Province · South Africa
# North West Province

North West Province is a province of South Africa. It had an estimated 3,885,864 people in 2020 on 104,882 km² (about 37 per km²). Its main town is Mafikeng. It is divided into 4 districts. 1,078 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 6,637 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools.
- 3,885,864 people (2020)
- 104,882 km²
- 4 districts
- 6,637 mapped services

## How many people live in North West Province?

North West Province had an estimated 3,885,864 people in 2020 — 6.9% of South Africa, 7th of 9 provinces. There are 935 women for every 1,000 men (below the South Africa figure of 1,024). Spread over 104,882 km², that is about 37 people per km², 7th of 9 provinces.

28.3% of people are children under 15 and 6.4% 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.
- 0–4 384,858
- 5–9 371,174
- 10–14 343,180
- 15–19 304,446
- 20–24 306,905
- 25–29 333,857
- 30–34 371,651
- 35–39 317,065
- 40–44 249,660
- 45–49 208,418
- 50–54 175,204
- 55–59 149,520
- 60–64 121,453
- 65–69 102,794
- 70–74 67,226
- 75–79 44,129
- 80+ 34,324

Source: Statistics South Africa 2016 Community Survey Population via OCHA HDX, population 2020 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO).

## Where is North West Province?

North West Province lies in South Africa. It borders 4 other provinces: Free State Province, Gauteng Province, Limpopo Province and Nothern Cape Province. By area it is the 6th largest of 9 provinces in South Africa. It covers 8.6% of South Africa. The centre of North West Province is about 303 km in a straight line from Pretoria, the capital. The centre point is at 26.3711° S, 25.2372° E. Local names: NW.

Source: South African Municipal Demarcation Board via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO).

## Things to see in and around North West Province

OpenStreetMap lists 223 named sights in North West Province: 107 nature reserves; 54 viewpoints; 22 attractions; 12 museums; 6 castles and forts; 6 ruins; 4 zoos; 4 memorials; 3 city gates; 2 monuments; 1 gallery; 1 waterfall; 1 cave.
- Bataung Museum · museum
- Cultural Village · museum
- Goud Koppie Museum · museum
- Goudkop Museum · museum
- Grave of Nkulumane · museum
- Klerksdorp Museum · museum
- Landbou · museum
- Lichtenburg Museum · museum
- Mahikeng Museum · museum
- Mphebatho Cultural Museum & Moruleng Cultural Precinct · museum
- President Pretorius Museum · museum
- Vryburg Museum · museum
- Breedt's Nek Fort Ruins Anglo Boer War · castle or fort
- Broederstroom Fort - Anglo Boer War · castle or fort
- Broederstroom Fot · castle or fort
- Kommando Nek Fort · castle or fort
- Kommando Nek Fort Anglo Boer War · castle or fort
- Kosmos Mountain Fort Anglo Boer War · castle or fort
- Rustenburg Kloof · waterfall
- Atorus Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Barberspan Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Berchemia Zeyheri Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Bettie Private Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Bloemhof Dam Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Bona Bona · nature reserve
- Borakalalo Game Reserve · nature reserve
- Borakalalo National Park · nature reserve
- Boskop Dam Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Buisfontein Safari Lodge · nature reserve

…and 193 more.

Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements.

Named attractions, museums, viewpoints, historic sites and natural features mapped in OpenStreetMap. Places of worship are not listed.

## Know before you go: North West Province
- Time zone UTC+2, no daylight saving · Africa/Johannesburg
- Currency Rand (ZAR)
- Country calling code +27
- Languages Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Pedi, English, Tswana
- Plug types Type C, D · 230 V
- Driving side Left
- Postcode format 4 digits (####)

### Nearest airports
- George Dick Montshioa Airport (MBD) · Mafeking 71 km
- Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (GBE) · Gaborone 213 km

### Nearest railway station

Madibogo (Ratlou), about 7.5 km from the centre.

### Daylight

Days are longest in Dec (about 13.8 hours, sunrise around 05:20) and shortest in Jun (about 10.5 hours, sunrise around 07:04, sunset around 17:33).
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
| Jan | 05:39 | 19:16 | 13.6 h |
| Feb | 06:03 | 19:03 | 13.0 h |
| Mar | 06:20 | 18:37 | 12.3 h |
| Apr | 06:34 | 18:04 | 11.5 h |
| May | 06:49 | 17:40 | 10.8 h |
| Jun | 07:04 | 17:33 | 10.5 h |
| Jul | 07:06 | 17:43 | 10.6 h |
| Aug | 06:49 | 17:58 | 11.2 h |
| Sep | 06:17 | 18:11 | 11.9 h |
| Oct | 05:44 | 18:24 | 12.7 h |
| Nov | 05:22 | 18:45 | 13.4 h |
| Dec | 05:20 | 19:07 | 13.8 h |

Source: GeoNames country and time-zone files (CC BY 4.0); Wikidata (CC0) — plug types, mains voltage, driving side; retrieved 2026-11-03; OurAirports (public domain).

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 North West Province
| District | People | per km² | Area km² | Local municipalities | Services |
| Bojanala District | 1,786,678 | 97 | 18,333 | 5 | 3,012 |
| Ngaka Modiri Molema District | 870,971 | 31 | 28,114 | 5 | 1,441 |
| Dr Kenneth Kaunda District | 754,431 | 51 | 14,671 | 3 | 1,510 |
| Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati District | 420,944 | 9.6 | 43,764 | 5 | 674 |

Source: South African Municipal Demarcation Board via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO); Statistics South Africa 2016 Community Survey Population via OCHA HDX, population 2020 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO).

## Largest towns in North West Province
- Rustenburg 373,695
- Klerksdorp 227,039
- Potchefstroom 178,285
- Brits 122,497
- Orkney 110,052
- Stilfontein 93,110
- Mafikeng 77,110
- Mmabatho 76,754
- Schweizer-Reneke 70,214
- Lichtenburg 65,863
- Vryburg 55,879
- Letlhabile 49,718
- Wolmaransstad 49,366
- Bloemhof 33,432
- Hartbeestfontein-A 31,554

Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features.

Populations as recorded in GeoNames, which may be older than the estimates above.

## Landscape and landmarks of North West Province

Named natural and historic features inside North West Province, from the GeoNames gazetteer.

### Water

141 rivers and streams; 29 reservoirs and tanks; 17 lakes; 3 dams.
- Apiesrivier
- Bamboesspruit
- Barberkuil
- Barberspan
- Bloemhofdam
- Bloemhofdam
- Boskopdam
- Bospoortdam
- Brakkloofspruit
- Brakpan
- Brakspruit
- Brakspruitdam
- Bronkhorstspruit
- Buffelspoortdam
- Buisfonteinspruit
- Bulpan
- Cashel Dam
- Dipilonglaagte
- Doringrivier
- Droë Hartsrivier
- Droëspruit
- Dwarsrivier
- Dwarsspruit
- Elandsrivier

…and 166 more.

### Coast and islands

1 island.
- Grooteiland

### Hills and mountains

360 hills; 72 mountains; 15 mountain passes; 14 valleys.
- Tafelkop · 1,735 m
- Rooikrans · 1,713 m
- Breedtsnek · 1,692 m
- Aasvoëlkrans · 1,690 m
- Bakenkop · 1,676 m
- Suikerbosrant · 1,639 m
- Suikerbosrant · 1,639 m
- Renosterkop · 1,637 m
- Tafelkop · 1,618 m
- Tierkloof · 1,601 m
- Perskedraai · 1,592 m
- Swartkop · 1,589 m
- Cullinanskop · 1,587 m
- Perdekop · 1,581 m
- Spitskop · 1,579 m
- Grootkop · 1,578 m
- Kranskloof · 1,572 m
- Vaalkop · 1,571 m
- Jan se Koppie · 1,569 m
- Leeukop · 1,567 m
- Suikerbosplaat · 1,567 m
- Gryskop · 1,566 m
- Platberg · 1,566 m
- Wolfieskop · 1,566 m

…and 437 more.

### Forests and nature

14 nature reserves; 1 forest reserve; 1 wildlife reserve.
- Botsolano Game Park
- Burger Natuurreservaat
- Deon Privaat Natuurreservaat
- Franko Private Nature Reserve
- Impala Ranch Nature Reserve
- Klipplaat-Privaatnatuurreservaat
- Koos Swart-Privaat Natuurreserwe
- Lichtenburg Forest Reserve
- Madiakgamanaturellereserwe
- Magaliesberg Nature Area
- Marico-Bosveld Natuurreservaat
- McGregor Private Nature Reserve
- Pilanesberg Game Reserve
- Pilanesberg Private Lodge
- Rustenburg Natuurreservaat
- Schoonspruit Natuurreservaat

### History

3 ruins.
- Cannon Kopje Fort
- Chonuane
- Livingstone Mission

### Estates

1 estate.
- Rooigrond Small Holdings

### Getting around

60 railway stations; 50 airfields; 7 airports.
- Aeroden
- Afrikander
- Arathusa Safari Lodge
- Aviators Paradise
- Barberspan
- Beestekraal
- Biesieslaagte
- Bloemhof
- Bloemhof
- Bodenstein
- Boons
- Boshoek
- Boskop
- Boskuil
- Breetsvlei
- Brits
- Britten
- Broederstroom
- Buckingham
- Buhrmansdrif
- Christiana
- Coligny
- De Wildt
- Delareyville

…and 93 more.

Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features.

Places of worship are not listed. Elevations are from the GeoNames terrain model and are approximate.

## Weather in North West Province and the best time to visit

In North West Province, the warmest month is Jan (average 25 °C) and the coolest is Jul (11 °C). About 468 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Jan (90 mm) and the driest Jul (1 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are January to December.
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
| Month | Average °C | Rain mm |
| Jan | 25 | 90 |
| Feb | 24 | 79 |
| Mar | 23 | 57 |
| Apr | 19 | 50 |
| May | 15 | 14 |
| Jun | 11 | 10 |
| Jul | 11 | 1 |
| Aug | 14 | 5 |
| Sep | 18 | 9 |
| Oct | 22 | 30 |
| Nov | 24 | 49 |
| Dec | 25 | 75 |

Source: NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29.

## Hospitals, banks and other services in North West Province

Places mapped inside North West Province in open map data, by type — each number opens the full list with locations.
- Hospitals 199
- Banks 333
- ATMs 155
- Petrol pumps 403
- Hotels 751
- Shopping malls 98
- Schools 3,192
- Colleges and universities 108
- Cinemas 11
- Pharmacies 156
- Restaurants 1,095
- Police stations 78
- Dental clinics 58

Source: Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Coverage depends on what has been mapped; contact details are not shown.

## Quick answers
- Where is North West Province? In South Africa
- What is the population of North West Province? 3,885,864 (2020 estimate)
- What is the median age in North West Province? About 28 years (2020 estimate)
- What is the population density of North West Province? About 37 people per km²
- What borders North West Province? Free State Province, Gauteng Province, Limpopo Province and Nothern Cape Province
- What is there to see in North West Province? Afrikaans, Art Gallery, Atorus Nature Reserve, Baile Loop Hide
- What time zone is North West Province in? UTC+2
- What currency is used in North West Province? Rand (ZAR)
- What language is spoken in North West Province? Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans (main languages nationally)
- What is the largest town in North West Province? Rustenburg
- How many reservoirs and tanks are in North West Province? 29 named in GeoNames
- What is the highest point in North West Province? Tafelkop (1,735 m, GeoNames elevation model)
- What is the best time to visit North West Province? January to December
- How many hospitals are in North West Province? 199 mapped
- How many banks are in North West Province? 333 mapped
- How many ATMs are in North West Province? 155 mapped
- How many petrol pumps are in North West Province? 403 mapped
- What is the P-code of North West Province? ZA6 (OCHA common operational dataset)

At a glance
- Type: Province
- Area: 104,881.7 km²
- P-code: ZA6
- Main town: Mafikeng

---
Canonical: https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/north-west/ · Updated 2026-11-03 · Data: national censuses and statistics offices (sources named in each section); © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); Overture Maps; GeoNames; NASA POWER.