Gariep Dam (town)

Gariep Dam Gariepdam
View over Gariep Dam
Gariep Dam Gariep Dam Gariep Dam  Gariep Dam shown within Free State
Coordinates: 30°36′S 25°30′E / 30.6°S 25.5°ECoordinates: 30°36′S 25°30′E / 30.6°S 25.5°E
Country	South Africa
Province	Free State
District	Xhariep
Municipality	Kopanong
Established	~1964
Government
• Type	Municipality
• Mayor	Xolile Mathwa (ANC)
Area[1]
• Total	24.83 km^2 (9.59 sq mi)
Elevation	1,320 m (4,330 ft)
Population (2011)[1]
• Total	1,568
• Density	63/km^2 (160/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)[1]
• Black African	31.0%
• Coloured	47.6%
• Indian/Asian	0.4%
• White	19.6%
• Other	1.3%
First languages (2011)[1]
• Afrikaans	76.9%
• Xhosa	11.1%
• English	4.9%
• Sotho	4.6%
• Other	2.5%
Postal code (street)	9922

Gariep Dam (Afrikaans: Gariepdam), founded as "Oranjekrag", is a settlement in Xhariep District Municipality in the Free State (province) of South Africa.

Gariep Dam is a township on the northern bank of the Orange River, 50 km west of Bethulie and 48 km north-east of Colesberg. It was laid out in 1965-66 to accommodate the builders of the dam. The previous name is Afrikaans and means "Orange (River) power".^[2] The town acquired its current name in 1996.^[3]

References

1. "Main Place Gariep Dam". Census 2011.
2. "Dictionary of Southern African Place Names (Public Domain)". Human Science Research Council. p. 352.
3. Elwyn Jenkins (2007-01-01). Falling Into Place: The Story of Modern South African Place Names. New Africa Books. p. 135. ISBN 978-0-86486-689-9.