Known, locally, as South Africa's 'bread basket', the Free State is cultivated by more than 30 000 farms to produce over 70% of South Africa's grain consumption. It is also home to the most productive gold and diamond mines in the world.

History of the Free State:

The Republic of the Orange Free State (Afrikaans: Oranje-Vrystaat) was an independent Boer state in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a province in South Africa.

Following the granting of independence to the Transvaal Republic, the British recognized the independence of the Orange Free State on 17 February 1854 and the country officially became independent on 23 February 1854, with the signing of the Orange River Convention. The Republic immediately came into effect by incorporating both the Orange River Sovereignty and the traditions of the Winburg-Potchefstroom Republic.

.The Free State is rich in fossil deposits. This allows one to go on a fossil hunting expedition and find some fossils. One can find fossils dating back to over 200 million years ago. This area is rich in historical findings and allows you to be part of history while creating your own.

The Free State Province allows you to visit the battlefields of the Anglo-Boer war. This allows one to view over 13 battlefield site, 8 military monuments, 2 war museums and 3 war concentration camp cemeteries.

Mining is the province's major employer. A gold reef of over 400 kilometres long, known as the goldfields region, stretches across the Free State.