Frances Baard District Municipality is the smallest district in the Northern Cape. Its area accounts for 3,4% of the total area of the province. However, the District Municipality accommodates the largest proportion of the population of the province, giving it the largest population density (26,2 persons per square km) in the province (Frances Baard District 2005/06 IDP).

The area of jurisdiction falling under the Frances Baard District Municipality includes the Frances Baard District Management Area and the four local municipalities of Dikgatlong, Magareng, Phokwane and Sol Plaatje. Two of these municipalities have been identified for assistance under Project Consolidate. These are Phokwane and Dikgatlong local municipalities. The city of Kimberley, which is the seat of the District Municipality and of the Northern Cape legislature, is located in Sol Plaatje Municipality, the largest of the four. The Vaal, Harts and Orange rivers run through the District (Gaffney’s Local Government in SA 2004-2006).

The District Municipality has a total population of 324 798 people or 40,2% of the provincial population. About 62% of the population of Frances Baard District Municipality lives in Sol Plaatje municipality, which is highly urbanised. Unlike other districts in the province the population is dominated by Africans (Tswana, Sotho, Xhosa, etc – 60,5%) rather than coloured, as it is the case in other districts (2005/06 IDP). There are 83 653 households in the district. (Statistics SA, Census 2001).