The Orange Free State 

South Africa is in the southern hemisphere and is the country furthest south on the continent of Africa. It has an area of 470,000 square miles (1,200,000 Km) and has a population of nearly 43 million people.

Bloemfontein diocese which covers the whole of Free State, and is in the heart of South Africa. 

There are 21 parishes and 14 districts or areas, which are smaller than a parish.There are around 38 paid clergy and about 80,000 Anglicans. There is one church school. The Cathedral Church in Bloemfontein city became a cathedral in 1850 and the diocese was founded in 1863. (Blackburn was founded in 1926).

Bloemfontein Diocese has an area of 50,000 square miles; England is also 50,000 square miles. Its population is 2,750,000 people. Its altitude rises from 4,000feet in the West to 6,000feet in the East where it meets the Drakenburg Mountains. Rainfall varies from 40cm to 120cm a year from the West to the East (80% is in the summer), although drought is common. Temperature in the winter reach lows of –15C with 150 days of frost and in the summer reach heights of 36C.

There are diamond, gold, coal and salt deposits. With mining in the West and North of the Diocese. There is a major coal refinery in the North of the Diocese. It is a major agricultural area with 1/3 of South Africa’s corn production and ¼ of South Africa’s wool production. Cherries and Asparagus are also major crops.

In comparison, the diocese of Blackburn is 1,200 square miles with a population of 1,400,000. Its altitude varies from sea level up to 1,836feet. Rainfall is between 150cm and 760cm a year. Industry was centred on textiles, now diversified. Agriculture and tourism now important.

How many times would the diocese of Blackburn (Lancashire) fit into the diocese of Bloemfontein (Free State)? ......Answer : 40 times!