Graskop

Graskop

Shops along the main street of Graskop
Graskop
Graskop
Graskop

 Graskop shown within Mpumalanga

Coordinates: 24°55′54″S 30°50′30″E / 24.93167°S 30.84167°E / -24.93167; 30.84167Coordinates: 24°55′54″S 30°50′30″E / 24.93167°S 30.84167°E / -24.93167; 30.84167
Country South Africa
Province Mpumalanga
District Ehlanzeni
Municipality Thaba Chweu
Established 1880
Area[1]
 • Total 35.01 km2 (13.52 sq mi)
Elevation 1,436 m (4,711 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
 • Total 3,996
 • Density 110/km2 (300/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
 • Black African 61.2%
 • Coloured 13.0%
 • Indian/Asian 0.9%
 • White 22.9%
 • Other 2.0%
First languages (2011)[1]
 • Afrikaans 29.4%
 • Northern Sotho 22.0%
 • Sotho 14.8%
 • English 10.9%
 • Other 22.8%
Postal code (street) 1270
PO box 1270
Area code 013

Graskop is a small town in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. It was set up in the 1880s as a gold mining camp but it now serves as a tourist destination and the timber industry. The name is Afrikaans for grassy peak. “God’s Window”, a scenic view from the escarpment of the Lowveld below, is located outside the town.

Town 14 km south-east of Pilgrim's Rest and 28 km north of Sabie. It was laid out between 1880 and 1890 on a farm belonging to Abel Erasmus, Native Commissioner of the Transvaal Republic. Named after a grassy hillock (Afrikaans gras, ‘grass’, kop, ‘hillock’). Originally it was a mining camp. It is the best place to view the "Edge of the Lowveld", with a sudden drop of 700 metres.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Graskop". Census 2011.
  2. ↑ "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 187.
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