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Overberg

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by OverbergGuru (talk | contribs) at 13:35, 25 June 2006 (Added Google Maps link - Removed Old cape-town.net map & added Correct Map - cape-town.net Factually incorrect | Gordens Bay not in Overberg, Barrydal is). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This article is about the region in South Africa. For other meanings, see Overberg (disambiguation)

Overberg is a region in South Africa to the east of Cape Town beyond the Hottentots Holland mountains. It lies alongside the Cape Province's south coast and merges into the region known as the Garden Route in the east. To the north it is bounded by mountains of the Cape Fold Belt. The area is largely given to grain farming — mainly wheat — and is a major breeding ground for South Africa's national bird, the Blue Crane. Nestled in the Overberg, one can find the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve (recognized and registered with UNESCO) populated with a large diversity of flowering plants not found anywhere else in the fynbos biome.

The major towns are Caledon and Swellendam and the region includes Cape Agulhas, the southermost point of Africa. The landscape is dominated by gently to moderately undulating hills with a backdrop of mountains.

The name means "over the mountain" and is a reference to the regions location relative to the earliest settlements in Cape Town and the intervening mountain range.

See also

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