Magisterial district and division in the North-West in the Cape Province. Named after Sir Gordon Sprigg, who was Prime Minister of the Cape Colony four times between 1878 and 1902. It was formerly known as Koranaland. Upington is it's principal town. It is the largest magisterial district in South Africa,with an area of 53 546 sq km, which includes the Gemsbok National Park, with its Bushman inhabitants. Gordonia is arid, with a scanty rainfall of 102 to 152 mm, and a hot Summer climate. Population (1970): White 16 323; Coloured 56 644; Asiatic 3; Bantu 10 447. Gordonia borders on South-West Africa and Botswana. It is crossed from east to westby the Orange River, whose banks and islands are farmed under irrigation along the 225-km stretch from the Boegoeberg Dam to the Augrabies Falls,and from north to south by the Molopo, which joins the Orange River just north of Augrabies. The main industries are stock-farming (cattle,Karakul and other sheep), irrigation farming (lucerne, wheat, raisins,citrus, cotton, vegetable seeds and winegrowing).
At the time of the agricultural census of 1962/3 this district was themost important producer of cotton in South Africa, with an annual production of 110762728 kg. Gordonia contains some of the largest salt-pans in the world. Scheelite and tungsten are mined.