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Bloemfontein, in the middle of the Free State, is South Africa's judicial capital (one of the nation's three capitals). Bloemfontein is located at the hub of six major routes that traverse the country, and was historically used by travellers as a stop-over during treks into the interior. At that time it was a fountain (or 'fontein' in Afrikaans) that gave the city its name. This historic fountain still stands in the city centre, which also has many well-preserved, stately sandstone buildings. Today, Bloemfontein is often referred to as “the City of Roses” owing to the Rose Festival that is held there annually.
Historically, the city is firmly rooted in the Afrikaners' struggle to independence, and most of Bloemfontein's over 350,000 residents still speak the language. Physically, this area borders the Highveld and the Karoo and is typically flat, however, there are occasional hills. The predominant vegetation is that of the Highveld grasslands.
The city experiences a continental climate, with hot summers which peak at over 30 degrees Celsius with frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Winters are cool and dry, with temperatures drop as low as -2 degrees Celsius (when frost can occur), although many winter days still peak at 17 degrees Celsius.
The Bloemfontein Airport is well established and has daily nationwide flights.
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