Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
Little Karoo
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Images
Little Karoo, South Africa Patchwork of green and brown farmland in the Little Karoo valley, with rolling hills and distant mountains near Oudtshoorn, Western Cape province, South Africa.
Quizzes
Mount Kenya in Mount Kenya National Park is the highest mountain in Africa. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Giant Lobelia in foreground. (Mt. Kenya; Mt. Kenya National Park; mountains; rugged mountain; African geography, African landscape, stratovolcano)
Africa’s Physical Features
Quick Facts
Karoo also spelled:
Karroo
Also called:
Southern Karoo
Afrikaans:
Klein Karoo, or Suiderlik Karoo
See all related content
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Britannica Websites
Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.
Little Karoo, South Africa
Little Karoo, South Africa

Little Karoo

plateau, South Africa
Also known as: Karroo, Klein Karoo, Southern Karoo, Suiderlik Karoo(Show More)
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

Little Karoo, intermontane plateau basin in Western Cape province, South Africa, lying between the east-west oriented Groot-Swart Mountains (north), the Lange Mountains (southwest), and the Outeniqua Mountains (southeast), with the discontinuous Kammanassie Mountains running between those ranges. The Little Karoo, which lies south of the Great Karoo and the main Karoo, is about 150 miles (245 km) long and averages 30 miles (48 km) from north to south. It contains the basins of the Gourits, Groot, Touws, Olifants, and Kammanassie rivers, whose valleys (1,000–2,000 feet [300–600 meters] above sea level) are the only habitable parts. Rainfall varies from 16 inches (400 mm) in the mountains to 5 inches (130 mm) in the valleys.

Little Karoo
Little KarooLittle Karoo, near Oudtshoorn, Western Cape province, South Africa.

Irrigation permits intensive cultivation of lucerne (alfalfa). Merino sheep and angora goats yield high-quality wool and mohair. The valleys also produce grains and apricots, apples, and peaches, sometimes processed into brandies and dessert wines. The stalactite Cango Caves are 17 miles (27 km) north of the principal town, Oudtshoorn, an ostrich farming center.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Barbara A. Schreiber.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.