Richtersveld is an administrative area in the Namakwa District

Namakwa District Municipality

Namakwa is one of the 5 districts of the Northern Cape province of South Africa. The seat of Namakwa is Springbok and the region is also known as Little Namaqualand. The majority of its 108 118 people speak Afrikaans...

 of Northern Cape

Northern Cape

The Northern Cape is the largest and most sparsely populated province of South Africa. It was created in 1994 when the Cape Province was split up. Its capital is Kimberley. It includes the Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, part of an international park shared with Botswana...

 in South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

.

The municipality is named after Reverend W Richter

Richter

Richter can refer to:* the Richter magnitude scale, a scale measuring the strength of earthquakes.* Richter , an electro-rock band from Buenos Aires, Argentina.-Richter as a surname:...

, a Dutch missionary of the 20th century who opened a mission station in Koeboes.

History

Richtersveld is part of Little Namaqualand, the part of Namaqualand south of the Garib River. The original inhabitants of Namaqualand were overwhelmingly Khoi Khoi, but also included some San people.

During the 19th century, other people started settling in Little Namaqualand. These included some white Trekboere, and also a number of so-called basters. Missionaries too started showing an interest in Little Namaqualand. The Renisch Mission Society established a mission station under the charge of Reverend Hein at Kuboes during the mid 19th century.

On 23 December 1847 the British Crown, through annexation, extended the northern boundary of the then Cape Province from the Buffels River up to the Garib River. From that date the whole of Little Namaqualand (including the Richtersveld) became subject to British rule.

In 1925 diamonds were discovered near Port Nolloth

Port Nolloth

Port Nolloth is a town and domestic seaport in the Namaqualand region on the northwestern coast of South Africa, 89 miles northwest of Springbok....

. In 1927 a particularly rich deposit was found at the mouth of the Garib River at Alexander Bay

Alexander Bay, Northern Cape

Alexander Bay is a town in the extreme north-west of South Africa, also known as the region of Little Namaqualand. It is located on the southern bank of the Orange River mouth. It was named for Sir James Alexander, who was the first person to map the area whilst on a Royal Geographical Society...

. Many people moved into the area.