More than 3 million people live in the legislative capital of South Africa known as Cape Town. The land area of the city is approximately 2,455 square km. The highest peaks are Table Mountain, Devil's Peak and Lion's Head, which reach more than 1,000 meters above sea level. More than 1,000 plant species cover their slopes, accompanied by a wide range of animals such as tortoises, porcupines, hyrax and grysbok. Cape Town, which shares the same climate as California and the Mediterranean, is a center of wine production in the country.
Cape Town lies between the Indian and Atlantic oceans on the Western Cape of South Africa. Its terrain is made up of coastal lowlands and rocky mountain ranges. The Cape Peninsula on which it is located is a southward extension of land composed of more than 70 mountainous peaks. The Cape Flats are large, sandy plains that join the peninsula to the mainland.
Cape Town's summers, which stretch from December to February, feature temperatures that range from 60 to 80 degrees F. Although relatively dry, occasional rainstorms do occur. Winter months, which run between May and August, are characterized by heavy rainfall and strong northwesterly winds with the average lowest temperature dropping to 47 degrees F. The mountain slopes encircling the city experience particularly heavy rainfall during these months. Ocean currents also greatly affect South African climate, particularly on the Cape where both oceans meet the land. The Benguela current from the Atlantic brings cold water to western beaches and cold air to the Cape while warmer currents from the Indian Ocean increase temperature and humidity.
The fall and spring months are often considered the best times to visit Cape Town because of the cool weather. Though February can bring hot winds from the interior, April and November are ideal times to visit. Wildflowers bloom brightly in and around Cape Town at the start of spring in November, and the foliage of the wine country is breathtaking at the start of autumn in April. Though the infrastructure is generally good in Cape Town, few facilities have central heating and cooling systems, so these times of the year are usually the most comfortable.
Because of the winter rainy season, Cape Town is susceptible to severe flooding and mudslides. The heaviest rains usually occur in July, when the Cape Flats are particularly prone to flooding because of their flat topography and high water tables. Seasonal fires on the area's mountains rid the slopes of vegetation and cause mudslides in heavy rainfall.
