Bethlehem, South Africa
Bethlehem is a city in the eastern Free State province of South Africa that is situated on the Liebenbergs river (also called Liebenbergs Vlei) along a fertile valley just north of the Rooiberg Mountains on the N5 road. It is the fastest growing city in the Free state province, with its target of being the third largest city after Bloemfontein and Welkom.
Bethlehem | |
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View of Bethlehem CBD looking west | |
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Coat of arms | |
Bethlehem Bethlehem Bethlehem | |
| Coordinates: 28.224°S 28.311°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Free State |
| District | Thabo Mofutsanyane |
| Municipality | Dihlabeng |
| Area | |
| • Total | 27.8 km2 (10.7 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,700 m (5,600 ft) |
| Population (2011) | |
| • Total | 16,236 |
| • Density | 580/km2 (1,500/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • White | 56.0% |
| • Black African | 32.7% |
| • Coloured | 8.7% |
| • Indian/Asian | 2.1% |
| • Other | 0.5% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Afrikaans | 66.7% |
| • Sotho | 19.4% |
| • English | 7.2% |
| • Zulu | 2.7% |
| • Other | 4.0% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 9701 |
| PO box | 9700 |
| Area code | 058 |
It is a wheat growing area and named after the biblical Bethlehem, from Hebrew: בֵּית לֶחֶם ("Beit Lechem"), meaning "house of bread".
The city lies at an altitude of 1,700 metres (5,600 ft) and this contributes to its cool climate with frosty winters and mild summers. The average annual temperature is around 14 °C (57 °F).
Bethlehem is situated approximately 240 kilometres (150 mi) north-east of Bloemfontein, 140 kilometres (87 mi) east of Kroonstad and 90 kilometres (56 mi) north-west of Harrismith. The city is strategically situated in the heart of the picturesque north-eastern Free State and originally developed as a service centre.
Bethlehem is the seat of the Dihlabeng Local Municipality (this municipality is situated within the boundaries of the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality in the Eastern Free State).
The township associated with Bethlehem is called Bohlokong in Sesotho by Basotho. It named after the hloko/bohloko grass found in the area Diheteropogon filifolius.