The Free State, formerly the Orange Free State, is a rural province of farmland, goldfields, mountains, and widely dispersed towns.
The province is geographically located in the centre of South Africa. It is bordered by KwaZulu-Natal and the country of Lesotho on the east, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, and North West on the north, North Cape on the west, and Eastern Cape on the south.
The Free State was established in April 1994 after the Bantustans were abolished and reincorporated into South Africa.
The province’s historical origins lie in the Boer republic called the Orange Free State and later the Orange Free State Province.
Free State is the only one of the four original provinces of South Africa not to undergo border changes, apart from the reincorporation of Bantustans, and its borders date from before the outbreak of the Boer War.
The Free State covers an area of 129,825 square kilometres (50,126 square miles) making it the third-largest province of South Africa.
With a population of 3,044,050 inhabitants (4.8% of the national population) according to the 2024 Mid-Year estimates by Statistics South Africa, the Free State has the second-smallest population and the second-lowest population density in the country.
The capital and largest city of Free State is Bloemfontein, it is also the judicial capital of South Africa. Other major cities and towns include Botshabelo, Sasolburg, Bethlehem, Welkom, Virginia, Kroonstad, Odendaalsrus, Phuthaditjhaba, Harrismith, and Parys.
The Free State has a total of 23 municipalities, it is divided into one metropolitan municipality and four district municipalities. The district municipalities are further subdivided into 18 local municipalities.
Metropolitan municipalities
| Name | Code | Seat | Area (km²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality | MAN | Bloemfontein | 9,886 |
District municipalities
| Name | Code | Seat | Area (km²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fezile Dabi District Municipality | DC20 | Sasolburg | 20,668 |
| Lejweleputswa District Municipality | DC18 | Welkom | 32,287 |
| Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality | DC19 | Phuthaditjhaba | 32,734 |
| Xhariep District Municipality | DC16 | Trompsburg | 34,250 |
Local municipalities
| Name | Code | District | Seat | Area (km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mafube Local Municipality | FS205 | Fezile Dabi | Frankfort | 3,971 |
| Metsimaholo Local Municipality | FS204 | Fezile Dabi | Sasolburg | 1,717 |
| Moqhaka Local Municipality | FS201 | Fezile Dabi | Kroonstad | 7,925 |
| Ngwathe Local Municipality | FS203 | Fezile Dabi | Parys | 7,055 |
| Masilonyana Local Municipality | FS181 | Lejweleputswa | Theunissen | 6,618 |
| Matjhabeng Local Municipality | FS184 | Lejweleputswa | Welkom | 5,690 |
| Nala Local Municipality | FS185 | Lejweleputswa | Bothaville | 4,129 |
| Tokologo Local Municipality | FS182 | Lejweleputswa | Boshof | 9,326 |
| Tswelopele Local Municipality | FS183 | Lejweleputswa | Bultfontein | 6,524 |
| Dihlabeng Local Municipality | FS192 | Thabo Mofutsanyana | Bethlehem | 4,868 |
| Maluti-A-Phofung Local Municipality | FS194 | Thabo Mofutsanyana | Phuthaditjhaba | 4,338 |
| Mantsopa Local Municipality | FS196 | Thabo Mofutsanyana | Ladybrand | 4,291 |
| Nketoana Local Municipality | FS193 | Thabo Mofutsanyana | Reitz | 5,611 |
| Phumelela Local Municipality | FS195 | Thabo Mofutsanyana | Vrede | 8,196 |
| Setsoto Local Municipality | FS191 | Thabo Mofutsanyana | Ficksburg | 5,431 |
| Kopanong Local Municipality | FS162 | Xhariep | Trompsburg | 15,645 |
| Letsemeng Local Municipality | FS161 | Xhariep | Koffiefontein | 9,828 |
| Mohokare Local Municipality | FS163 | Xhariep | Zastron | 8,776 |
