Cape Town City Centre, view from Lion’s Head

City centre of Cape Town, view from the nearby mountain Lion’s Head, in South Africa (15 January 2009)

Cape Town, the second most populous city in South Africa, is the provincial capital and the legislative capital of South Africa. Cape Town is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Cape Town is Africa's most popular destination for tourism.

Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town was developed by the Dutch East India Company as a supply station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India and the Far East. Jan van Riebeeck's, the first European settler, arrived on 6 April 1652 and established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. Cape Town quickly outgrew its original purpose, becoming the economic and cultural hub of the Cape Colony. It is one of the best multicultural cities in the world and a major destination for immigrants and expatriates to South Africa.