Towns.—The principal towns of South Africa have grown up as seaports—Cape Town (212,997), Durban (151,642), Port Elizabeth (52,298), East London (34,673) : in connection with the exploitation of minerals—Johannesburg (288,131), Kimber ley (39,702) : or as administrative and educational centres- Pietermaritzburg (36,023), Bloemfontein (39,034), Grahams town (14,909), Pretoria (74,052). The other centres are usually small country towns, which have grown up in most places about a church, and have become market and social centres for the sur rounding country. They are nearly all laid out on a rectangular plan, with broad, straight streets, often lined with trees, and some times with runnels of water flowing along them, as in Stellen bosch, Graaff Reinet, Kokstad, etc. Homes of wood and corru gated iron are often replaced by stone or brick. Roofs are of iron, slates and where there are no severe hailstorms, tiles. The towns were originally surrounded by commons for pasture. In some cases these have been built over, but they still exist about the smaller towns. Every municipality is obliged, by the Natives Ur ban Areas Act, 1921, to provide housing for its natives.
Health.—The country is on the whole a healthy one. Diph theria is liable to occur at some places in winter, and bacterial dysentery is fairly frequent in summer. Enteric, which used to be so common, has been glcatly reduced by improved sanitation, and water supply. Leprosy is not uncommon among the native peoples, though the extent to which it occurs in the native reserves is not accurately known. It appears to be most prevalent in the Trans kei. In 1922 there were 2,474 lepers in the Union. They are segre gated in six settlements—Robben Island (Table Bay), Emjan yana (Transkei), Inkambati (Pondoland), Amatikulu (Zulu land), Pretoria, and Bochem (Transvaal). Malaria is endemic in the lower areas of the north and east Transvaal, and Zululand. In some years it becomes epidemic over much of the Transvaal, except the High veld.
Economic.—Up to 1870 South Africa was entirely a pastoral and agricultural country. The discovery of diamonds at Kimber ley in 1870 marked the beginning of a new period. General rail way construction began in 1874 and was accelerated by the gold rush of the '8os. In 1892 Johannesburg was linked with the Cape ports, and in 1895, with Durban. Farming was for a time neg lected in favour of prospecting, but eventually farmers returned with increased capital. The mining areas provided a market for agricultural products. The chief industry was wagon-making. After the Boer war, state departments were formed to deal with agriculture, forestry, irrigation, geological survey, and mining. The World War, by making imported goods scarce, gave an impetus to small industries.
The South African railway system is well organized and effi ciently worked. In 1926 there were just over 12,000 miles of line belonging to the State, and 400 m. privately owned. The standard
gauge is 3 feet 6 inches. From the principal ports railways run to the Witwatersrand and Pretoria, and there are a number of cross connections. The elevation of the interior plateau increased the difficulties of constructing and working the railways. The es carpment everywhere necessitates a steep climb. The sparse population and the aridity of much of the country are further handicaps. Along the main lines where there is a large amount of traffic some sections have been electrified. To cope with the rush of maize from the High Veld after the harvests, and with the heavy coal trade towards Durban, 174 miles of Natal's main line, from Glencoe Junction to Pietermaritzburg have been elec trified. The suburban lines about Cape Town are also being converted. Narrow gauge branches serve some districts. They often follow very tortuous courses. Also, there are motor services, under the control of the railway authorities. In June, 1926, there were 45 of these routes, totalling 2,500 miles. The railways are in the main single tracked. The coaches are nearly all of the side corridor type, convertible into sleepers. The roads of South Africa are still largely undeveloped.
Stockbreeding.—The industry has been handicapped by various animal diseases. In 1896 rinderpest swept through the country and in some districts carried off 9o% of the cattle. Future outbreaks could probably be checked at the beginning by modern methods, and precautions. Of greater importance at the present time are diseases caused by certain species of grass ticks. Among these is East Coast fever, which in 2906 was nearly as destructive as rinderpest had been. It has become endemic. War is being waged on the ticks, and all cattle are dipped at short intervals, so that the disease is now held in check. Anthrax is also not un common. Since the second Boer war great improvement has been wrought by the introduction of good European bulls. The basis of the South African herds is the old Afrikander breed, which probably has a strong infusion of oriental blood, as is witnessed by its distinct hump. This type has been crossed with various European breeds—shorthorns, Devons, Frisians, etc. There are also a considerable number of pure bred herds of good quality. Most of the cattle owned by the natives are of inferior or "scrub" type. The following figures apply to the year 1926: By far the majority of the cattle is concentrated in the moister, eastern half of the country. Since the Act of Union, 1910, there has been a great development in the dairying industry. In 1898, cheese, butter and substitutes were imported to a value of £387,474: in 1918 butter and cheese were produced in sufficient quantities to satisfy the home market, and to export a quantity valued at 1122,667; creameries and cheese factories have been established, and an export trade is being built up.