Transvaal

This was the northeastern portion of South Africa until 1994, when it was abolished.

The name comes from the Vaal River, which forms the southern border. “Transvaal” literally means “across the Vaal,” which makes sense as South Africans from the Cape Colony area had to cross that river to enter the territory.

Two of the largest cities in South Africa are located in the former Transvaal – Pretoria and Johannesburg.

Historically, the Boer farmers migrated into he Transvaal to try and escape British rule. This was known as The Great Trek and the participants became known as “voortrekkers” or “trekboers” (depending on when they migrated).

Most of the First Boer War of 1880-1881 was fought in the Transvaal. The Boers won that one, but eventually had to submit to British rule as a result of the Second Boer War of 1899-1902.

After apartheid fell in the 1990s, the Transvaal ceased to exist as a formal province, and was divided up into multiple new provinces.