The Central Region consists of the Free State and the Northern province, with the Kingdom of Lesotho nestling in the hollow of its bean-like shape. Between the Vaal River in the north, the Orange River in the south and the Great Karoo in the west,  this immense rolling prairie stretches as far as the eye can see. The capital of the Free State, Bloemfontein, has a well-established institutional, educational and administrative infrastructure, and houses the Supreme Court of Appeal. The province has a well-known university and many other training institutions.

To the north lies the town of Welkom, the heart of the goldfields and one of the few completely pre-planned cities in the world, Sasolburg, which owes its existence to the petrol-from-coal installation established there, Kroonstad, an important agricultural, administrative and educational centre. To the east we find Phuthaditjhaba, well known for the beautiful handcrafted items produced by the local people and Bethlehem, gateway to the Eastern Highlands of the Free State.

Known locally as South Africa's 'bread basket', the Free State earth is cultivated by more than 30 000 farms to produce over 70% of South Africa's grain consumption. It is also dug into by some of me most productive gold and diamond mines in the world, and is inhabited by more than 4 million people. The Maluti mountain range to the south east is ideal for hiking and other outdoor activities.

Kimberley, capital of the Northern Cape province, is also the diamond capital of South Africa, famous for its Big Hole, the leftover of a huge diamond mine of yesteryear.