Orania is an Afrikaner town in South Africa located along the Orange River in the Karoo region of Northern Cape province. The town is split in two halves by the R369 road, and lies halfway between Cape Town and Pretoria.The aim of the town is to create a stronghold for Afrikaans and the Afrikaner identity by keeping their language and culture alive. Anyone who defines themselves as an Afrikaner and identifies with Afrikaner ethnicity is welcome in Orania.Critics accuse the town authorities of rejecting the Rainbow Nation concept, and trying to recreate pre-democratic South Africa within an enclave, while residents contend that they are motivated by the desire to preserve their linguistic and cultural heritage and protect themselves from high crime levels, and that they are seeking the right to self-determination as provided by the Constitution of South Africa. The town's relations with the South African government are non-confrontational, and although opposed to aspirations of the community, the government has recognised them as legitimate.The small community has a radio station and its own currency, the Ora. The population was 1,085 at the time of a local census in 2014, and is growing steadily at about 10% per year. News24 reported on 7 June 2016 that there were by that time 1,300 Afrikaners in Orania. More than 100 businesses are located in Orania as of 2013. Due to its unusual nature, the town is often visited by journalists and documentary-makers.
