The North West province town of Christiana was established on the farm Zoutpansdrift in the 1870's after diamonds were discovered in the Vaal river, and was named after the daughter of the the old Transvaal president Andries Pretorius. Today the economy of Christiana, which sits on the banks of the Vaal River, relies mainly on its agricultural sector, with large scale production of beef, maize,sorghum, cotton and groundnuts.
Christiana lies in the Dr Kenneth Kaunda District on the border of the North West and Free State provinces, between the towns of Warrenton and Bloemhof on the N12 which leads to Gauteng, and is aso in close proximity to the N14 and N8, providing easy access to Namibia in the west and Bloemfontein in the east.
Climate
North West province forms the southern regions of the Kalahari Desert, and as a result Christiana's climate is hot in summer, characterized by afternoon thunderstorm and temperatures ranging between 22 and 34 degrees Celsius. Winters in this region are dry, with sunshine during the day, and cold nights. Typical winter temperatures in North West province are around 15 degrees, however can range from an average of 2°C to 20°C in a single day.
Property
Private property for sale in Christiana includes houses, complexes, farms, plots and vacant land. Houses for sale in Christiana start in the affordable range of around R200 000, and move upwards into the millions for larger upmarket properties and farms.
Schools in Christiana include five primary, two secondary and one combined school. Nearby tertiary education institutions include the University of the North West Province in Potchefstroom, and the Vaal University of Technology located at Vandebijl Park in gauteng.
Medical facilities in the region include hospitals in Christiana, Warrenton and Bloemhof.
Recreation
Christiana offers an interesting variety of recreational pursuits due to the fact that the town is situated along the N12 Treasure route. This tourism route starts near Fochville in the southern region of the province and moves through the towns of Potchefstroom, Stilfontein and Klerksdorp and then follows the Vaal river through Wolmaransstadand then Bloemhof and Christiana. Tourist attractions in Christiana include the Diggers' Diamond Museum which highlights the town's history in diamond industry; San Rock Art a short distance out of town; and ancient rock engravings at Stows Kopje which have been declared a national monument.
Other attractions and activities in Christian include golf, hot mineral springs and game viewing at the nearby Pilansberg National Park.