Bitterfontein

Bitterfontein is a village in the Knersvlakte, the northernmost area of the Western Cape province of South Africa, 320 kilometres (200 mi) north of Cape Town. It is the railhead of a line from Cape Town; ore from the copper mines at Okiep is transferred there from road transport to the railway. It is also located on the N7 (Cape Town–Namibia) national road; the distance from Cape Town is 386 kilometres (240 mi) by road and 465 kilometres (289 mi) by rail.[2]

Bitterfontein
Bitterfontein
Bitterfontein
Coordinates: 31°02′10″S 18°15′58″E
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceWestern Cape
DistrictWest Coast
MunicipalityMatzikama
Area
 • Total39.90 km2 (15.41 sq mi)
Elevation
355 m (1,165 ft)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total986
 • Density25/km2 (64/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African3.5%
 • Coloured91.2%
 • Indian/Asian0.4%
 • White4.7%
 • Other0.2%
First languages (2011)
 • Afrikaans97.4%
 • Xhosa1.3%
 • Other1.2%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
8200
PO box
8200
Area code027

Bitterfontein is located in the Matzikama Local Municipality, which is part of the West Coast District Municipality. According to the 2001 Census, it had a population of 906 in an area of 1.77 square kilometres (0.68 sq mi).[3] It is served by a police station,[4] a primary school,[5] a library,[6] and a satellite health clinic.[7]

Trivia
  • The South African country singer Ruben Lennox wrote a song about Bitterfontein

References
  1. "Main Place Bitterfontein". Census 2011.
  2. Boonzaaier, Boon (2008). Tracks Across the Veld. ISBN 978-0-620-41711-2.
  3. Census 2001 — Statistics for Main Place
  4. "Bitterfontein Police Station". Cape Gateway.
  5. "Bitterfontein Primary School". Western Cape Education Management System. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21.
  6. "Bitterfontein Library Depot". Cape Gateway. Archived from the original on 2012-07-29. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
  7. "Bitterfontein Municipality Satellite Clinic". Cape Gateway.
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