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Hanover
is the middle of EVERYWHERE!
The town of
Hanover
is centrally situated geographically which makes it always on the road to EVERYWHERE! It nestles at the crossroads and midpoint of the N1 highway between
Cape Town
(south) and
Johannesburg
(north) and the N10 between Upington (the route to
Namibia
) and eastwards towards
Port Elizabeth
at the coast.
Located in the Great Karoo, Hanover falls into the area known as the north-east Karoo, closest to the
Free State
and within the
Northern Cape
province
of
South Africa
.
........Covering about 390 000 square kilometres.............
Covering about 390 000 square kilometres, the Great Karoo is one of the least densely populated areas of South Africa with an average of less than two people per square kilometre. Towns are usually small but full of character (and characters!) The area is known for large sheep and game farms.
The
Karoo
is historically famous for it’s healthy climate of hot dry summers and cold dry winters. In the summer (December to January)
Hanover
day time temperatures can reach 35oC or higher. Rain may fall between February and April – average annual rainfall: 300mm. During the winter months (May to August) night time temperatures can fall below zero but days are usually warm.
Hanover
is 1400 metres above sea level. The surrounding terrain is made up of flat grasslands broken by ridges and outcrops of
Karoo
dolerite rock. Two landmark hillocks (“koppies”) form a boundary to the town of
Hanover
– “Trappieskop” (Little Stair hill) and “Dassieskop” (Rock Hyrax hill). It is possible to see, in the grasslands surrounding
Hanover
, fine examples of dolerite outcrops which have been weathered to look like piles of squarish blocks. Known as “woolsack” weathering, the rocks look like rows of stacked up wool sacks.
Primary industry in the district is farming – mostly sheep but also cattle, horses and game. The Afrikaans language is predominantly spoken but English is widely used along with isiXhosa.
Bibliography:
Getaway Guide to Karoo,
Namaqualand
and Kalahari - Brent Naudé-Moseley and Steve Moseley
De Beers Geological Journeys - Nick Norman and Gavin Whitfield |
