SecretVictoria's SecretVictoria's Secret is an American retailer of women's wear, lingerie and beauty products. It is the largest segment of publicly-traded Limited Brands with sales of over US$5 billion and an operating income of $1 billion in 2006... - Leon JoosteLeon JoosteLeon Jooste is a Namibian politician and businessperson. A member of SWAPO, he was appointed to replace Gerhard Tötemeyer in the National Assembly of Namibia. In 2005, he was elected on the SWAPO Party list and appointed as the Deputy Minister of Environment and Tourism in Hifikepunye Pohamba's...
- SWAPO politician and businessman - Hage GeingobHage GeingobHage Geingob is a Namibian politician who was the first Prime Minister of Namibia following its independence, serving from 1990 to 2002...
- SWAPO Party leader and former Vice President of Namibia - Lydia KatjitaLydia KatjitaLydia Katjita is a former member of the National Assembly of Namibia and the Pan-African Parliament.-Biography:...
- SWAPO politician and member of the Pan-African ParliamentPan-African ParliamentThe Pan-African Parliament , also known as the African Parliament, is the legislative body of the African Union and held its inaugural session in March 2004. The PAP exercises oversight, and has advisory and consultative powers, lasting for the first five years... - Hannes SmithHannes SmithJohannes Martin Smith , affectionately known as Smithie, was a Namibian journalist, editor and publisher. He was first reporter at, then the editor of, the Windhoek Advertiser until 1978 when he and Gwen Lister founded the Windhoek Observer, the country's only Saturday paper at that time...
- Journalist - Inge ZaamwaniInge ZaamwaniIngenesia Zaamwani is a Namibian businesswoman. She has been the managing director of Namdeb, the mining joint venture between the government of Namibia and De Beers corporation, since 1999...
- Businesswoman
External links
- http://www.altefortmuseum.de - Website of the Alte Fort Museum in the former German Schutztruppe fortress