Gauteng

/xaʊˈtɛŋ/ proper noun

Definition

A province of South Africa containing Johannesburg and Pretoria, the country's economic heartland.

Etymology

From Sesotho 'gauta' (gold) + locative suffix '-eng', literally meaning 'place of gold'. Named for the vast gold deposits of the Witwatersrand that sparked the region's development.

Kelly Says

Gauteng's name perfectly captures South Africa's golden history - this small province produces over a third of the country's GDP despite being the smallest province by area, all thanks to the gold reef discovered in 1886. The name literally means 'place of gold' in Sesotho, making it one of the world's most accurately descriptive place names.

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