# Free State Province, South Africa – Population & Districts > Source: https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/free-state/ Province · South Africa # Free State Province Free State Province is a province of South Africa. It had an estimated **2,663,702 people** in 2020 on 129,825 km² (about 21 per km²). Its main town is Bloemfontein. It is divided into 5 districts. 1,328 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 5,821 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools. - 2,663,702people (2020) - 129,825km² - 5districts - 5,821mapped services ## How many people live in Free State Province? Free State Province had an estimated **2,663,702 people** in 2020 — 4.7% of South Africa, 8th of 9 provinces. There are 1,039 women for every 1,000 men (above the South Africa figure of 1,024). Spread over 129,825 km², that is about **21 people per km²**, 8th of 9 provinces. 28.1% of people are children under 15 and 6.3% are 65 or older; the median age is about 28 years (it is 28 across South Africa). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 53 children and older people. 0–4 ****248,034** 5–9 ****259,602** 10–14 ****241,253** 15–19 ****224,470** 20–24 ****221,440** 25–29 ****223,277** 30–34 ****244,567** 35–39 ****208,375** 40–44 ****170,673** 45–49 ****141,266** 50–54 ****119,127** 55–59 ****104,291** 60–64 ****88,643** 65–69 ****69,069** 70–74 ****46,368** 75–79 ****31,198** 80+ ****22,049** Source: [Statistics South Africa 2016 Community Survey Population via OCHA HDX, population 2020 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-zaf). ## Where is Free State Province? Free State Province lies in [South Africa](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/). It borders 6 other provinces: [Eastern Cape Province](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/eastern-cape/), [Gauteng Province](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/gauteng/), [KwaZulu-Natal Province](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/), [Mpumalanga Province](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/mpumalanga/), [North West Province](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/north-west/) and [Nothern Cape Province](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/nothern-cape/). By area it is the 3rd largest of 9 provinces in South Africa. It covers 10.6% of [South Africa](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/). The centre of Free State Province is about 361 km in a straight line from Pretoria, the capital. The centre point is at 28.6814° S, 26.6276° E. Local names: FS . Source: [South African Municipal Demarcation Board via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-zaf). ## Things to see in and around Free State Province OpenStreetMap lists 189 named sights in Free State Province: 107 nature reserves; 21 attractions; 16 museums; 15 monuments; 15 viewpoints; 10 memorials; 2 galleries; 2 zoos; 1 cave. - Art museum · museum - Bethlehem Museum Trust · museum - Bloemfontein Toy Museum · museum - Bram Fischer Museum · museum - First Raadsaal Museum · museum - Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre · museum - Meteorite Dome · museum - National Afrikaans Literary Museum and Research Centre · museum - Paardeberg Museum · museum - Parys Museum · museum - Pelissier House Museum · museum - Riemland Museum · museum - Sesotho Literature Museum (Dingolweng) · museum - Transgariep Museum · museum - Welkom city museum · museum - Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Brandfort House · museum - 7 Dams Conservancy · nature reserve - Basie Baker Buffalo Reserve · nature reserve - Beauchef Abbey Private Nature Reserve · nature reserve - Beauchef Abbey Private Nature Reserve · nature reserve - Benfontein Nature Reserve · nature reserve - Bismadal Game Reserve · nature reserve - Blaauwbosch Bank Reserve · nature reserve - Blesbok Nature Reserve · nature reserve - Bongani Mabaso Ecopark · nature reserve - Bosbok Game Reserve · nature reserve - Boschpoort Game Reserve · nature reserve - Boshoff Nature Reserve · nature reserve - Boslaagte Nature Reserve · nature reserve - Bosrant Nature Reserve · nature reserve …and 159 more. Source: [© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright). Named attractions, museums, viewpoints, historic sites and natural features mapped in OpenStreetMap. Places of worship are not listed. ## Know before you go: Free State Province - Time zoneUTC+2, no daylight saving · Africa/Johannesburg - CurrencyRand (ZAR) - Country calling code+27 - LanguagesZulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Pedi, English, Tswana - Plug typesType C, D · 230 V - Driving sideLeft - Postcode format4 digits (####) ### Nearest airports - Bram Fischer International Airport (BFN) · Bloemfontein56 km - Moshoeshoe I International Airport (MSU) · Maseru(Mazenod)125 km ### Nearest railway station Houtenbeck (Masilonyana), about 12 km from the centre. ### Daylight Days are longest in Dec (about 14.0 hours, sunrise around 05:10) and shortest in Jun (about 10.3 hours, sunrise around 07:03, sunset around 17:23). Month Sunrise Sunset Daylight Jan 05:28 19:15 13.8 h Feb 05:54 19:00 13.1 h Mar 06:13 18:32 12.3 h Apr 06:30 17:56 11.4 h May 06:48 17:31 10.7 h Jun 07:03 17:23 10.3 h Jul 07:05 17:33 10.5 h Aug 06:46 17:50 11.1 h Sep 06:12 18:05 11.9 h Oct 05:37 18:21 12.7 h Nov 05:12 18:44 13.5 h Dec 05:10 19:07 14.0 h Source: [GeoNames country and time-zone files (CC BY 4.0)](https://www.geonames.org/); [Wikidata (CC0) — plug types, mains voltage, driving side; retrieved 2026-11-03](https://www.wikidata.org/); [OurAirports (public domain)](https://ourairports.com/data/). Airports with scheduled passenger flights; straight-line distances. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of each month in local standard time. Check entry and visa rules with official government sources before travelling. ## Districts of Free State Province District People per km² Area km² Local municipalities Services [Mangaung District](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/free-state/mangaung/) 805,889 82 9,886 1 1,945 [Thabo Mofutsanyane District](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/free-state/thabo-mofutsanyane/) 662,829 20 32,734 6 1,614 [Lejweleputswa District](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/free-state/lejweleputswa/) 574,193 18 32,287 5 1,049 [Fezile Dabi District](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/free-state/fezile-dabi/) 494,300 24 20,668 4 939 [Xhariep District](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/free-state/xhariep/) 105,759 3.1 34,250 3 274 Source: [South African Municipal Demarcation Board via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-zaf); [Statistics South Africa 2016 Community Survey Population via OCHA HDX, population 2020 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-zaf). ## Largest towns in Free State Province - Bloemfontein556,637 - Welkom431,944 - Botshabelo309,714 - Sasolburg135,828 - Virginia122,502 - Kroonstad117,152 - Kutloanong95,008 - Bethlehem91,075 - Phuthaditjhaba84,258 - Odendaalsrus76,371 - Thaba Nchu72,721 - Bothaville71,934 - Parys71,319 - Viljoenskroon54,955 - Ficksburg49,420 Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/). Populations as recorded in GeoNames, which may be older than the estimates above. ## Landscape and landmarks of Free State Province Named natural and historic features inside Free State Province, from the GeoNames gazetteer. ### Water 272 rivers and streams; 32 reservoirs and tanks; 24 lakes; 1 dam. - Aardoringspruit - Aasvoelspruit - Allemanskraaldam - Appledore Spruit - Asrivier - Bankplaatsspruit - Barberslaagte - Bataviaspruit - Beeskraalspruit - Bergrivier - Bethuliedam - Beytelspruit - Blaasbalkspruit - Blesbokspruit - Blindepan - Blinkwater - Bloemspruit - Bloemspruit - Bloemspruit - Blomspruit - Blydschapspruit - Boesmanskopspruit - Bossiespruit - Bossiespruit …and 305 more. ### Coast and islands 6 islands. - Driekopseiland - Driekopseiland - Golf Island - Grooteiland - Uitvaleiland - Woody Island ### Hills and mountains 880 hills; 269 mountains; 29 mountain passes; 2 peaks; 1 valley. - Namahadi Peak · 3,274 m - Beacon Buttress · 3,088 m - Sentinel · 3,011 m - Metjhatjhane · 2,995 m - Chain Ladder · 2,983 m - Ribbokkop · 2,788 m - Snow Hills · 2,736 m - Generaalskop · 2,694 m - Lekhalo-La-Namahali · 2,685 m - Langkrans · 2,632 m - Thabaputswa · 2,567 m - Western Buttress · 2,546 m - Koeberg · 2,450 m - Snymanshoekberg · 2,450 m - Mount Horeb · 2,418 m - Wodehouse Kop · 2,404 m - Ntabazwe · 2,384 m - The Dome · 2,379 m - Swartkop · 2,364 m - Devil’s Hoek · 2,324 m - Swartkrans · 2,316 m - Madrid · 2,305 m - Skeurklip · 2,305 m - Babangibone · 2,290 m …and 1,157 more. ### Forests and nature 3 nature reserves; 3 parks; 2 wildlife reserves. - Fichardt Park - Golden Gate Highlands National Park - Moolmanshoek Leadership centre - Moolmanshoek Private Game Reserve - Sodwana Bay National Park - Tussen die Riviere Wildplaas - Willem Pretorius-Wildtuin - Witzieshoek Naturellereserwe ### History 1 ruin. - Kleinplaas ### Estates 2 estates. - Ladybrand Plantasie - Maccauvlei Plantasie ### Getting around 95 railway stations; 88 airfields; 15 bridges; 8 airports. - Aberfeldy - Afrikaskop - Aliwal North - Allanridge - Ascent - Barry Mareebrug - Bethlehem - Bethlehem - Bethulie - Bethulie - Beyers - Bloemfontein Airport - Bloubankbrug - Boesmanskop - Boshof - Bospoort - Bothaville - Brakpan Plaas - Brakpanbrug - Breëdal - Bultfontein - Clocolan - Clocolan - Cyfergat …and 182 more. Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/). Places of worship are not listed. Elevations are from the GeoNames terrain model and are approximate. ## Weather in Free State Province and the best time to visit In Free State Province, the warmest month is Jan (average 24 °C) and the coolest is Jul (9 °C). About 521 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Dec (86 mm) and the driest Jul (5 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are **August to May**. - Jan - Feb - Mar - Apr - May - Jun - Jul - Aug - Sep - Oct - Nov - Dec Month Average °C Rain mm Jan 24 83 Feb 23 72 Mar 21 71 Apr 16 44 May 13 13 Jun 9 13 Jul 9 5 Aug 11 11 Sep 16 11 Oct 20 40 Nov 21 73 Dec 23 86 Source: [NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/). ## Hospitals, banks and other services in Free State Province Places mapped inside Free State Province in open map data, by type — each number opens the full list with locations. - Hospitals167 - Banks330 - ATMs184 - Petrol pumps388 - Hotels784 - Shopping malls79 - Schools2,485 - Colleges and universities100 - Cinemas9 - Pharmacies179 - Restaurants956 - Police stations110 - Dental clinics50 Source: [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/). Coverage depends on what has been mapped; contact details are not shown. ## Quick answers - Where is Free State Province?In South Africa - What is the population of Free State Province?2,663,702 (2020 estimate) - What is the median age in Free State Province?About 28 years (2020 estimate) - What is the population density of Free State Province?About 21 people per km² - What borders Free State Province?Eastern Cape Province, Gauteng Province, KwaZulu-Natal Province, Mpumalanga Province, North West Province and Nothern Cape Province - What is there to see in Free State Province?7 Dams Conservancy, Amanzi Private Game Reserve, Art & Wine Gallery, Art museum - What time zone is Free State Province in?UTC+2 - What currency is used in Free State Province?Rand (ZAR) - What language is spoken in Free State Province?Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans (main languages nationally) - What is the largest town in Free State Province?Bloemfontein - How many reservoirs and tanks are in Free State Province?32 named in GeoNames - What is the highest point in Free State Province?Namahadi Peak (3,274 m, GeoNames elevation model) - What is the best time to visit Free State Province?August to May - How many hospitals are in Free State Province?167 mapped - How many banks are in Free State Province?330 mapped - How many ATMs are in Free State Province?184 mapped - How many petrol pumps are in Free State Province?388 mapped - What is the P-code of Free State Province?ZA4 (OCHA common operational dataset)