It is one of the most populous mining centers in the county.
It is the most populous city and the commercial capital of South Africa.
To the north lies the populous suburb of St Mary Church.
A great portion of the ground within the wall lines is not occupied by buildings, especially in the north-western quarter; and even in the more populous parts of the city, near the river, a considerable space between the houses is occupied by gardens, where pomegr a nates, figs, oranges, lemons and date-palms grow in great abundance, so that the city, when seen at a distance, has the appearance of rising out of the midst of trees.
It embraced a population second to that of India alone, as China, probably the most populous country in the world, has not yet been subjected to this test.