Paarl, town in South Africa, in Western Cape province, east of Cape Town. Paarl lies on the Groot-Berg River close to the Klein-Drakenstein Mountains. It is a busy commercial and processing center for the surrounding fertile agricultural area in which fruit, olives, and tobacco are grown. Paarl is also an important center of winemaking. Local wines have an international reputation for their quality, and the town is a tourist destination on the Paarl Wine Route. Paarl was settled in 1688 by French Huguenot immigrants. Paarl claims to be the home of the Afrikaans language, having been the center of a movement in the 1870s that fought for the language's recognition. The town derives its name from local granite outcrops, which shine like pearls after rain. Population (1991) 73,415.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2001 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Paarl Information info
|
