Johannesburg skyline, showing the Hillbrow Tower and Ponte City Apartments, Gauteng province

Johannesburg, with a city population of 3,888,180 and a population of the metropolitan area of over ten million, is the economic and cultural centre of South Africa.

Gold was discovered at Langlaagte, Johannesburg in 1886. It was then a dusty settlement some 55 kilometers from the Transvaal Republic capital which was Pretoria. As word spread, people flocked to the area from all other regions of the country, as well as from North America, the United Kingdom and Europe.

Johannesburg has not traditionally been known as a tourist destination, but the city is a transit point for connecting flights to Cape Town, Durban, and the Kruger National Park. Consequently, most international visitors to South Africa pass through Johannesburg at least once, which has led to the development of more attractions for tourists, with recent additions centred around history museums, art museums and galleries.

Gold Reef City, a large amusement park to the south of the Central Business District, is also a large draw for tourists in the city. The Johannesburg Zoo is one of the largest in South Africa.

PHOTO SOURCE: Walter Knirr, courtesy of, and copyright, South Africa Tourism, a department of the government of South Africa, used with permission.

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