Orange Free State (province)

For the current province of South Africa that was called Orange Free State in 1994 and 1995, see Free State (province).

The Province of the Orange Free State (Afrikaans: Provinsie Oranje-Vrystaat), commonly referred to as the Orange Free State (Afrikaans: Oranje-Vrystaat), Free State (Afrikaans: Vrystaat) or by its abbreviation OFS, was one of the four provinces of South Africa from 1910 to 1994. After 27 April 1994 it was dissolved following the first non-racial election in South Africa. It is now called the Free State Province.

Province of the Orange Free State Provinsie Oranje-Vrystaat (Afrikaans)
Province of South Africa
1910–1994
Flag Coat of arms
The OFS as it was by 1994
Capital	Bloemfontein
Area
• 1991	129,825 km2 (50,126 sq mi)
Population
• 1991	2,193,062[1]
• Type	Orange Free State Provincial Council
History
• Established	31 May 1910
• Disestablished	27 April 1994
Preceded by Succeeded by Orange River Colony Free State
Today part of	South Africa

Its predecessor was the Orange River Colony which in 1902 had replaced the Orange Free State, a Boer republic.

Its outside borders were the same as those of the modern Free State Province; except for the bantustans ("homelands") of QwaQwa and one part of Bophuthatswana, which were contained on land inside of the provincial Orange Free State borders.

Districts in 1991

Districts of the province and population at the 1991 census.^[1]

A map of districts of the Orange Free State

District	Population
Zastron	14,122
Rouxville	11,904
Bethulie	9,333
Smithfield	7,946
Wepener	12,964
Dewetsdorp	13,521
Reddersburg	6,070
Edenburg	6,968
Trompsburg	5,138
Jagersfontein	6,353
Bloemfontein	300,150
Petrusburg	11,071
Brandfort	23,521
Botshabelo	177,926
Philippolis	7,056
Fauresmith	8,916
Koffiefontein	10,778
Jacobsdal	9,748
Boshof	32,033
Theunissen	38,482
Bultfontein	28,556
Hoopstad	27,934
Wesselsbron	26,494
Odendaalsrus	97,603
Welkom	248,186
Virginia	81,780
Hennenman	25,165
Ventersburg	14,534
Ladybrand	30,532
Excelsior	18,051
Clocolan	18,542
Marquard	17,217
Winburg	17,765
Senekal	41,551
Ficksburg	36,810
Fouriesburg	16,932
Bethlehem	80,921
Lindley	37,664
Reitz	30,712
Harrismith	63,220
Vrede	37,324
Kroonstad	110,963
Bothaville	54,726
Viljoenskroon	59,279
Vredefort	13,518
Koppies	19,723
Parys	48,678
Sasolburg	89,079
Heilbron	40,987
Frankfort	44,617

Administrators

Main article: List of administrators of former South African provinces § Orange Free State Province

See also

• Orange Free State
• Free State (South African province)