Pretoria
- Population: Approximately 2.9 million (metro area population for 2025)
- Municipality: City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality
- Province: Gauteng
- Area code: 012
- Established: 1855
- GDP: Estimated GDP per capita of $15.6 thousand (2020 data). Pretoria is the 2nd highest in GDP per capita among 13 African cities.
History
Pretoria was founded in 1855 by Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, a leader of the Voortrekkers. He named the city after his father, Andries Pretorius, and chose a site on the banks of the Apies River to be the new capital of the South African Republic (ZAR). In 1860, it officially became the capital of the Transvaal. Following the Union of South Africa in 1910, Pretoria was designated as the administrative capital of the entire country, with Cape Town serving as the legislative capital and Bloemfontein as the judicial capital. Pretoria achieved official city status on October 14, 1931, and remained the administrative capital when South Africa became a republic in 1961.
Education
Pretoria is renowned as an academic and research hub, hosting several prominent tertiary institutions.
These include:
- University of Pretoria (UP): A leading research-intensive university.
- University of South Africa (UNISA): One of the largest open distance learning institutions in the world.
- Tshwane University of Technology (TUT): A comprehensive university of technology.
- Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR): A major scientific and technological research organization.
- Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC): South Africa's statutory research council for the human sciences.
The city also has a variety of primary and secondary schools, including international schools, catering to diverse educational needs.
Law and government
As the administrative capital of South Africa, Pretoria is the seat of the executive branch of government. It hosts the Union Buildings, which house the offices of the President of South Africa, and a large proportion of the Public Service. The city is governed by the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, with a City Council elected every five years by residents. Pretoria is also home to various courts, including divisions of the High Court, and is the national office location for the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
