British Cape Colony: Map & History
The Cape Colony, also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope.
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The Cape Colony, also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope. It existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when it united with three other colonies to form the Union of South Africa, then became the Cape Province, which existed even after 1961, when South Africa had become a republic, albeit temporarily outside the Commonwealth of Nations (1961–94).
Modern Countries Once Part of British Cape Colony
At its mapped extent, British Cape Colony covered territory in 3 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
- Sierra Leone1797–1884 CE · nearly all
- South Africa1796–1884 CE · most
- Gambia1880–1884 CE · a large part
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside British Cape Colony's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
British Cape Colony in Depth
History
An expedition of the VOC led by Jan van Riebeeck established a trading post and naval victualing station at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652. Van Riebeeck's objective was to secure a harbour of refuge for VOC ships during the long voyages between Europe and Asia. Within about three decades, the Cape had become home to a large community of vrijlieden, also known as vrijburgers ('free citizens'), former VOC employees who settled in the colonies overseas after completing their service contracts. Vrijburgers were mostly married citizens who undertook to spend at least twenty years farming the land within the fledgling colony's borders; in exchange they received tax exempt status and were loaned tools and seeds.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Cape Colony (CC BY-SA 4.0).
British Cape Colony: Key Facts
| Capital | Cape Town |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Afrikaans, English, Dutch |
| Religion | Dutch Reformed Church |
| Form of government | constitutional monarchy |
| Founded | 1795 |
| Dissolved | 31 May 1910 |
Succeeded by
- Cape Province
Facts from Wikidata Q370736 (CC0).
British Cape Colony Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which British Cape Colony appears, with the other states of the time.
British Cape Colony Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 974,190 km² in 1878 CE.
British Cape Colony: Frequently Asked Questions
When did British Cape Colony exist?
British Cape Colony is dated to 1796 CE – 1884 CE, in the Industrial era.
What was the capital of British Cape Colony?
The capital of British Cape Colony was Cape Town.
How large was British Cape Colony at its peak?
At its peak in 1878 British Cape Colony covered about 974,190 km².
How did the map of British Cape Colony change over time?
British Cape Colony appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1800 CE to 1850 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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