Johannesburg

Johannesburg Travel Guide

Johannesburg is the center of a vast urban industrial complex that covers most of the province of Gauteng, which is Sotho for "place where the gold is." But more than 100 years ago it was just a rocky piece of unwanted Highveld land. It remained so until gold was officially discovered in 1886 by an Australian, George Harrison. The discovery allowed Johannesburg to become a modern metropolis that still powers the country's economy; it produces nearly 20% of the country's wealth. Its population, about 3.2 million, is mostly young, and despite being a commercial center, Johannesburg is a green city, with more than 10 million trees, and parks and nature reserves that hug the outskirts of the city.

When to Go
Top Reasons to Go
Great Itineraries
Money and Safety
Victorian Parktown
Kwaito

Places to Explore

Cradle of Humankind
Downtown
Magaliesberg
Northern Suburbs
Pretoria
Soweto
Sun City

Photo: Cliff Parnell/iStockphoto

Get Advice From Other Travelers

Visit the Travel Talk forums for help on planning your trip

Travel News

more »



Get the Fodor's Newsletter

For more travel ideas, tips, and deals, sign up for the Fodor's newsletter here. Read the current issue. Browse previous issues.




Copyright © 2009 Fodor's Travel, a division of Random House, Inc.