 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (March 2021) |
| Pilanesberg National Park | |
|---|---|
 Game animals at Mankwe Dam | |
 Location in the North West province | |
| Location | Pilanesberg, North West Province, South Africa |
| Nearest city | Sun City, South Africa |
| Coordinates | 25°15′40″S 27°06′03″E / 25.26111°S 27.10083°E |
| Area | 572 square kilometres (221 sq mi) |
| Established | April 1, 1984 |
| Administrator | North West Parks and Tourism Board |
| Website | Pilanesberg National Park |
  Pilanesberg National Park (South Africa)  Pilanesberg National Park (North West (South African province)) | |
The Pilanesberg National Park is located north of Rustenburg in the North West Province of South Africa.[1] The park borders on the Sun City entertainment complex. It is administered by the North West Parks and Tourism Board.
The area lies in the root zone of an extinct volcano, and is defined by alternating ridges and valleys forming concentric rings, a geological formation that rises abruptly in the form of hills 300–600 metres (980–1,970 ft) above the surrounding plains.[2] The Pilanesberg is named for chief Pilane[3] of the Kgafêla people, who ruled from Bogopane, Mmamodimokwana and eventually Mmasebudule during the 1800s.[4] The 'Pilanesberg Alkaline Ring Complex' is the park's primary geological feature. This vast circular feature is geologically ancient, being the ring dikes that fed a completely eroded caldera created by volcanic eruptions some 1,200 million years ago. It is one of the largest volcanic complexes of its type in the world, the rare rock types and formations make it a unique geological feature, and a number of rare minerals occur in the park.
Scattered throughout the park are various sites that are assigned to the Iron and Stone Ages and illustrate the presence of man during those early periods.
- ^ "Gazetted Name: Pilanesberg National Park Nature Reserve" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 May 2022. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
- ^ CARRUTHERS, Jane (1 January 2011). "Pilanesberg National Park, North West Province, South Africa: Uniting economic development with ecological design - A history, 1960s to 1984". Koedoe. 53: 00. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2022 – via The Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) SA.
- ^ Raper, R.E. Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. Human Sciences Research Council (South Africa).
- ^ "Wesizwe Platinum Heritage Impact Assessment: Proposed platinum mining on portions of the farms Ledig 909JQ, Frischgewaagd 96JQ, & Mimosa 81 JQ, NW Province" (PDF). sahris.sahra.org.za. Matakoma-ARM Heritage Contracts Unit was contracted by TWP Environmental Services. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 December 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2020.