View source for Western Cape

{{Short description|Province of South Africa}}
{{Other uses| West Cape (disambiguation){{!}}West Cape}}
{{Use South African English|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Western Cape
| native_name        = {{Plainlist|
*{{native_name|af|Wes-Kaap}}
*{{native_name|xh|eNtshona-Kapa}}
*{{native_name|nr|eTjhingalanga-Kapa}}
}}
| settlement_type    = [[Provinces of South Africa|Province]]
| image_flag         = Flag_of_the_Western_Cape_Province.png
| flag_size          = 120px
| image_shield       = Coat of arms of the Western Cape.svg
| shield_link        = Coat of arms of the Western Cape
| motto              = ''Spes Bona'' ([[Latin]]: Good Hope)
| image_map          = Western Cape in South Africa.svg
| mapsize            = 
| map_alt            = Map showing the location of the Western Cape in the south-western part of South Africa
| map_caption        = Map showing the location of the Western Cape in the south-western part of South Africa in red
| coordinates        = {{coord|34|S|20|E|region:ZA_type:adm1st_dim:670km|display=inline, title}}
| subdivision_type   = [[Country]]
| subdivision_name   = {{flagdeco|SA}} [[South Africa]]
| established_title  = Established
| established_date   = {{start date|1994|4|27|df=y}}
| seat_type          = [[Capital city|Capital]]
| seat               = [[Cape Town]]
| parts_type         = [[Municipalities of South Africa|Municipalities]]
| parts              = 
| p1                 = [[City of Cape Town]]
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = [[Parliamentary system]]
| official_lang      = 
| leader_party       = [[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
| leader_title       = [[Premier of the Western Cape|Premier]]
| leader_name        = [[Alan Winde]]
| leader_title1      = Legislature
| leader_name1       = [[Western Cape Provincial Parliament]]
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="cib2011">{{cite book |title=Census 2011: Census in brief |url=http://www.statssa.gov.za/census/census_2011/census_products/Census_2011_Census_in_brief.pdf |publisher=Statistics South Africa |location=Pretoria |year=2012 |isbn=9780621413885}}</ref>{{rp|9}}
| area_total_km2     = 129462
| area_rank          = [[List of South African provinces by area|4th in South Africa]]
| elevation_min_m    = 0
| elevation_max_footnotes = 
| elevation_min_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 7433020
| population_as_of   = 2022
| population_density_km2 = auto
| pop_est_as_of      = 2022
| population_rank    = [[List of South African provinces by population|3rd in South Africa]]
| population_density_rank = [[List of South African provinces by population density|4th in South Africa]]
| population_demonym = 
| population_note    = 
| demographics_type1 = Population groups (2022)
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="cens2022">{{cite book |title=Census 2022:Statistical Release|url=https://census.statssa.gov.za/#/province/1/2|publisher=Statistics South Africa |location=Pretoria |year=2022}}</ref>
| demographics1_title1 = [[Coloured]]
| demographics_type2 = Languages (2022)
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web |date=10 October 2023 |title=Census 2022: Statistical Release |url=https://census.statssa.gov.za/assets/documents/2022/P03014_Census_2022_Statistical_Release.pdf |access-date=12 October 2023 |website=statssa.gov.za |page=6}}</ref>
| demographics2_title1 = [[Afrikaans language|Afrikaans]]
| demographics2_info1 = 41.2%
| timezone1          = [[South African Standard Time|SAST]]
| utc_offset1        = +2
| iso_code           = ZA-WC
| website            = {{URL|http://www.westerncape.gov.za/}}
| footnotes          = 
| p2                 = [[West Coast District Municipality|West Coast]]
| p3                 = [[Cape Winelands District Municipality|Cape Winelands]]
| p4                 = [[Overberg District Municipality|Overberg]]
| p5                 = [[Garden Route District Municipality|Garden Route]]
| p6                 = [[Central Karoo District Municipality|Central Karoo]]
| GDP_rank           = 
| GDP_year           = 
| GDP_total          = 
| elevation_max_m    = 2325
| demographics1_info1 = 42.1%
| demographics1_title2 = [[Bantu peoples of South Africa|Black]]
| demographics1_info2 = 38.8%
| demographics1_title3 = [[White South African|White]]
| demographics1_info3 = 16.4%
| demographics1_title4 = [[Indian South African|Indian]] or [[Asian South African|Asian]]
| demographics1_info4 = 1.1%
| demographics2_title2 = [[Xhosa language|Xhosa]]
| demographics2_info2 = 31.4%
| demographics2_title3 = [[South African English|English]]
| demographics2_info3 = 22.0%
| blank_name_sec2    = [[Human Development Index|HDI]] (2021)
| blank_info_sec2    = 0.751<ref name="GlobalDataLab">{{Cite web|url=https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/table/shdi/ZAF/|title=Sub-national HDI – Area Database – Global Data Lab|website=hdi.globaldatalab.org|language=en|access-date=2024-05-15}}</ref><br />{{color|#090|high}} · [[List of South African provinces by Human Development Index|1st of 9]]
| blank1_name_sec1   = [[Gross domestic product|GDP]] (2023)
| blank1_info_sec1   = {{increase}} R656.27 billion<ref name="i003"/> (US$56.3 billion<ref>{{citation|title=Provincial gross domestic product:experimental estimates, 2013–2022|url=https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/D04411/D044112022.pdf|website=www.statssa.gov.za}}</ref>)
| blank2_name_sec2   = [[Gini coefficient|Gini]] (2010)
| blank2_info_sec2   = {{Positive decrease}} 0.58 <ref name="WCregionalDev2011">{{cite web | url=https://www.westerncape.gov.za/text/2011/12/dc0_city_of_cape_town_15_dec_2011_(mb).pdf | title=Regional Development Profile City of Cape Town | publisher=Western Cape Government | date=2011 | access-date=18 September 2015 | archive-date=16 June 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220616203157/https://www.westerncape.gov.za/Text/2011/12/dc0_city_of_cape_town_15_dec_2011_(mb).pdf | url-status=dead }}</ref><br />{{color|#FF0000|high}}
| image_skyline      = N1-HexRiverPass.jpg
| image_caption      = [[Hex River Mountains]]
| flag_alt           = Banner not flag.
}}
{{Infobox South African
| name = Western Cape
| xh   = {{lang|xh|eNtshona-Kapa}}
| af   = {{lang|af|Wes-Kaap}}
| nso  = {{lang|nso|Kapa Bodikela}}
| ss   =
| st   = {{lang|st|Kapa Bophirimela}}
| tn   = {{lang|tn|Kapa Bophirima}}
| ts   = {{lang|ts|Kapa Vupela-dyambu}}
| ve   = {{lang|ve|Kapa Vhukovhela}}
| nr   = {{lang|nr|eTjhingalanga Kapa}}
| khoi =
| naq  =
| san  =
}}

The '''Western Cape''' ({{langx|af|Wes-Kaap}} {{IPA|af|ˈvɛskɑːp|}}; {{langx|xh|eNtshona-Kapa}}) is a [[provinces of South Africa|province]] of [[South Africa]], situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is geographically the [[List of South African provinces by area|fourth largest of the country's nine provinces]], with an area of {{convert|129449|km2}}, and [[List of South African provinces by population|the third most populous]], with an estimated 7.43 million inhabitants in 2022.<ref name="cens2022"></ref>

About two-thirds of the province's residents live in the metropolitan area of [[Cape Town]], which is also the provincial capital, and South Africa's second-largest city. The Western Cape was created in 1994 from part of the former [[Cape Province]]. The two largest cities are [[Cape Town]] and [[George, Western Cape|George]].

The Western Cape is generally regarded as the [[good governance|best-run]] of South Africa's provinces, with a robust system of governance, proactive administration, high quality [[infrastructure]], and strong political and civil accountability.<ref name= "The worst-run municipality in the Western Cape for 3 years in a row">{{cite web|url= https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/831607/the-worst-run-municipality-in-the-western-cape-for-3-years-in-a-row/ |title= The worst-run municipality in the Western Cape for 3 years in a row |author= Malcolm Libera |publisher= BusinessTech |date= 19 July 2025 |access-date= 20 July 2025 }}</ref><ref name= "Western Cape is the top performing Province on service delivery, General Household Survey">{{cite web|url= https://www.polity.org.za/article/western-cape-is-the-top-performing-province-on-service-delivery-general-household-survey-2022-06-23 |title= Western Cape is the top performing Province on service delivery, General Household Survey |author= |publisher= Polity |date= 23 June 2022 |access-date= 20 July 2025 }}</ref> The province also has South Africa's highest [[secondary education]] [[graduation]] rate.<ref name= "DA-run Western Cape is better than ANC provinces: Alan Winde">{{cite web|url= https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2024-02-14-listen-da-run-western-cape-is-better-than-anc-provinces-alan-winde/ |title= DA-run Western Cape is better than ANC provinces: Alan Winde |author= Bulelani Nonyukela |publisher= Times LIVE |date= 14 February 2024 |access-date= 20 July 2025 }}</ref> In the 2024 Governance Performance Index (GPI), the Western Cape achieved the highest scores across all categories, by a significant margin.<ref name= "The best and worst-run municipalities in South Africa">{{cite web|url= https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/763417/the-best-and-worst-run-municipalities-in-south-africa/ |title= The best and worst-run municipalities in South Africa |author= Staff Writer |publisher= BusinessTech |date= 26 March 2024 |access-date= 20 July 2025 }}</ref>

[[Cape Town]], the capital of the Western Cape, has the country's highest household incomes,<ref name= "South Africans flock to Cape Town">{{cite web|url= https://dailyinvestor.com/property/92063/south-africans-flock-to-cape-town/ |title= South Africans flock to Cape Town |author= Kirsten Minnaar |publisher= Daily Investor |date= 30 June 2025 |access-date= 20 July 2025 }}</ref> lowest rate of unemployment,<ref name= "Cape Town Deviates from National Labour Trends">{{cite web|url= https://www.enca.com/business-videos/discussion-cape-town-deviates-national-labour-trends |title= Cape Town Deviates from National Labour Trends |author= |publisher= eNCA |date= 14 May 2025 |access-date= 20 July 2025 }}</ref> highest level of infrastructure investment,<ref name= "2025 to 2026 Budget - Annexure A">{{cite web|url= https://resource.capetown.gov.za/documentcentre/Documents/Financial%20documents/Budget2526_AnnexureA.pdf |title= 2025 to 2026 Budget - Annexure A |author= |publisher= The City of Cape Town |date= 28 May 2025 |access-date= 20 July 2025 }}</ref> strongest service delivery performance,<ref name= "Cape Town ranked first in latest Good Governance Africa index">{{cite web|url= https://www.capetown.gov.za/Media-and-news/Cape%20Town%20ranked%20first%20in%20latest%20Good%20Governance%20Africa%20index |title= Cape Town ranked first in latest Good Governance Africa index |author= |publisher= The City of Cape Town |date= 18 March 2024 |access-date= 20 July 2025 }}</ref> largest tourism appeal,<ref name= "Cape Town crowned world’s top city for travel – again">{{cite web|url= https://www.capetownetc.com/news/cape-town-crowned-worlds-top-city-for-travel-again/ |title= Cape Town crowned world’s top city for travel – again |author= Kate Walker |publisher= CapeTown ETC |date= 5 May 2025 |access-date= 20 July 2025 }}</ref> and most robust real estate market.<ref name= "Cape Town's property market continues to outpace other cities as the wealth divide grows">{{cite web|url= https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2025-06-23-cape-towns-property-market-continues-to-outpace-the-rest-of-sa-as-the-wealth-divide-grows/ |title= Cape Town's property market continues to outpace other cities as the wealth divide grows |author= Jason Woosey |publisher= IOL |date= 24 June 2025 |access-date= 20 July 2025 }}</ref>

== Geography ==
[[File:Western Cape topography labelled (with provincial labels).svg|thumb|400px|left|Topography of the Western Cape. The Roggeveld and Nuweveld mountains are part of the [[Great Escarpment, Southern Africa|Great Escarpment]] (see diagrams below). The other mountain ranges belong to the [[Cape Fold Belt]], also shown in the diagrams below. The Western Cape's inland boundary lies for the most part at the foot of the Great Escarpment.]]
The Western Cape is roughly L-shaped, extending north and east from the [[Cape of Good Hope]], in the southwestern corner of South Africa. It stretches about {{convert|400|km}} northwards along the Atlantic coast and about {{convert|500|km|-2}} eastwards along the South African south coast ([[Southern Indian Ocean]]). It is bordered on the north by the [[Northern Cape]] and on the east by the [[Eastern Cape]].

The total land area of the province is {{convert|129462|km2}},<ref name="cib2011" />{{rp|9}} about 10.6% of the country's total. It is roughly the size of [[England]] or the [[State of Louisiana]]. Its capital city and largest city is [[Cape Town]], and some other major cities include [[Stellenbosch]], [[Worcester, Western Cape|Worcester]], [[Paarl]], and [[George, South Africa|George]]. The [[Garden Route]] and the [[Overberg]] are popular coastal tourism areas.

The Western Cape is the southernmost region of the African continent with [[Cape Agulhas]] as its southernmost point, only {{convert|3800|km}} from the Antarctic coastline. The coastline varies from sandy between capes, to rocky to steep and mountainous in places. The only natural harbour is [[Saldanha Bay]] on the west coast, about {{convert|140|km|-1}} north of Cape Town. However a lack of fresh water in the region meant that it has only recently been used as a harbour.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}

The province's main harbour was built in [[Table Bay]], which in its natural state was fully exposed to the northwesterly storms that bring rain to the province in winter, as well as the almost uninterrupted dry southeasterly winds in summer. But fresh water coming off [[Table Mountain]] and [[Devil's Peak (Cape Town)|Devil's Peak]] allowed the early European settlers to build Cape Town on the shores of this less than satisfactory anchorage.

=== Topography ===
The province is topographically exceptionally diverse. Most of the province falls within the [[Cape Fold Belt]], a set of nearly parallel ranges of [[Table Mountain Sandstone (Geological Formation)|sandstone folded mountains]] of [[Cambrian]]-[[Ordovician]] age (the age of the rocks is from 510 to about 330&nbsp;million years ago; their folding into mountains occurred about 350 to about 270&nbsp;million years ago).<ref name=compton>Compton, J. S. (2004). ''The Rocks and Mountains of Cape Town''. pp. 24–26, 44–70. Double Storey Books, Cape Town.</ref><ref name=McCarthy>McCarthy, T., Rubridge, B. (2005). ''The Story of Earth and Life''. pp. 188–195, 262–266. Struik Publishers, Cape Town.</ref><ref name=Truswell>Truswell, J.F. (1977). ''The Geological Evolution of South Africa''. pp. 93–96, 114–159. Purnell, Cape Town.</ref>

The height of the mountain peaks in the different ranges varies from {{convert|1000|m}} to {{convert|2300|m}}. The valleys between ranges are generally very fertile, as they contain the weathered loamy soils of the [[Cape Fold Belt#Bokkeveld Group|Bokkeveld mudstones]] (see the diagrams below).<ref name=McCarthy />

The far interior forms part of the [[Karoo]]. This region of the province is generally arid and hilly, with a [[Great Escarpment, Southern Africa|prominent escarpment]] that runs close to the Province's most inland boundary.

<gallery mode="packed" heights="300px">
File:NS cross section Southern Cape.jpg|A diagrammatic 400&nbsp;km south–north crosssection through the Cape at approximately 21° 30' E (i.e. near [[Calitzdorp]] in the Little Karoo), showing the relationship between the [[Cape Fold Mountains]] (and their geological structure) and the [[Karoo Supergroup|geology of the Little and Great Karoo]], as well as the position of the [[Great Escarpment, Southern Africa|Great Escarpment]]. The colour code for the geological layers is the same as those used in the diagram above. The heavy black line flanked by opposing arrows is the fault that runs for nearly 300&nbsp;km along the southern edge of the [[Swartberg]] Mountains. The Swartberg Mountain range owes some of its great height to upliftment along this fault line. The subsurface structures are not to scale.
</gallery>

==== Escarpment ====
[[File:Table_Mountain-010.jpg|thumb|View of [[Table Mountain]] at night.]]
The [[escarpment]] marks the southwestern edge of [[Geography of South Africa#Topographical Divisions|South Africa's central plateau]] (see the middle and bottom diagrams on the left).<ref name=McCarthy /><ref name= "Altas">''Atlas of Southern Africa''. (1984). p. 13. Reader's Digest Association, Cape Town</ref> It runs parallel to the entire South African coastline, except in the very far northeast, where it is interrupted by the [[Limpopo River]] valley, and in the far northwest, where it is interrupted by the [[Orange River]] valley. The {{convert|1000|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} northeastern stretch of the escarpment is called the [[Drakensberg]], which is geographically and geologically quite distinct from the [[Cape Fold Belt#Cape Supergroup|Cape Fold Mountains]], which originated much earlier and totally independently of the origin of the escarpment.<ref name=McCarthy /><ref name=Truswell /><ref name= McCarthy1>McCarthy, T.S. (2013) The Okavango delta and its place in the geomorphological evolution of Southern Africa. ''[[South African Journal of Geology]]'' 116: 1–54.</ref><ref name=norman>Norman, n. & Whitfield, G. (2006). ''Geological Journeys''. p.290-300. Struik Publishers, Cape Town.</ref>

==== Rivers ====
The principal rivers of the province are the [[Berg River|Berg]] and [[Olifants River (Western Cape)|Olifants]] which drain into the Atlantic Ocean, and the [[Breede River|Breede]] and [[Gourits River|Gourits]] which drain into the Indian Ocean.

=== Flora ===
{{multiple image
 | width = 
 | footer = 
 | image1 = RedDisa.jpg
 | width1= 107
 | alt1 = 
 | caption1 =  The Red Disa ([[disa uniflora]]) is an orchid endemic to the Western Cape. It is the province's official flower.
 | image2 = Cape floral.png
 | alt2 =
 | caption2 = The [[Cape floristic region|Cape Floral Kingdom]] is one of the world's most diverse, and is found exclusively in the Cape. 
}}
The vegetation of the region is also extremely diverse, with one of the world's six [[floral kingdom]]s almost exclusively endemic to the province, namely the [[Cape floristic region|Cape Floral Kingdom]], most of which is covered by [[Fynbos]] (from the Afrikaans meaning "Fine Bush" (Dutch: Fijnbos), though precisely how it came to be referred to as such, is uncertain.).<ref name=manning>{{cite book|last1=Manning|first1=John|title=Field Guide to Fynbos|date=2007|publisher=Struik Publishers|location=Cape Town| isbn=9781770072657|pages=8–23|chapter=The World of Fynbos}}</ref><ref name=maytham>{{cite book|last1=Trinder-Smith|first1=Terry|title=Wild Flowers of the Table Mountain National Park|date=2006|publisher=Botanical Society of South Africa|location=Cape Town| isbn=1874999600|pages=19–35|chapter=Introduction}}</ref>

These evergreen heathlands are extremely rich in species diversity,<ref name=manning /><ref name=maytham /> with at least as many plant species occurring on [[Table Mountain]] as in the entire United Kingdom.<ref name=maytham /> It is characterised by various types of shrubs, thousands of herbaceous flowering plant species and some grasses.<ref name=manning /> With the exception of the Silver tree, ''[[Leucadendron argenteum]]'', which only grows on the granite and clay soils of the [[Cape Peninsula]],<ref name=manning2>{{cite book|last1=Manning|first1=John|title=Field Guide to Fynbos|date=2007|publisher=Struik Publishers|location=Cape Town| isbn=9781770072657|page=258|chapter=Cone Bush, Tolbos}}</ref> open fynbos is generally treeless except in the wetter mountain ravines where patches of [[Afromontane forest]] persist.<ref name=manning /><ref name=maytham />

The arid interior is dominated by [[Karoo#Karoo flora|Karoo drought-resistant shrubbery]].{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} The [[Geography of South Africa#Namaqualand|West Coast]] and [[Karoo#Divisions|Little Karoo]] are [[semi-arid]] regions and are typified by many species of succulents and drought-resistant shrubs and [[acacia]] trees.

The [[Garden Route]] on the south coast (between the [[Outeniqua Mountains]] and the [[Southern Indian Ocean]]) is extremely lush, with temperate rainforest (or [[Knysna-Amatole montane forests|Afromontane Forest]]) covering many areas adjacent to the coast, in the deep river valleys and along the southern slopes of the Outeniqua mountain range.{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} Typical species are hardwoods of exceptional height, such as [[Podocarpus|Yellowwood]], [[Stinkwood]] and [[Ironwood]] trees.

=== Climate ===
The Western Cape is climatologically diverse, with many distinct micro- and macroclimates created by the varied topography and the influence of the surrounding ocean currents. These are the warm [[Agulhas Current]] which flows southwards along South Africa's east coast, and the cold [[Benguela Current]] which is an upwelling current from the depths of the [[South Atlantic Ocean]] along South Africa's west coast.<ref name=Branch>Branch, M & Branch G. (1981). ''The Living Shores of Southern Africa.'' pp. 14–18. Struik Publishers, Cape Town.</ref><ref name=tyson>Tyson, P.D., Preston-Whyte, R.A. (2000) ''The Weather and Climate of Southern Africa''. pp. 221–223. Oxford University Press, Cape Town</ref>

Thus, climatic statistics can vary greatly over short distances. Most of the province is considered to have a [[Mediterranean climate]] with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers.

Both the [[Karoo|Great Karoo and Little Karoo]], in the interior, have an [[arid]] to [[semi-arid]] climate with cold, frosty winters and hot summers with occasional [[thunderstorms]]. The [[Garden Route]] and the [[Overberg]] on the south coast have a maritime climate with cool, moist winters and mild, moist summers. [[Mossel Bay]] in the Garden Route is considered{{By whom|date=May 2021}} to have the second mildest climate worldwide after Hawaii.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}} The La Niña phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation cycle tends to increase rainfall in this region in the dry season (November to April).<ref name="Carlowicz 2021" >{{cite web |url=https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/149201/la-nina-returns-for-a-second-winter |first=Michael |last=Carlowicz |title=La Niña Returns for a Second Winter |website=earthobservatory.nasa.gov |date=1 December 2021 |access-date=16 December 2021 }}</ref>

The effects of El Niño on rainfall in southern Africa differ between the summer and winter rainfall areas. Winter rainfall areas tend to get higher rainfall than normal and summer rainfall areas tend to get less rain. The effect on the summer rainfall areas is stronger and has led to severe drought in strong El Niño events.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/madagascar/southern-africa-el-nino-positive-indian-ocean-dipole-forecast-and-humanitarian-impact-october-2023 |title=Southern Africa: El Niño, Positive Indian Ocean Dipole Forecast and Humanitarian Impact (October 2023) |date=16 October 2023 |access-date=20 January 2024 |publisher=OCHA |website=reliefweb.int }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=South African extreme weather during the 1877–1878 El Niño |first1=Yuri |last1=Brugnara |first2=Stefan |last2=Brönnimann |first3=Stefan |last3=Grab |first4=Jessica |last4=Steinkopf |first5=Angela-Maria |last5=Burgdorf |first6=Clive |last6=Wilkinson |first7=Rob |last7=Allan |journal=Weather |doi=10.1002/wea.4468 |volume=78 |issue=10 |date=October 2023 |pages=286–293 |bibcode=2023Wthr...78..286B |doi-access=free }}</ref>

Sea surface temperatures off the west and south coasts of South Africa are affected by ENSO via changes in surface wind strength.<ref name="Nhesvure 2020" >Nhesvure, B. (2020). Impacts of ENSO on coastal South African sea surface temperatures. Faculty of Science, Department of Oceanography. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/32954/</ref> During El Niño the south-easterly winds driving upwelling are weaker which results in warmer coastal waters than normal, while during La Niña the same winds are stronger and cause colder coastal waters.

These effects on the winds are part of large scale influences on the tropical Atlantic and the [[South Atlantic High]]-pressure system, and changes to the pattern of westerly winds further south. There are other influences not known to be related to ENSO of similar importance. Some ENSO events do not lead to the expected changes.<ref name="Nhesvure 2020" />

Thunderstorms are generally rare in the province (except in the [[Karoo]]) with most precipitation being of a [[Cold front|frontal]] or [[orographic]] nature. Extremes of heat and cold are common inland, but rare near the coast. Snow is a common winter occurrence on the [[Cape Fold Belt|Western Cape Mountains]] occasionally reaching down into the more inland valleys. Otherwise, frost is relatively rare in coastal areas and many of the heavily cultivated valleys.
{{Weather box
| name         =  
| width        =  auto
| collapsed    =  yes
| open         =  
| metric first =  yes
| single line  =  yes
| trace        =  
| location     =  [[Cape Town International Airport]], elevation: 42m, normals for 1991–2020
| temperature colour =
| precipitation colour  =  green
| unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
| precip days colour =

| Jan high C  =27.0
| Feb high C  =27.3
| Mar high C  =26.0
| Apr high C  =23.6
| May high C  =20.6
| Jun high C  =18.2
| Jul high C  =17.9
| Aug high C  =18.0
| Sep high C  =19.6
| Oct high C  =22.2
| Nov high C  =23.7
| Dec high C  =25.8
| year high C =
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
| Jan mean C  =21.8
| Feb mean C  =21.9
| Mar mean C  =20.5
| Apr mean C  =17.9
| May mean C  =15.4
| Jun mean C  =13.2
| Jul mean C  =12.7
| Aug mean C  =13.0
| Sep mean C  =14.5
| Oct mean C  =15.9
| Nov mean C  =18.6
| Dec mean C  =20.7
| year mean C =
<!-- Average low temperatures -->
| Jan low C  =16.6
| Feb low C  =16.5
| Mar low C  =15.0
| Apr low C  =12.2
| May low C  =10.2
| Jun low C  =8.1
| Jul low C  =7.4
| Aug low C  =7.9
| Sep low C  =9.4
| Oct low C  =11.5
| Nov low C  =13.4
| Dec low C  =15.6
| year low C =

| Jan precipitation mm  =9.4
| Feb precipitation mm  =9.6
| Mar precipitation mm  =12.5
| Apr precipitation mm  =40.1
| May precipitation mm  =61.1
| Jun precipitation mm  =92.3
| Jul precipitation mm  =84.8
| Aug precipitation mm  =72.4
| Sep precipitation mm  =44.3
| Oct precipitation mm  =28.4
| Nov precipitation mm  =24.3
| Dec precipitation mm  =12.8
| year precipitation mm =
| Jan precipitation days  =1.8
| Feb precipitation days  =1.8
| Mar precipitation days  =2.5
| Apr precipitation days  =5.0
| May precipitation days  =7.4
| Jun precipitation days  =10.1
| Jul precipitation days  =9.1
| Aug precipitation days  =9.3
| Sep precipitation days  =6.8
| Oct precipitation days  =4.2
| Nov precipitation days  =4
| Dec precipitation days  =2.6
| year precipitation days =

| Jan sun  =352.3
| Feb sun  =304
| Mar sun  =289.7
| Apr sun  =240.1
| May sun  =196.7
| Jun sun  =175.9
| Jul sun  =197
| Aug sun  =206.2
| Sep sun  =228.4
| Oct sun  =283.5
| Nov sun  =302.8
| Dec sun  =338.4
| year sun =
| source = [[NOAA]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/SouthAfrica/XLS/CapeTown_68816.xls |title=World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020: Cape Town International Airport-68816 |website=ncei.noaa.gov |publisher=[[NOAA|National Oceanic and Atmosoheric Administration]] |access-date=29 February 2024|no-pp=y |type=Excel |format=XLS }}</ref>
}}
{{climate chart
| [[George, South Africa|George, Garden Route]]
|16.9 |24   |55
|17.2 |24.2 |48
|16.1 |23.3 |60
|14   |21.5 |60
|12.1 |20 |48
|9.8 |18.1 |43
|9.3 |17.6 |43
|9.6 |17.9 |56
|10.6 |18.6 |48
|12.4 |20 |67
|13.7 |21 |75
|15.8 |22.9 |54
|float=left
|clear=none
|caption=George and the [[Garden Route]] have mild [[Oceanic Climates]], with mild weather year round.
|source=<ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.climate-data.org/africa/south-africa/western-cape/george-7176/#temperature-graph |title=Climate George |publisher=Climate-Data.org|access-date=4 November 2021}}</ref> }}

{{climate chart
| [[Saldanha, Western Cape|Saldanha, West Coast]]
|17.1 |20.7 |9
|17.1 |20.8 |8
|16.1 |20   |10
|14.5 |18.6 |24
|13.4 |17.3 |36
|12.3 |16.2 |57
|11.6 |15.9 |51
|11.9 |15.7 |45
|12.8 |16.7 |26
|14   |18   |15
|15.1 |18.9 |14
|16.5 |20.2 |9
|float=left
|clear=none
|caption=Saldanha and the [[West Coast District Municipality|West Coast]] have a [[BSk|cold, Semi-Arid climate]], characterised by minimal rain and cool temperatures.
|source=<ref>{{cite web |url=https://en.climate-data.org/africa/south-africa/western-cape/saldanha-9529/ |title=Climate Saldanha |publisher=Climate-Data.org|access-date=4 November 2021}}</ref> }}
{{clear}}

==Political history==
{{Politics of Western Cape}}

=== Cape Liberal Tradition ===
The Cape has had a long tradition of holding liberal values.<ref>J. Lewis: ''The Rise and Fall of the South African Peasantry: A Critique and Reassessment.'' Journal of Southern African Studies, XI, 1. 1984.</ref> For example, the Cape Qualified Franchise before the Union of South Africa.

==== Cape Qualified Franchise ====
{{Main|Cape Qualified Franchise}}
The Cape Qualified Franchise was the system of non-racial [[Suffrage|franchise]] that was adhered to in the [[British Cape Colony|Cape Colony]], and in the [[Cape Province]] in the early years of the [[Union of South Africa]]. Qualifications for the right to vote at parliamentary elections were applied equally to all men, regardless of race.

This local system of multi-racial suffrage was later gradually restricted, and eventually abolished, under various [[National Party (South Africa)|National Party]] and [[United Party (South Africa)|United Party]] governments. In 1930, [[White South African|white]] [[Women's Enfranchisement Act, 1930|women were enfranchised]], and in 1931 [[Franchise Laws Amendment Act, 1931|property qualifications for white voters were removed]].

In 1936, [[Bantu peoples in South Africa|black]] voters were then removed from the common voters' rolls and [[Representation of Natives Act, 1936|allowed only to elect separate members]] in 1936, and subsequently [[Promotion of Bantu Self-government Act, 1959|denied all representation]] in the [[House of Assembly (South Africa)|House of Assembly]] in 1960. [[Coloured]] voters [[Coloured vote constitutional crisis|similarly followed]] in [[Separate Representation of Voters Act, 1951|1958]] and [[Separate Representation of Voters Amendment Act, 1968|1970]], respectively.

==== Contribution of the Western Cape in the National Youth Uprisings ====
The [[Black Consciousness Movement]] (BCM) was a grassroots anti-Apartheid activist movement that emerged in South Africa in the mid-1960s out of the political vacuum created by the jailing and banning of the African National Congress and Pan Africanist Congress leadership after the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960. The BCM represented a social movement for political consciousness.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Ideology of the Black Consciousness Movement |url=https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/ideology-black-consciousness-movement |website=South African History Online |access-date=6 September 2019}}</ref>

In December 1968, the [[South African Student Organization]] (SASO) was formed at a conference held in Marianhill, Natal. The conference was exclusively attended by Black students. After its launch, SASO became the medium through which black consciousness ideology spread to schools and other university campuses across the country.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.sahistory.org.za/cape-town/black-consciousness-and-student-revolt-cape|title = Black Consciousness and Student Revolt in the Cape|access-date = 16 June 2014|website = South African History Online| date=30 June 2011 }}</ref>

In 1974, South African Minister of Bantu Education and Development MC Botha, constituted the imposition of using [[Afrikaans]] as a medium of instruction in black schools, effective with students in Grade 7 (Standard 5) upwards.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Afrikaans Medium Decree |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/the-afrikaans-medium-decree-43416 |website=ThoughtCo |access-date=6 September 2019}}</ref> As early as March 1976, students began passive resistance against Afrikaans, fueling the outbreak of the [[Soweto uprising|Soweto Uprising]] on 16 June 1976. Consequently, the student protests spread to other parts of the country, and [[Cape Town]] became a pivotal site for Western Cape student revolt.<ref>{{cite news |title=African South Africans' June 16th 1976 Revolt—Sad Times, Bad Times—A Luta Kontinua! AMANDLA! POWER! |url=https://owlcation.com/humanities/African-South-Africans-and-June-16th-1976-Sad-Times-Bad-Times-Aluta-Kontinua-AMANDLA |newspaper=Owlcation |access-date=6 September 2019}}</ref>

Student leaders at the [[University of the Western Cape]] (UWC) and the [[University of Cape Town]] (UCT) organised marches. Poster parades by UWC and Black Power Salute marches by UCT was broken by the police, resulting in 73 students getting arrested and detained at [[Victor Verster Prison]], near Paarl.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

On 1 September 1976, the unrest spread to the city of Cape Town itself. Approximately 2000 black students from Western Cape townships, namely Langa, Nyanga and Gugulethu, matched the Cape Town central business district (CBD). Coloured students also contributed to the protests by peacefully marching to the city, but were blockaded by the police in the CBD. The protests turned violent when coloured students started burning schools, libraries and a magistrate's court in support of the student revolt. Thereafter, 200,000 coloured workers partook in a two-day strike staying away from work in the Cape Town area.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

According to a report by the [[Truth and Reconciliation Commission (South Africa)|Truth and Reconciliation Commission]] (TRC), the Western Cape experienced the second highest number of deaths and casualties associated with the 1976 uprising protests.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.sahistory.org.za/cape-town/black-consciousness-and-student-revolt-cape|title = Black consciousness and student revolt in Cape Town|access-date = 14 June 2014|website = South African History Online| date=30 June 2011 }}</ref>

==== 1994 and the Western Cape post-apartheid ====
In 1994, at the introduction of the [[Interim Constitution of South Africa|Interim Constitution]] and the [[South African general election, 1994|first non-racial election]], South Africa's original provinces and [[bantustan]]s were abolished and [[Provinces of South Africa|nine new provinces]] were established. The former [[Cape Province]] was divided into the Western Cape, [[Northern Cape]], Eastern Cape and part of [[North West (South African province)|North West]].

In the 1994 election, the Western Cape was one of two provinces that did not elect an [[African National Congress]] (ANC) provincial government (the other being [[KwaZulu-Natal]]). The [[National Party (South Africa)|National Party]] (NP) won 53% of the votes and 23 seats in the 42-seat provincial legislature, and [[Hernus Kriel]], a former Minister of Law and Order, was elected [[Premier of the Western Cape|Premier]]. He resigned in 1998 and was replaced by [[Gerald Morkel]].

The [[South African general election, 1999|1999 election]] marked the beginning of a period of great turbulence in Western Cape politics. No party achieved an absolute majority in the provincial parliament, as the ANC won 18 seats while the [[New National Party (South Africa)|New National Party]] (NNP), successor to the NP, won 17. The NNP went into coalition with the [[Democratic Party (South Africa)|Democratic Party]] (DP), which won 5 seats, to form a government, and Morkel remained Premier. In 2000 the DP and the NNP formalised their coalition by forming the [[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|Democratic Alliance]] (DA).

In 2001, however, the NNP broke with the DA over the removal of [[Peter Marais]] from office as [[Mayor of Cape Town]] by DA leader [[Tony Leon]]. The NNP instead went into coalition with the ANC; Gerald Morkel, who was opposed to the split, resigned as Premier and was replaced by Peter Marais. In 2002 Marais resigned as Premier due to a sexual harassment scandal, and was replaced by NNP leader [[Marthinus van Schalkwyk]].

During the [[2003 South African floor-crossing window period|2003 floor-crossing period]] four members of the provincial parliament crossed to the ANC, giving it an absolute majority of 22 seats in the 42-seat house. However, the ANC remained in coalition with the NNP and van Schalkwyk remained as Premier.

In the [[South African general election, 2004|2004 election]], there was again no absolute winner in the provincial parliament; this time the ANC won 19 seats, the DA won 12, and the NNP won 5. The ANC-NNP coalition continued in power, but van Schalkwyk took up a ministerial post in the national cabinet and was replaced as Premier by the ANC's [[Ebrahim Rasool]].

The NNP was finally dissolved after the [[2005 South African floor-crossing window period|2005 floor-crossing period]] and its members joined the ANC, again giving that party an absolute majority of 24 seats. In the [[2007 South African floor-crossing window period|2007 floor-crossing period]] the ANC gained a further three members of the provincial parliament. In 2008 Rasool resigned as Premier due to internal party politics, and was replaced by [[Lynne Brown]].

The [[South African general election, 2009|2009 election]] marked a significant change in Western Cape politics, as the Democratic Alliance won 51% of the votes and an absolute majority of 22 seats in the provincial parliament, while the ANC won 14 seats with 31% of the vote. The DA leader [[Helen Zille]] was elected Premier. In 2010 the [[Independent Democrats]], which had won 3 seats with 5% of the vote, merged with the DA.

In the [[South African general election, 2014|2014 election]] the DA won 59% of the votes and an absolute majority of 26 seats in the provincial parliament, while the ANC won 14 seats with 32% of the vote. In 2018 King Khoebaha Cornelius III Declared the independence of the "Sovereign State of Good Hope".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/1982550/khoi-san-king-declares-that-the-cape-has-seceded-from-sa/|title=Khoi-San king declares that the Cape has seceded from SA|first=Charles|last=Cilliers|date=17 July 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/khoisan-nation-serves-cape-town-parliament-with-eviction-notice/|title=Khoisan Nation serves Cape Town parliament with eviction notice|date=18 July 2018}}</ref>

In the [[2019 South African general election|2019 election]], the DA retained their majority in the province, but with a reduction in support. It had won 24 seats with 55%. Helen Zille was term-limited and the DA premier candidate [[Alan Winde]] succeeded her. The ANC also lost support. It had received 12 seats with 28% support, its lowest showing since 1994. Veteran politician [[Peter Marais]] returned to the provincial parliament as the sole representative of the [[Freedom Front Plus]]. Patricia de Lille formed another party, [[Good (political party)|Good]], and it achieved a seat.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Makinana |first1=Andisiwe |title=It's official: DA has comfortably won the Western CapeIt's official: DA has comfortably won the Western Cape |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/politics/2019-05-10-democratic-alliance-officially-wins-the-western-cape-vote/ |access-date=1 April 2020 |newspaper=TimesLIVE |date=10 May 2019}}</ref>

The DA continued to win a majority of the votes in the [[2021 South African municipal elections|2021 municipal elections]], receiving 54% of the vote province-wide, with support in Cape Town at 58%.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://results.elections.org.za/dashboards/lge/|title=IEC Results Dashboard|website=results.elections.org.za}}</ref>

=== Cape Independence Movement ===
{{Main|Cape independence}}
Since the late 2000s there has been growing support for Western Cape, or Greater Cape, independence from South Africa.{{Citation needed|date=January 2024}} Political parties such as the [[Referendum Party (South Africa)|Referendum Party]], [[Freedom Front Plus]] and organisations such as the Cape Independence Advocacy Group<ref>{{Cite web|last=Charles|first=Marvin|title=Cape Independence: Lobby group says recent survey 'places intense pressure' on DA to hold referendum|url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/cape-independence-lobby-group-says-recent-survey-places-intense-pressure-on-da-to-hold-referendum-20210813|access-date=2021-10-20|website=News24|language=en-US}}</ref> and CapeXit,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-05-31|title=The CapeXit mission: Can this be Brexit for the Western Cape?|url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/capexit-independent-country-western-cape/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=The South African|language=en-ZA}}</ref> wish to bring forth the constitutional and peaceful secession of the Western Cape.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=An independent Western Cape on the cards? Here is what you need to know about the independence bid|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2021-06-01-an-independent-western-cape-on-the-cards-here-is-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-independence-bid/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=TimesLIVE|language=en-ZA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Freedom Front Plus pushes for independent Western Cape|url=https://www.capetownetc.com/news/freedom-front-plus-pushes-for-independent-western-cape/|access-date=2021-05-15|website=capetownetc.com|date=11 November 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Shepherd|first=Ling|date=2021-10-04|title=The Capexit battle royale #LGE2021|url=https://www.thedailyvox.co.za/the-capexit-battle-royale-lge2021/|access-date=2021-10-20|website=The Daily Vox|language=en-US|archive-date=29 February 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240229084732/https://www.thedailyvox.co.za/the-capexit-battle-royale-lge2021/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Proponents claim substantial support for the idea, with CapeXit having over 800,000 signed mandates in May 2021. Additionally, a poll conducted in 2023 by Victory Research on behalf of the Cape Independence Advocacy Group claimed that 58% of the Western Cape's registered voters would support independence, while 68% would support a referendum on the issue.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-09-11|title=Cape Independence Polling Results for 2023|url=https://www.capeindependence.org/post/ciag-poll-aug-2023}}</ref>

==Law and government==
{{main|Government of the Western Cape|Politics of the Western Cape}}
[[File:Western Cape provincial building.jpg|thumb|left|Provincial government headquarters in Cape Town]]
The provincial government is established under the [[Constitution of the Western Cape]], which was adopted in 1998. The people of the province elect the 42-member [[Western Cape Provincial Parliament]] every five years by a system of [[party-list proportional representation]]. The sixth provincial parliament was elected in [[2024 Western Cape provincial election|2024]]; 24 seats are held by the [[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|Democratic Alliance]], 8 by the [[African National Congress]], 3 by the [[Patriotic Alliance]], 2 by the [[Economic Freedom Fighters]], and 1 each by the [[African Christian Democratic Party]], [[Good (political party)|Al Jama-ah]], [[Good (political party)|Good]], [[Freedom Front Plus]], and [[National Coloured Congress]].

The provincial parliament is responsible for legislating within its responsibilities as set out by the [[Constitution of South Africa|national constitution]]; these responsibilities include agriculture, education, environment, health services, housing, language policies, tourism, trade, and welfare.

The provincial parliament also elects the [[Premier of the Western Cape]] to lead the provincial executive. [[Alan Winde]], a member of the [[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]] and former Provincial Minister of Community Safety, has served as Premier since the [[2019 Western Cape provincial election|2019 provincial election]].

The Premier appoints ten members of the provincial legislature to serve as an [[executive Council of the Western Cape|cabinet]] of ministers, overseeing the departments of the [[Government of the Western Cape|provincial government]]. These departments are Agriculture, [[Western Cape Department of Community Safety|Community Safety]], Cultural Affairs and Sport, Economic Development and Tourism, [[Western Cape Education Department|Education]], Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, [[Western Cape Department of Health|Health]], Human Settlements, Local Government, Social Development, [[Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works|Transport and Public Works]], and the Provincial Treasury.

Politically, the Western Cape is a stronghold for the [[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|Democratic Alliance]] (DA).  The DA has won an absolute majority of the vote in the province in every national, provincial, and municipal election since [[2009 South African general election|2009]].

==Municipalities==
{{main|List of municipalities in the Western Cape}}
The Western Cape Province is divided into one [[metropolitan municipality (South Africa)|metropolitan municipality]] and five [[district municipality (South Africa)|district municipalities]]. The district municipalities are in turn divided into 24 [[local municipality (South Africa)|local municipalities]].

In the following interactive map, the district and metropolitan municipalities are labelled in capital letters and shaded in various different colours. 
Clicking on the district on the map loads the appropriate article:

<imagemap>
Image:Map of the Western Cape with municipalities named and districts shaded (2016).svg|border|500px|alt=''Western Cape Municipalities'' – Clickable Image|Western Cape districts and local municipalities. Clicking on the district on the map loads the appropriate article.

poly 38  136  122  70  178  212  100  226  64  170 [[w:Matzikama Local Municipality]]
poly 108  260  212  256  230  314  190  326  116  298 [[w:Cederberg Local Municipality]]
poly 116  328  176  348  194  392  138  366  98  368 [[w:Bergrivier Local Municipality]]
poly 62  366  114  402  84  432  50  398 [[w:Saldanha Bay Local Municipality]]
poly 100  446  140  424  140  396  176  448  160  470  110  456 [[w:Swartland Local Municipality]]
poly 124  482  152  496  130  576 [[w:City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality]]
poly 222  342  320  330  338  402  288  426  240  422  206  454 [[w:Witzenberg Local Municipality]] 
poly 184  502  212  506  196  440 [[w:Drakenstein Local Municipality]]
poly 176  512  218  516  172  536 [[w:Stellenbosch Local Municipality]]
poly 204  544  254  534  306  546  276  576  226  570 [[w:Theewaterskloof Local Municipality]]
poly 184  580  230  586  276  602  284  638 [[w:Overstrand Local Municipality]]
poly 292  588  326  564  354  600  398  588  316  644 [[w:Cape Agulhas Local Municipality]]
poly 322  552  366  578  390  554  394  512  424  508  398  478  376  522  352  550 [[w:Swellendam Local Municipality]]
poly 216  480  242  520  272  482  256  458 [[w:Breede Valley Local Municipality]]
poly 280  468  366  470  310  534 [[w:Langeberg Local Municipality]]
poly 352  420  380  374  438  358  462  326  494  408  408  444 [[w:Laingsburg Local Municipality]]
poly 400  460  530  434  540  472  444  494 [[w:Kannaland Local Municipality]]
poly 526  504  542  570  590  568  578  508 [[w:Mossel Bay Local Municipality]]
poly 428  526  510  506  524  578  434  578 [[w:Hessequa Local Municipality]]
poly 550  436  638  440  640  466  554  482 [[w:Oudtshoorn Local Municipality]]
poly 598  526  610  490  652  484  632  530 [[w:George Local Municipality]]
poly 656  502  660  534  692  534  690  500 [[w:Knysna Local Municipality]]
poly 710  532  752  532  732  494 [[w:Bitou Local Municipality]]
poly 508  350  522  420  636  426  650  380  562  352 [[w:Prince Albert Local Municipality]]
poly 474  300  502  316  696  336  794  240  732  200  588  210 [[w:Beaufort West Local Municipality]]
poly 656  446  668  480  746  464 [[w:George Local Municipality]]
</imagemap>

===District and metropolitan municipalities===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!class="unsortable"|&nbsp;
! Name
! Code
! Seat
! Area<br /><small>(km<sup>2</sup>)</small><ref name="mdb-area">{{cite web |title=2016 Boundaries |type=Shapefile |website=[[Municipal Demarcation Board]] |date=2016 |url=http://www.demarcation.org.za/site/shapefiles/}}</ref>
! Population<br /><small>(2016)</small><ref name="cs2016">{{cite web |title=Community Survey 2016 |type=Data file |website=[[Statistics South Africa]] |date=2016 |url=http://interactive2.statssa.gov.za/webapi |access-date=2017-02-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180920075115/http://interactive2.statssa.gov.za/webapi/ |archive-date=2018-09-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
! Pop. density<br /><small>(per km<sup>2</sup>)</small>
!Mayor
!Mayor Party
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#BEBADA"|
| [[Cape Winelands District Municipality]]
| DC2
| [[Worcester, Western Cape|Worcester]]
|style="text-align:right"| 21,473
|style="text-align:right"| 866,001
|style="text-align:right"| 40.3
|Helena von Schlicht
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FDB462"|
| [[Central Karoo District Municipality]]
| DC5
| [[Beaufort West]]
|style="text-align:right"| 38,854
|style="text-align:right"| 74,247
|style="text-align:right"| 1.9
|J. Botha
|[[African National Congress|ANC]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#8DD3C7"|
| [[City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality]]
| CPT
| [[Cape Town]]
|style="text-align:right"| 2,446
|style="text-align:right"| 4,005,016
|style="text-align:right"| 1,637.6
|[[Geordin Hill-Lewis]]
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#80B1D3"|
| [[Garden Route District Municipality]]
| DC4
| [[George, Western Cape|George]]
|style="text-align:right"| 23,331
|style="text-align:right"| 611,278
|style="text-align:right"| 26.2
|Andrew Stroebel
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FB8072"|
| [[Overberg District Municipality]]
| DC3
| [[Bredasdorp]]
|style="text-align:right"| 12,239
|style="text-align:right"| 286,786
|style="text-align:right"| 23.4
|Andries Franken
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FFFFB3"|
| [[West Coast District Municipality]]
| DC1
| [[Moorreesburg]]
|style="text-align:right"| 31,119
|style="text-align:right"| 436,403
|style="text-align:right"| 14.0
|Roelof Strydom
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|}

===Local and metropolitan municipalities===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!class="unsortable"| &nbsp;
! Name
! Code
! District
! Seat
! Area<br /><small>(km<sup>2</sup>)</small><ref name="mdb-area" />
! Population<br /><small>(2016)</small><ref name="cs2016" />
! Pop. density<br /><small>(per km<sup>2</sup>)</small>
!Mayor
!Mayor Party
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FDB462"|
| [[Beaufort West Local Municipality]]
| WC053
| Central Karoo
| [[Beaufort West]]
|style="text-align:right"| 21,917
|style="text-align:right"| 51,080
|style="text-align:right"| 2.3
|Josias De Kock Reynolds
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FFFFB3"|
| [[Bergrivier Local Municipality]]
| WC013
| West Coast
| [[Piketberg]]
|style="text-align:right"| 4,407
|style="text-align:right"| 67,474
|style="text-align:right"| 15.3
|Ray van Rooy
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#80B1D3"|
| [[Bitou Local Municipality]]
| WC047
| Garden Route
| [[Plettenberg Bay]]
|style="text-align:right"| 992
|style="text-align:right"| 59,157
|style="text-align:right"| 59.6
|Claude Terblanche
|[[Plett Democratic Congress|PDC]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#BEBADA"|
| [[Breede Valley Local Municipality]]
| WC025
| Cape Winelands
| [[Worcester, Western Cape|Worcester]]
|style="text-align:right"| 3,834
|style="text-align:right"| 176,578
|style="text-align:right"| 46.1
|Antoinette Steyn
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FB8072"|
| [[Cape Agulhas Local Municipality]]
| WC033
| Overberg
| [[Bredasdorp]]
|style="text-align:right"| 3,471
|style="text-align:right"| 36,000
|style="text-align:right"| 10.4
|Raymond Ross
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FFFFB3"|
| [[Cederberg Local Municipality]]
| WC012
| West Coast
| [[Clanwilliam, Western Cape|Clanwilliam]]
|style="text-align:right"| 8,007
|style="text-align:right"| 52,949
|style="text-align:right"| 6.6
|Ruben Richards
|CFRA
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#8DD3C7"|
| [[City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality]]
| CPT
|
| [[Cape Town]]
|style="text-align:right"| 2,446
|style="text-align:right"| 4,005,016
|style="text-align:right"| 1,637.6
|[[Geordin Hill-Lewis]] 
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#BEBADA"|
| [[Drakenstein Local Municipality]]
| WC023
| Cape Winelands
| [[Paarl]]
|style="text-align:right"| 1,538
|style="text-align:right"| 280,195
|style="text-align:right"| 182.2
|Stephen Korabie 
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#80B1D3"|
| [[George Local Municipality]]
| WC044
| Garden Route
| [[George, Western Cape|George]]
|style="text-align:right"| 5,191
|style="text-align:right"| 208,237
|style="text-align:right"| 40.1
|Jackie von Brandis 
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#80B1D3"|
| [[Hessequa Local Municipality]]
| WC042
| Garden Route
| [[Riversdale, Western Cape|Riversdale]]
|style="text-align:right"| 5,733
|style="text-align:right"| 54,237
|style="text-align:right"| 9.5
|Grant Riddles 
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#80B1D3"|
| [[Kannaland Local Municipality]]
| WC041
| Garden Route
| [[Ladismith]]
|style="text-align:right"| 4,765
|style="text-align:right"| 24,168
|style="text-align:right"| 5.1
|Jeffrey Donson            
|[[Independent Civic Organisation of South Africa|ICOSA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#80B1D3"|
| [[Knysna Local Municipality]]
| WC048
| Garden Route
| [[Knysna]]
|style="text-align:right"| 1,109
|style="text-align:right"| 73,835
|style="text-align:right"| 66.6
|Aubrey Tsengwa  
|[[African National Congress|ANC]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FDB462"|
| [[Laingsburg Local Municipality]]
| WC051
| Central Karoo
| [[Laingsburg, Western Cape|Laingsburg]]
|style="text-align:right"| 8,784
|style="text-align:right"| 8,895
|style="text-align:right"| 1.0
|Mitchell Smith
|[[Patriotic Alliance|PA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#BEBADA"|
| [[Langeberg Local Municipality]]
| WC026
| Cape Winelands
| [[Ashton, Western Cape|Ashton]]
|style="text-align:right"| 4,518
|style="text-align:right"| 105,483
|style="text-align:right"| 23.3
|SW van Eede
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FFFFB3"|
| [[Matzikama Local Municipality]]
| WC011
| West Coast
| [[Vredendal]]
|style="text-align:right"| 12,981
|style="text-align:right"| 71,045
|style="text-align:right"| 5.5
|Johan Van Der Hoven
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#80B1D3"|
| [[Mossel Bay Local Municipality]]
| WC043
| Garden Route
| [[Mossel Bay]]
|style="text-align:right"| 2,001
|style="text-align:right"| 94,135
|style="text-align:right"| 47.0
|[[Dirk Kotzé]]
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#80B1D3"|
| [[Oudtshoorn Local Municipality]]
| WC045
| Garden Route
| [[Oudtshoorn]]
|style="text-align:right"| 3,540
|style="text-align:right"| 97,509
|style="text-align:right"| 27.5
|Johannes Allers
|[[Freedom Front Plus|FF+]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FB8072"|
| [[Overstrand Local Municipality]]
| WC032
| Overberg
| [[Hermanus]]
|style="text-align:right"| 1,675
|style="text-align:right"| 93,407
|style="text-align:right"| 55.8
|[[Annelie Rabie]] 
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FDB462"|
| [[Prince Albert Local Municipality]]
| WC052
| Central Karoo
| [[Prince Albert, Western Cape|Prince Albert]]
|style="text-align:right"| 8,153
|style="text-align:right"| 14,272
|style="text-align:right"| 1.8
|Linda Jaquet 
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FFFFB3"|
| [[Saldanha Bay Local Municipality]]
| WC014
| West Coast
| [[Vredenburg]]
|style="text-align:right"| 2,015
|style="text-align:right"| 111,173
|style="text-align:right"| 55.2
|Andre Truter 
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#BEBADA"|
| [[Stellenbosch Local Municipality]]
| WC024
| Cape Winelands
| [[Stellenbosch]]
|style="text-align:right"| 831
|style="text-align:right"| 173,197
|style="text-align:right"| 208.4
|[[Gesie van Deventer]]
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FFFFB3"|
| [[Swartland Local Municipality]]
| WC015
| West Coast
| [[Malmesbury, Western Cape|Malmesbury]]
|style="text-align:right"| 3,707
|style="text-align:right"| 133,762
|style="text-align:right"| 36.1
|Harold Cleophas 
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FB8072"|
| [[Swellendam Local Municipality]]
| WC034
| Overberg
| [[Swellendam]]
|style="text-align:right"| 3,835
|style="text-align:right"| 40,211
|style="text-align:right"| 10.5
|Francois du Rand 
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#FB8072"|
| [[Theewaterskloof Local Municipality]]
| WC031
| Overberg
| [[Caledon, Western Cape|Caledon]]
|style="text-align:right"| 3,259
|style="text-align:right"| 117,167
|style="text-align:right"| 36.0
|Kallie Papier
|[[Patriotic Alliance|PA]]
|-
|style="text-align:center;background-color:#BEBADA"|
| [[Witzenberg Local Municipality]]
| WC022
| Cape Winelands
| [[Ceres, Western Cape|Ceres]]
|style="text-align:right"| 10,753
|style="text-align:right"| 130,548
|style="text-align:right"| 12.1
|Trevor Abrahams 
|[[Democratic Alliance (South Africa)|DA]]
|}

==Housing==

The Western Cape is one of South Africa's most desirable provinces in which to live, with many high net worth individuals moving to the province from elsewhere in the country in recent years (often referred to as "semigration). The province is also popular amongst those immigrating to South Africa.

[[Cape Town]], the province's capital, has South Africa's most-desirable and most robust [[real estate]] market.<ref name="Cape Town's property market continues to outpace other cities as the wealth divide grows"/> In 2021, the city's property market was valued at [[South African rand|R]]1.22 trillion, constituting 72% of the entire Western Cape residential property market value, and 21% of the national property market value.<ref name="Cape Town Housing Market Report - 2021">{{cite web |url= https://housingfinanceafrica.org/app/uploads/2022/03/CT-Report-2021-V3-FINAL.pdf |title= Cape Town Housing Market Report - 2021 |publisher=Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa |date= |access-date= 17 November 2024 |archive-date= 16 March 2024 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240316033017/http://housingfinanceafrica.org/app/uploads/2022/03/CT-Report-2021-V3-FINAL.pdf |url-status= dead}}</ref>

The Western Cape's average house price in 2024 was R2.33 million, which was well above the national average. Property market strength is also high, with property value growth at 8.7% year-on-year in January 2025, which was also significantly above the national average.<ref name= "Message to South Africans who want to buy property in Cape Town">{{cite web|url= https://dailyinvestor.com/property/100575/message-to-south-africans-who-want-to-buy-property-in-cape-town/ |title= Message to South Africans who want to buy property in Cape Town |author= Kirsten Minnaar |publisher= Daily Investor |date= 7 September 2025 |access-date= 8 September 2025 }}</ref>

=== Affordable housing ===

Numerous [[affordable housing]] projects have been established in the [[City of Cape Town]], with the development of more underway. As of 2025, a total of 10 social housing estates have been built across Cape Town, with 3 of them located within 10 kilometers of [[Cape Town CBD]].<ref name= "Explainer: affordable housing in Cape Town">{{cite web|url= https://groundup.org.za/article/city-cape-town-has-promised-12000-affordable-homes-why-it-taking-so-long/ |title= Explainer: affordable housing in Cape Town |author= Daniel Steyn and Matthew Hirsch |publisher= GroundUp |date= 7 July 2025 |access-date= 7 July 2025 }}</ref>

In July 2025, [[Government of the Western Cape|Western Cape MEC for Infrastructure]], [[Tertuis Simmers]], and [[Premier of the Western Cape|Western Cape Premier]], [[Alan Winde]], unveiled [[Cape Town CBD]]'s largest ever government housing development project, called Founders Garden. Located next to the [[Artscape Theatre]], the project will feature a high-rise, mixed-use development, and has a projected value of more than [[South African rand|R]]2 billion.<ref name= "Western Cape launches R2 billion project for 2,600 new homes in Cape Town">{{cite web|url= https://iol.co.za/news/south-africa/2025-07-25-western-cape-launches-r2-billion-project-for-2600-new-homes-in-cape-town/ |title= Western Cape launches R2 billion project for 2,600 new homes in Cape Town |author= Wendy Dondolo |publisher= IOL |date= 25 July 2025 |access-date= 26 July 2025 }}</ref>

In September 2025, the Western Cape Infrastructure Department announced that it had identified over 1,800 hectares of land for affordable housing development in the province. This includes 303 hectares of provincial government-owned land, and over 1,500 hectares of national government-owned land. The department stated that it was committed to addressing the housing backlog, but that doing so required the national government to release land.<ref name= "More than 1,800 hectares of land identified for affordable housing projects in WC - dept">{{cite web|url= https://www.ewn.co.za/2025/09/22/more-than-1-800-hectares-of-land-identified-for-affordable-housing-projects-in-wc-dept |title= More than 1,800 hectares of land identified for affordable housing projects in WC - dept |author= Ntuthuzelo Nene |publisher= EWN |date= 22 September 2025 |access-date= 25 September 2025 }}</ref>

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of the Western Cape}}
[[File:Wheat panorama.jpg|thumb|500px|A [[wheat]] field near [[Porterville, Western Cape|Porterville]] in the [[Bergrivier Local Municipality|Bergriver Municipality]]. Wheat is a common agricultural crop in the area.]]
As of the third quarter of 2023, the Western Cape's total real GDP was [[South African Rand|R]]656.27 billion, which equaled 14.2% of South Africa's total GDP, and real GDP per capita was R90,571.<ref name="i003">{{cite web | title=An Economic Overview of the Western Cape, 2023 Quarter 3 | url=https://www.wesgro.co.za/uploads/files/Wesgro-Research_Economic-Overview-of-the-Western-Cape-Q3-2023_2023.12.pdf | ref=Wesgro Research | date=2023-12-22 | access-date=2024-08-08}}</ref>  The Western Cape has the third largest economy of South Africa's nine provinces, behind [[Gauteng]] and [[KwaZulu-Natal]].

The Western Cape has had the strongest-performing provincial economy in South Africa for a decade, with an average annual growth rate of around 0.87% - well above the national average. Purchasing power is also strong in the Western Cape, GDP per capita in the province is significantly higher than the national average.<ref name= "Western Cape tops provincial growth, Free State at the bottom">{{cite web|url= https://www.moneyweb.co.za/news/south-africa/western-cape-tops-provincial-growth-free-state-at-the-bottom/ |title= Western Cape tops provincial growth, Free State at the bottom |author= Moneyweb |publisher= Moneyweb |date= 25 September 2025 |access-date= 25 September 2025 }}</ref>

The province's unemployment rate was 20.2%, which is the lowest in South Africa, and considerably below the national unemployment rate of 31.9%.<ref name="i003"/>  As of 2018, the Western Cape's [[Human Development Index]] is the highest in South Africa at 0.741, compared to the [[List of South African provinces by Human Development Index|South African average]] of 0.705.<ref name="HDI">{{cite book |author=Adelzadeh, Asghar|title=South Africa Human Development Report 2003 |year=2003 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Cape Town |isbn=978-0-19-578418-3 |page=282 |url=http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/nationalreports/africa/southafrica/south_africa_2003_en.pdf|display-authors=etal}}</ref>

As of 2023, the biggest sector in the Western Cape's economy is the financial, business services and real estate sector, which constitutes 33.55% of gross value added, followed by manufacturing at 14.26% and wholesale and retail trade, hotels, and restaurants at 13.67%.<ref name="i003"/>

[[Cape Town]], the province's capital, also has a thriving tech sector (especially [[fintech]]). The city is home to numerous tech headquarters, including those of [[Yoco]], [[Admyt]], [[Xneelo]], [[Jumo]], Luno, [[Rain (telecommunications)|Rain]], and Aerobotics.

The city also has a major [[retail]] sector, with the headquarters of 9 of South Africa's major retail companies, including most of its largest [[supermarket]] chains, such as [[Woolworths (South Africa)|Woolworths]], [[Pick n Pay]], [[Clicks (South Africa)|Clicks]], [[Shoprite (retailer)|Shoprite]], [[Foschini Group]], and [[Pepkor]]. The headquarters of South Africa's largest e-commerce retailer, [[Takealot Group]], is also located in Cape Town.

Customer service, fashion design, and advertising are industries rapidly gaining in importance in the Western Cape.<ref name = SAIRR>{{cite news |title=Fast Facts: April–May 2007, Provincial Profile, Western Cape |publisher=South African Institute of Race Relations, pg 20 }}</ref>

Cape Town is home to the largest [[film industry]] in the [[Southern Hemisphere]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cape Town Film Industry {{!}} IE3 Global |url=https://ie3global.org/internship/cape-town-film-industry/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119070259/https://ie3global.org/internship/cape-town-film-industry/ |archive-date=19 January 2022 |access-date=31 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref> with numerous international productions choosing to film on location in the city each year. A significant portion of the industry is based out of the [[Cape Town Film Studios]]. 

As of 2023, Cape Town accounts for a large majority (roughly 73%) of the Western Cape's GDP.<ref name="i003"/>

95% of [[South African wine|wine produced in South Africa]] is produced in the Western Cape. South Africa is the 7th largest wine producing region in the world.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wtso.com/blog/the-ultimate-guide-to-south-african-wines/ | title=The Ultimate Guide to South African Wines | date=8 June 2021 }}</ref>

The Western Cape Government, via its Growth for Jobs strategy, aims to grow the Western Cape into a R1 trillion economy by 2035, and to increase private sector investment to a total of 20% of the province's GDP.<ref name= "Western Cape announces summit to catalyse R1 trillion economy">{{cite web|url= https://www.capetownetc.com/news/western-cape-investment-summit-catalyse-economy/ |title= Western Cape announces summit to catalyse R1 trillion economy |author= Angelica Rhoda |publisher= CapeTown ETC |date= 15 August 2025 |access-date= 16 August 2025 }}</ref>

==Transport==
{{multiple image
 | width = 
 | footer = 
 | image1 = Cape_Town_N2.jpg
 | alt1 = 
 | caption1 = The N2 as it enters the [[City Bowl]] of [[Cape Town]].
 | image2 = Western Cape rail network map.svg
 | width2 = 188
 | alt2 = 
 | caption2 = Railway network in the Western Cape
}}

The Western Cape has an excellent network of highways comparable with any first-world country. The primary highways are the [[N1 (South Africa)|N1]] (from Cape Town to [[Three Sisters, Northern Cape|Three Sisters]], continuing outside the province towards [[Bloemfontein]] and [[Johannesburg]]), [[N2 (South Africa)|N2]] (from Cape Town to Bloukrans River, towards [[Port Elizabeth]]), [[N7 (South Africa)|N7]] (from Cape Town to Bitterfontein, continuing towards [[Springbok, Northern Cape|Springbok]] and [[Namibia]]), [[N9 (South Africa)|N9]] (from George to Uniondale, continuing towards [[Graaff-Reinet]] and [[Colesberg, Northern Cape|Colesberg]]) and [[N12 (South Africa)|N12]] (from George to Three Sisters, continuing towards [[Kimberley, Northern Cape|Kimberley]] and Johannesburg).

Other routes are the "R" roads which connect the smaller towns. All major roads are tarred with major rural gravel roads well maintained. Limited access motorways are limited to the Cape Metropolitan Area, Winelands and Garden Route, however due to the low population density of the remainder of the province, the highways remain efficient and high-speed, except during peak holiday travel seasons, when travel can be slow-going in places due to heavy traffic. {{Citation needed|date=October 2011}}

== Demographics ==
{{multiple image
 | width = 
 | footer = 
 | image1 = Western Cape population density map.svg
 | alt1 = 
 | caption1 =  Population density in the Western Cape
{{legend-col
|{{legend|#ffffcc|&lt;1 /km<sup>2</sup>}}
|{{legend|#ffeda0|1–3 /km<sup>2</sup>}}
|{{legend|#fed976|3–10 /km<sup>2</sup>}}
|{{legend|#feb24c|10–30 /km<sup>2</sup>}}
|{{legend|#fd8d3c|30–100 /km<sup>2</sup>}}
|{{legend|#fc4e2a|100–300 /km<sup>2</sup>}}
|{{legend|#e31a1c|300–1000 /km<sup>2</sup>}}
|{{legend|#bc0026|1000–3000 /km<sup>2</sup>}}
|{{legend|#800026|&gt;3000 /km<sup>2</sup>}}
}}

 | image2 = Western Cape 2001 dominant language map.svg
 | alt2 = 
 | caption2 = Dominant home languages in the Western Cape
{{legend-col
|{{legend|#8dd3c7|[[Afrikaans]]}}
|{{legend|#ffffb3|[[South African English|English]]}}
|{{legend|#fb8072|[[Xhosa language|Xhosa]]}}
|{{legend|#d0d0d0|No language dominant}}
}}
}}

The [[2022 South African census]] recorded the population of the Western Cape as 7,433,020 people living in 2,264,032 households.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://census.statssa.gov.za/#/province/1/2|title=Statistics South Africa &#124; Census Dissemination|website=census.statssa.gov.za}}</ref> As the province covers an area of {{convert|129462|km2}},<ref name="cib2011" />{{rp|9}} the population density was {{convert|45.0|PD/km2}} and the household density {{convert|12.6|/km2}}.

{{Pie chart
|caption = Racial groups of the Western Cape ([[2022 South African census|2022 census]])<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=10 October 2023 |title=Census 2022: Statistical Release |url=https://census.statssa.gov.za/assets/documents/2022/P03014_Census_2022_Statistical_Release.pdf |access-date=12 October 2023 |website=statssa.gov.za |page=6}}</ref>
|thumb  = left
|label1 = [[Cape Coloureds|Coloured]]
|value1 = 42.07
|color1 = #AA7E54
|label2 = [[Black South Africans|Black]]
|value2 = 38.84
|color2 = #62402F
|label3 = [[White South Africans|White]]
|value3 = 16.40
|color3 = #FBC5A7
|label4 = [[Indian South Africans|Indian]]
|value4 = 1.14
|color4 = #B3927A
|label5 = Other
|value5 = 1.55
|color5 = Lightgray
}}

The age distribution of the province was as follows: 25.1% were under the age of 15, 18.3% from 15 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 5.9% who are 65 years of age or older.<ref name="cib2011" />{{rp|28}} The median age is 28 years.<ref name="censusrep2011">{{cite book |url=http://www.statssa.gov.za/Publications/P03014/P030142011.pdf |title=Census 2011: Statistical release |date=30 October 2012 |publisher=Statistics South Africa |location=Pretoria |access-date=24 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151113203528/http://www.statssa.gov.za/Publications/P03014/P030142011.pdf |archive-date=13 November 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>{{rp|20}} For every 100 women there are 96 men.<ref name="censusrep2011" />{{rp|18}}

In the 2022 Census, 42% of the people of the Western Cape described themselves as "[[Coloured]]", while 39% described themselves as "[[Black African]]", 16% as "[[White South African|White]]", and 1% as "[[Indian South African|Indian]] or [[Asian South African|Asian]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statistics South Africa {{!}} Census Dissemination |url=https://census.statssa.gov.za/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=census.statssa.gov.za}}</ref>".<ref name="cib2011" />{{rp|21}} [[Afrikaans language|Afrikaans]] is the [[first language]] of 41% of the province's population, [[Xhosa language|IsiXhosa]] of 31%, and [[South African English|English]] of 22%.<ref name="cib2011" />{{rp|25}}

There were 260,952 people in the province who had been born outside of South Africa, comprising 4% of the population. In 2011, 894,289 residents of the Western Cape had been born in the [[Eastern Cape]] (16% of the population), 167,524 in [[Gauteng]] (3%) and 61,945 (1%) in [[KwaZulu-Natal]].<ref name="CBiol">{{cite web | url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/western-cape/cape-s-population-by-the-numbers-1.1470153#.USXRsKUzjSg | title=Cape's population by the numbers | publisher=Cape Argus | date=14 February 2013 | access-date=21 February 2013 | author=Barnes, Clayton}}</ref>

Between 2001 and 2007 the Western Cape received the second-most internal migration within South Africa after Gauteng, with a large majority of these new Western Cape residents coming from the former [[Transkei]] region of the Eastern Cape, which served as the historic native reserve of the Cape Colony and the  political banishment site for native "troublemakers".<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Hamann |first1=Maike |last2=Tuinder |first2=Vanessa |date=February 2012 |title=Introducing the Eastern Cape: A quick guide to its history, diversity and future challenges |url=https://sapecs.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Eastern-Cape-Background-Report.pdf |access-date=17 June 2022 |website=Southern African Program on Ecosystem Change and Society |page=22}}</ref>

=== Economic status ===
90% of households in the province have a [[flush toilet]]<ref name="cib2011" />{{rp|84}} and 90% have refuse removed by the local council at least once a week.<ref name="cib2011" />{{rp|96}} 75% of households have piped tap water inside the dwelling, while a further 13% have piped water on their property; 11% receive piped water at a community tap, while 1% have no access to piped water.<ref name="cib2011" />{{rp|77}} One in seven people live in an informal dwelling.<ref name="CBiol" />

86.9% of households use electricity for cooking,<ref name="cib2011" />{{rp|84}} and 93% use it for lighting.<ref name="cib2011" />{{rp|93}} 89% of households have a cellphone and 31% have a landline telephone, while 86% own a television, 81% own a refrigerator, and 34% own a computer.<ref name="cib2011" />{{rp|99}} 44% of households have access to the Internet.<ref name="cib2011" />{{rp|101}}
[[File:Road map of the Western Cape with towns.svg|right|thumb|Towns and main roads in the Western Cape]]

The average annual household income was [[South African rand|R]]143,460, the second-highest in the country after [[Gauteng]].<ref name="censusrep2011" />{{rp|37}} {{As of|2012|9}}, 69% of the population aged 15–64 are economically active, and of these 25% are unemployed. Overall, 52% of the working-age population are employed.<ref>{{cite book |title=Quarterly Labour Force Survey: Quarter 3, 2012 |url=http://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0211/P02113rdQuarter2012.pdf |publisher=Statistics South Africa |location=Pretoria |date=1 November 2012}}</ref>

Around 2 million people in the Western Cape labour market (those aged 16 to 64) are employed, 1.3 million are not economically active, 552,733 are unemployed with an additional 122,753 who are discouraged work seekers who want to work but have given up looking for it.<ref name="CBiol" />

=== Education ===
2.7% of residents aged 20 and over have received no schooling, 10.7% have had only some primary, 5.6% have completed primary school but gone no further, 38% have had some secondary education without finishing Grade 12, 28% have finished Grade 12 but gone no further, and 14% have higher education beyond the secondary level. Overall, 43% of residents have completed high school.<ref name="cib2011" />{{rp|49}}

===Religion===
[[File:St._Marks_Anglican_Cathedral.jpg|thumb|The [[St Mark's Cathedral, George, Western Cape|Cathedral of St Mark]] in [[George, South Africa|George]].]]
According to the 2022 census, a majority of the population of the Western Cape is [[Christianity|Christian]].  At 5.2% of the population, the Western Cape's [[Islam in South Africa|Muslim minority]] is the largest among South Africa's provinces.<ref name="2022 census">{{cite web |title=Statistical Release - Census 2022 |url=https://census.statssa.gov.za/assets/documents/2022/P03014_Census_2022_Statistical_Release.pdf |access-date=2024-08-22 |website=statssa.gov.za}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! colspan="2" |Religious Affiliation (2022)
|-
|[[Christianity]]
|85.6%
|-
|[[Traditional African religions|Traditional African]] 
|5.3%
|-
|[[Islam]]
|5.2%
|-
|[[Judaism]]
|0.2%
|-
|[[Hinduism]]
|0.2%
|-
|[[Buddhism]]
|0.1%
|-
|[[Atheism]]
|0.3%
|-
|[[Agnosticism]]
|0.3%
|-
|No religious affiliation
|2.0%
|-
|Other 
|0.8%
|}

===Cities and towns===
{{see also|List of cities and towns in the Western Cape}}
{{Largest cities
| country     = the Western Cape
| stat_ref    = [[South African National Census of 2011|National Census 2011]]<ref name="cib2011"/>

| div_name    = Local municipality
| div_link    = List of municipalities in the Western Cape{{!}}Municipality
| city_1 = Cape Town | div_1 = City of Cape Town | pop_1 = 4,005,016 | city_2 = Paarl{{!}}Paarl (including Wellington)| div_2 = Drakenstein Local Municipality  | pop_2 = 179,319  | city_3 = George, Western Cape{{!}}George| div_3 = George Local Municipality | pop_3 = 157,394  | city_4 = Worcester, Western Cape{{!}}Worcester| div_4 = Breede Valley Local Municipality  | pop_4 = 127,597| city_5 = Knysna | div_5 = Knysna Local Municipality | pop_5 = 76,150
| city_6 = Atlantis, South Africa{{!}}Atlantis | div_6 = City of Cape Town | pop_6 = 67,491
| city_7 = Oudtshoorn | div_7 = Oudtshoorn Local Municipality | pop_7 = 61,507
| city_8 = Mossel Bay | div_8 = Mossel Bay Local Municipality| pop_8 = 59,031
| city_9 = Vredenburg | div_9 = Saldanha Bay Local Municipality | pop_9 = 38,382
| city_10 = Malmesbury, South Africa{{!}}Malmesbury | div_10 = Swartland Local Municipality | pop_10 = 35,897
| city_11 = Beaufort West | div_11 = Beaufort West Local Municipality | pop_11 = 34,085
| city_12 = Ceres, Western Cape{{!}}Ceres| div_12 = Witzenberg Local Municipality | pop_12 = 33,224
| city_13 = Plettenberg Bay | div_13 = Bitou Local Municipality | pop_13 = 31,804
| city_14 = Grabouw | div_14 = Theewaterskloof Local Municipality | pop_14 = 30,337
| city_15 = Saldanha, Western Cape{{!}}Saldanha| div_15 = Saldanha Bay Local Municipality | pop_15 = 28,142
| city_16 = Stellenbosch | div_16 = Stellenbosch Local Municipality | pop_16 = 21,799
| city_17 = Vredendal | div_17 = Matzikama Local Municipality | pop_17 = 18,170
| city_18 = Gordon's Bay| div_18 = City of Cape Town | pop_18 = 16,776
| city_19 = Riversdale, Western Cape{{!}}Riversdale| div_19 = Hessequa Local Municipality | pop_19 = 16,176
| city_20 = Montagu, Western Cape{{!}}Montagu| div_20 = Langeberg Local Municipality | pop_20 = 15,176
}}

==Education==
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The Western Cape province has the most highly educated residents with a very skilled workforce in comparison to any other African region.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.za-ydf.org/displaysection.php?czacc=&zSelectedSectionID=sec1246950242 |title=Skilled Workforce reference |publisher=South African Department of Sport And Recreation}}</ref> The high school graduation rate is consistently around 80%, higher than any other province. The proportion of adults with a degree or higher was 4.8% (2005),<ref name = SAIRR/> the highest in the country.

The province also boasts four universities:
*[[Cape Peninsula University of Technology]]
*[[Stellenbosch University]]
*[[University of Cape Town]]
*[[University of the Western Cape]]

The province is also home to the [[South African Military Academy]].

== Culture ==
{{multiple image
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 | caption1 = [[Cape Malay]] banana fritters, typically eaten during festivities such as marriages or "Labarang" (the Cape Malay word for [[Eid al-Fitr]])
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 | caption2 = A vineyard in the Cape, with typical [[Cape Dutch architecture|Cape Dutch]] style architecture
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===Cuisine===
{{see also|South African cuisine}}
Types of cuisine originating from the Western Cape include [[Dutch cuisine|Dutch]] and [[Malay cuisine|Malay]] cuisines. Other types of [[South African cuisine]] are also found and commonly enjoyed in the province. Over 50% of all cheese in South Africa is produced in the Western Cape.<ref>{{cite book | last1=Hurt | first1=J. | last2=Ehlers | first2=S. | title=The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cheeses of the World | publisher=DK Publishing | year=2008 | isbn=978-1-4406-3618-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1WuifJuVavEC&pg=PA204 | page=204}}</ref> Four of the top ten entries in Trip Advisor's Best [[Fine dining|Fine Dining]] Restaurants – Africa list for 2021 are in the Western Cape.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Best Restaurants in Africa – Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards|url=https://www.tripadvisor.co.za/TravelersChoice-Restaurants-cFineDining-g6|access-date=2021-08-06|website=tripadvisor.co.za|language=en}}</ref>

===Winelands===
{{See also|Western Cape wine}}
The Western Cape is known for its wine production and vineyards.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wines of South Africa – Winelands of South Africa|url=https://www.wosa.co.za/The-Industry/Winegrowing-Areas/Winelands-of-South-Africa/|access-date=2020-07-09|website=wosa.co.za}}</ref> The winelands are divided into [[Wine regions of South Africa|six main regions]]: Boberg, [[Breede River Valley]], Cape South Coast, Coastal Region, [[Klein Karoo]] and [[Olifants River (Southern Cape)|Olifants River]]. Each has unique climate, topography and fertile soil. Distilled wine or [[brandy]] is produced in the Cape Winelands, Overberg, and Garden Route districts of the province.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Western Cape Brandy Rout|url=http://www.brandyroutes.co.za/routes-wc.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110911041014/http://www.brandyroutes.co.za/routes-wc.html|archive-date=11 September 2011|access-date=26 February 2011|work=The South African Brandy Association}}</ref> Brandy from these regions is regarded as amongst the best in the world due to the high, legally-enforced distilling standards in the region, technically making it equivalent to [[Cognac]].<ref>{{cite web|title=South Africa wins Best Brandy in the World|url=http://www.southafrica.net/sat/content/en/us/full-article?oid=115453&sn=Detail&pid=121|access-date=26 February 2011|work=International Wine & Spirits Competition 2010}}</ref><ref name="Oxford">{{cite book|title=The Oxford Handbook of Food Fermentations|year=2014|isbn=9780199742707|editor=Charles W. Bamforth, Robert E. Ward|pages=249–252|chapter=5.2. Brandy|publisher=Oxford University Press |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oKDNAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA250}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Cape Colony]]
* [[Cape independence]]
* [[Cape Qualified Franchise]]
* [[List of Western Cape Municipalities by Human Development Index]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Western Cape}}
{{wikivoyage|Western Cape}}

*[http://www.westerncape.gov.za/ Provincial Government of the Western Cape]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20071126003322/http://www.tourismcapetown.co.za/ Western Cape Tourism]
*[https://www.wesgro.co.za/ Western Cape Investment and Trade Promotion Agency]
*[http://www.demarcation.org.za/ Municipal Demarcation Board]
*[http://wazimap.co.za/profiles/province-WC/ Western Cape on Wazimap.co.za]

{{Western Cape Province}}
{{Provinces of South Africa}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Western Cape| ]]
[[Category:Provinces of South Africa]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1994]]
[[Category:1994 establishments in South Africa]]