The world's greatest views of the southern night skies are offered by the sandstone village of Sutherland, situated on the Roggeveld plateau, some 1600 metres above sea level. It is one of the coldest places in the country, with the Roggeveld Mountains often covered in snow. Sutherland is home to the largest astronomical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere - the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT)
Agricultural activities range from intensive crop production and mixed farming in winter rainfall and high summer rainfall areas to cattle ranching in the bushveld and sheep farming in the arid regions. Maize is most widely grown, followed by wheat, oats, ...