The Only Major City In The World Not Built On a Water Source
Every other city was built next to the water for a reason
One thing that all major cities have in common is often their proximity or access to water. Even cities considered to reside in the desert, like Phoenix and Las Vegas, get water from the nearby Salt and Colorado Rivers, respectively. Water is the lifeblood of human civilization, and therefore, all of the world’s largest and most ancient cities are connected to nearby bodies of water — except for one.
Johannesburg, South Africa, is the largest city in the world that is not situated near a significant source of water. This puts Johannesburg in a uniquely precarious situation. The city gets the vast majority of its water from the nearby enclave of Lesotho. Lesotho has spent years and millions of dollars developing its water-exporting infrastructure to feed the thirsty city of Johannesburg. South Africa buys millions of gallons of water from Lesotho and ships it into Johannesburg.
So why isn’t Johannesburg located near any major sources of water? It all has to do with how and when the city was founded.
