Why did people move to Cape Town?

Cape Town was first spotted in 1497 by Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gamma. It was however uninhabited until 1652. That was the year that the Dutch explorer Jan van Riebeeck sighted Cape Town as a good way-station for ships en route to India. The ships were part of the Dutch East Company. Netherlands captured the Cape but growth was slow at that time since it was hard to get labour. This prompted the import of slaves from Indonesia, Malaysia and Madegascar. Those slaves are the ancestors of Cape Town's coloured population.

During the French revolution, Netherlands was occupied by France and Britain captured Dutch colonies. Cape Town swapped hands many times until 1814 when it formally became part of the British Cape Colony. There was alot of growth during the 1800's. The discovery of diamonds and gold in South Africa fueled an influx of immigrants.

Today people move to Cape Town for leisure. It is a major tourist destination due to its rich wildlife and botanical beauty.

First answer by Yugeo. Last edit by Sayanvala. Contributor trust: 19 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 43 [recommend question]