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Economic Geography
The Diocese includes a whole spectrum of economic activity. Its tourism potential is enormous, all round the coast from Kommetjie to Cape Point; past Simon's Town, Fish Hoek, Muizenberg and Strandfontein to Strand and Gordon's Bay; then round Hangklip past Betty's Bay to Hawston and Hermanus, through Stanford and Gansbaai, round Danger Point and along to Cape Agulhas and Arniston.
Population density in the Diocese varies from dense housing in Mitchell's Plain, Khayelitsha, Macassar, Blue Downs, the Far South and Somerset West, to medium density in Stellenbosch, Kuils River and the various country towns. There are numbers of informal settlements to be catered for. Then there are the extensive open areas of farming land in the Overberg and around Worcester, Montagu and Ceres.
Industry is not greatly represented in the Diocese, but Simon's Town has the Naval Dockyard and light industry occurs in Somerset West and Worcester. The prevalence of activity is residential, farming, fishing and holiday resorts. The mountain scenery throughout the Diocese is spectacular, and, except in the extreme eastern part, mountains are a significant feature.
Farming is an important activity in a large part of the countryside; vineyards occur in many districts, centring on Stellenbosch; Caledon produces wheat; fruit orchards around Elgin, Grabouw, Franschoek, Worcester and Ceres produce a major section of South Africa's fruit exports. Dotted along the coast are many little fishing ports catering for commercial and recreational fishermen. Stock farming is not so prevalent as arable farming, but dairy cattle, sheep and racehorses are raised in several districts.
Altogether, the Diocese contains a wide range of activities and countryside.
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