Kimberley, South Africa

Capital City

The population of Kimberley is just 225,160, but that doesn't mean life in this former diamond boomtown is easy. Bureaucracy is a persistent headache, with the city's administration changing names and boundaries over the decades. The climate is also a challenge, with long, dry summers and chilly winters. But for those with a passion for history, Kimberley offers a microcosm of South Africa's past, from the diamond rush to the Boer War to the struggle against apartheid. This is a city that sparkles for the right kind of visitor.