ALIWAL NORTH, a town situated on the left bank of the Orange river, which here forms the boundary between the Cape Province and the Orange Free State, and which is spanned by a bridge 86oft. in length; 3o° 31' S., 26° 53' E. Pop. (1931) white 2,677, coloured (1921) 3,819. Alt. 4,35oft.; distance by rail from East London, 28o miles. Aliwal North is a trading centre for the surrounding country and for south-west Basutoland. It is also the administrative centre for the magisterial district of the same name. The town was founded in 1849 and is laid out on the usual South African rectangular plan. The streets are bordered by open water-furrows, and lined with trees. A dam, built across the Orange river, has made available for boating a six mile stretch of water, which provides the town with electric light.
Aliwal North is becoming recognized as one of the chief inland health resorts of South Africa. The climate is recommended for sufferers from lung troubles. The average relative humidity for the year is 61•5 and the average cloudiness 3.3. The temperature may rise to over 9o° in summer, but the nights are cool, and in winter sharp frosts occur. A little over a mile from the town are high-temperature mineral springs yielding over a million gal. a day. The water is beneficial for rheumatism and skin diseases. A gallon contains o.85 grains of lithium carbonate, 7.41 carbonate of lime, 1.95 sulphate of magnesium, 3.24 ammonia, 0•95 potash, 8.1 o calcium chloride, 61.35 sodium chloride, 1.04 silica, 0.12 sodium bromide, 5.22 carbonic acid gas. At the springs, baths have been built, and ',lac. of pleasure grounds have been laid out.
The town was named in honour of Sir Harry Smith, governor of Cape Colony (1847-52), to commemorate the victory of Aliwal.