Welcome to Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa!
From its natural landscapes 🌳 to its economic importance and rich cultural heritage, it offers fascinating facts for you to discover!
This article will offer some amazing facts about Johannesburg that will amaze you!
Let’s begin this exciting😀 journey!
Interesting Facts on Johannesburg
Johannesburg: Famous as the second-biggest city in Africa
I am quite amazed by this big fact about the city of Johannesburg!
It is the largest city and the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest 💰province in the country.
Moreover, it is one of the world’s 40 largest metropolitan areas. It is also famous as the second-biggest city in the African continent.
Johannesburg: It has a golden history
Did you know the golden history of Johannesburg?
This beautiful South African city is famous as the industrial and financial metropolis of the country, coming from a rich and interesting history of gold mining.
You will be amazed to know that around 40% of the world’s gold💰 is discovered in the region of Greater Johannesburg. Isn’t it amazing?
Name of the city: There is a little controversy behind its name
Little friends, enjoy this fun secret hidden behind the name Joburg or Johannesburg!
When the Europeans moved to the country of South Africa, most of them had the name Johannes. These people took an active part in the growth of the city.
One of the most important persons by the name of Johannes was Hendrik Dercksen Christiaan Johannes Joubert, the surveyor-general.
He was a member of the Volksraad and also the Republic’s chief of mining.
However, there are no official records that can tell about the choice and origin of the name Johannesburg.
Johannesburg: The city is famous as Africa’s economic powerhouse
I am really impressed after diving into this amazing secret about the beautiful city of Johannesburg!
This wonderful city is often described as the economic powerhouse 😲of Africa.
Johannesburg has more than one business central district, like Roodepoort, Sandton, and Rosebank.
International operations even have their headquarters in the city of Johannesburg.
Also, the country’s only stock exchange market, Johannesburg Securities Exchange, is among the top twenty names in the world.
Apartheid Museum: Explore some interesting secrets
Just like me, if you wish to get a good idea about Apartheid in the country of South Africa, you must know about an amazing place in the city called The Apartheid Museum.
It offers a graphic and clear image of apartheid through interesting artifacts, photos, 🖼️film footage, newspaper clippings📰, and distressing personal accounts.
While walking through those interesting exhibits, we can easily feel the emotional journey of black South African people during Apartheid.
It showcases the immense struggle and path taken to democracy.
Johannesburg City: City with the largest man-made forest
Heard about the largest man-made forest in the world??
There are more than 6 million cities in the city. Most of the trees 🌳 found here are not indigenous, as Johannesburg used to be a grassland.
These beautiful trees were planted to support mines, and a lot of those trees are blue gum.
The greenhouse effect is an incident of the past in this city thanks to this wonderful urban forest.
Also, there are around 6 million trees in the Johannesburg metropolis, an alpha global city. Also, the number is growing by 1.2 million every year on sidewalks and pavements.
Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital: The biggest in the African continent
I am very happy to explore this secret about the biggest hospital 🏥in Africa, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. It is located in Johannesburg City!
It is the largest hospital on the continent and also the third-largest one on the planet.
It has around 3400 beds, 6760 staff members, and even covers almost 170 acres.
This huge hospital is found in the Soweto region, located in the south of the city.
It is one of the forty Gauteng provincial hospitals. It is also a teaching hospital for the University of the Witwatersrand Medical School.
The city of Johannesburg: It is more than 130 years old
Little historians, just like me, you will be amazed to explore this historical fact about the city!
It was founded on October 4, 1886. It is one of the most famous and youngest cities in the world.
Also, the city of Johannesburg was rebuilt almost four times within just one century.
First, it was a tented camp, and then it became a town of tin shanties.
After that, it became a town filled with four-storied Edwardian brick buildings🏗️, and lastly, it became famous as a city of modern 🌆skyscrapers.
Johannesburg: Know about the most populous city in the country
According to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, Johannesburg metropolis is an alpha global city.
In 2016, it was estimated from collected data that Johannesburg has a population 👨of around 6.4 million people.
As per the report in 2019, the population of this city reached around 66.4 people. In contrast, the urban population of Johannesburg metropolis is an alpha global city with 8 million people.
Mandela Museum: A must-visit place in Johannesburg
I am quite surprised to explore this interesting place in the city! Want to know more??
The Nelson Mandela National Museum, also famous as the Mandela House in Soweto, is a must-visit place in this amazing South African city.
It can be seen on Vilakazi Street, Orlando West, Soweto, South Africa.
This house was donated by Mandela to be run as a museum by the Soweto Heritage Trust on September 1, 1997.
This interesting museum was declared a National Heritage Site in the year 1999.
OR Tambo International Airport: The largest and busiest airport in Africa
Little fact learners, be prepared to explore Africa’s busiest and largest airport 🛬called OR Tambo International Airport!
This world-famous airport receives more than 21 million people every year and processes around 28 million people.
It even serves as the primary airport for both international and domestic travel to and from the country of South Africa.
OR Tambo International Airport was originally known as Jan Smuts International Airport after the country’s former Prime Minister.
Johannesburg: Here, 40% of human fossils were found
I am quite mystified by this terrific secret about Johannesburg!
The city of Johannesburg has a rich archaeological site called the Cradle of Humankind, which is situated on the outskirts of the city.
Around 40% of the world’s fossils were found in this South African city, and most of those were discovered in the Cradle of Humankind.
Thus, in the year 1999, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Johannesburg: Explore the world’s deepest mine in this green city
Want to explore some golden secrets of Johannesburg?
This leafy city of South Africa started as a mining town. This means that here we will get to see the world’s deepest mines.
This mine’s mining shaft extends down to almost 4 kilometers below the surface, and it could take around one hour to get to the bottom of the mine.
It is also famous as one of the most extensive gold mines on the planet🌏. Quite impressive, right?
Soweto: It is a part of the city of Johannesburg
Soweto is located around 20 kilometers southwest of the city of Johannesburg.
The region was set apart for planned segregation. Black workers were residing here in shacks made of corrugated iron.
Also, this place was the birthplace of the struggle for democracy. In the year 1976, there was even an attempt to overthrow the state of apartheid.
In 1994, these two cities were joined and made Soweto a part of Johannesburg.
The previous collection of settlements outside the city of Johannesburg was upgraded to a city.
Architecture in Johannesburg: This city has some attractive ones!
Oh! I am so excited to face these awe-inspiring secrets about this South African city! It is home to some of the tallest structures of the continent.
These are Hillbrow Tower (269 m tall), Sentech Tower, Ponte City Apartments, and the Carlton Centre.
The skyline of Johannesburg is also defined by several international organizations, like Absa, IBM, Willis Group, BHP Billiton, Nedbank, First National Bank, and Standard Bank.
Here, modern structures were built after pulling down older structures.
The central business district is dominated by mainly four kinds of architecture, including Art Deco, Victorian Colonial, Edwardian Baroque, and Modernism.
Johannesburg City: The tallest and fastest rollercoaster
The beautiful city of Johannesburg is home to the continent’s fastest and tallest rollercoaster🎢, known as the Tower of Terror of Gold Reef City. Sounds interesting! Isn’t it??
This vertical drop coaster has a 47-meter drop and even generates a G-force of more than 6 Gs. Oh! My God!!
Traffic in the city: It is really brutal
According to figures stated earlier in 2018, Johannesburg is the second most congested 🚦city in the country after Cape Town.
It is the 44th most congested city around the globe.
In 2017, residents of Johannesburg spent an average of 46 hours in peak traffic; also, this city has more than 7500 km of roads.
City Deep: Meet the world’s largest dry port
I love this interesting secret about Johannesburg very much!
The city of Johannesburg isn’t located near a navigable river or a coastline.
In 1977, City Deep was developed by South African Railways 🛤️to accommodate around the city’s 50% cargo which comes from the ports in Durban and Cape Town.
Vilkazi Street: It has the residents of two Nobel Prize winners
Two Nobel Prize Winners🥇!! Sounds impressive!!
Vilakazi Street is famous for having the residents of two Nobel Prize winners, the former president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, and former Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Summing up
So, little knowledge hunters, now you know that Johannesburg is a beautiful South African city 😲that takes pride in its natural beauty, modern advancements, and cultural and economic heritage!
From museums and mines to hospitals and skyscrapers, what in Johannesburg attracts you more?
As we are already engaged, we would love to know your feedback!
I’m a former teacher (and mother of Two Childs) with a background in child development. Here to help you with play-based learning activities for kids. ( Check my Next startup Cledemy.Com)
