Orange Free State
The Orange Free State (Dutch: Oranje-Vrijstaat) was a country in southern Africa. It was ruled by the Afrikaners. It was defeated by the British Empire and its colonies, the British Cape Colony and the Natal Colony, in the Second Boer War. It became the Orange River Colony and later joined with other colonies to make the Union of South Africa.
Orange Free State Oranje-Vrijstaat | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1854–1902 | |||||||||
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| Anthem: | |||||||||
 Location of the Orange Free State c. 1890 | |||||||||
| Capital | Bloemfontein | ||||||||
| Common languages | Dutch (official) English Sesotho Zulu | ||||||||
| Religion | Dutch Reformed African religions | ||||||||
| Government | Republic | ||||||||
| State President | |||||||||
• 1854 – 1855 | J. P. Hoffman | ||||||||
• 1855 – 1859 | J. N. Boshoff | ||||||||
• 1860 – 1863 | M. W. Pretorius1 | ||||||||
• 1864 – 1888 | J. H. Brand | ||||||||
• 1889 – 1895 | F. W. Reitz | ||||||||
• 1896 – 1902 | M. T. Steyn | ||||||||
| Legislature | Parliament | ||||||||
• house of representatives | Volksraad | ||||||||
| Historical era | 19th century | ||||||||
• | 17 February 1854 | ||||||||
| 16 December 1838 | |||||||||
• Start of 2nd Boer War | 11 October 1899 | ||||||||
• | 31 May 1902 | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
| 1875[1] | 181,299 km2 (70,000 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• 1875[1] | 100000 | ||||||||
| Currency | Orange Free State pound | ||||||||
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1 Also State President of the Transvaal Republic | |||||||||
It existed from 1852 to 1902, and was one of the 2 Boer Republics, the other being Transvaal. It is one of the three historical precursors to the present-day Free State province.
Orange Free State Media
Anthem of the Orange Free state
Map of the route of the Dorslandtrekkers from the Orange Free State and Transvaal
Boer prisoners after the Battle of Paardeberg, 1900
References
- ↑ Sketch of the Orange Free State of South Africa (1876). Bloemfontein: Orange Free State. Commission at the International Exhibition, Philadelphia, 1876. p. 10.
