JOHANNESBURG or Jo'burg is the storehouse of money and action in South Africa. Johannesburg is the capital of South Africa's smallest - and richest - province, called Gauteng, a Sesotho name meaning "Place of Gold". It is also famous as the gateway to Africa. It's the most powerful commercial centre on the African continent. It is an African city that works: the phones dial, the lights switch on, you can drink the water; there are multi-lane freeways, skyscrapers, conference centers, golf courses. It has a financial, municipal, roads and telecommunications infrastructure that matches leading first world cities, yet the cost of living is far lower. The World Economic Forum rates the banking sector the sixth most sophisticated in the world.

Johannesburg hosts every form of commercial activity from financial services to heavy industries and mining. There's hardly a major international company doing serious business in sub-Saharan Africa that has not looked to Johannesburg as the gateway to the continent.

The local currency is the rand, which has experienced dramatic fluctuations against the US dollar. A rand comprises 100 cents, with any amount below 10c practically useless in terms of buying power.

The public transport problem becomes more serious inside the city, which is why Johannesburg is best visited by those who have friends and business contacts at hand to help with transport. Minibus Taxis, Metered Taxis, Car Hire and Railways are the common modes of traveling within the city. Minibus Taxis are the cheapest form of transport in Johannesburg, and are the daily transport lifeline of the bulk of the working population. There are conventional metered taxis, but unlike in many other countries these do not cruise the streets in search of passengers, and must generally be summonsed by telephone. The metro railway system is also a convenient form of transport, connecting central Johannesburg to Soweto, Pretoria and most of the satellite towns along the Witwatersrand.

Jo'burg is a shopper's paradise. Looking for something different for that special person, or a gift to take back overseas with you? You're sure to find an item for the home, for yourself or for that someone special in your life. Johannesburg's flea markets are the perfect place to pick up something uniquely South African. The craft markets feature African masks and wooden carvings, beaded dolls, wire baskets and toys and a variety of other indigenous objects. You'll also find clothing, ceramics, collectibles, second-hand books and jewellery, and plenty of cheap mass-produced goods. There are also a type called the Factory shops which have over the last decade or two blossomed all over the country, offering customers items often direct from the manufacturer or wholesaler, at considerably reduced prices.

Johannesburg is most likely the first stop on any trip to South Africa. The International Airport, beats with the hub of all air travel on the sub-continent. It's also the busiest airport in Africa: about 13 million passengers pass through it each year. The airport is a 20-minute drive from the eastern suburbs of Johannesburg and a 45-minute trip from Sandton and Rosebank, where most hotels are found. Visitors are warned, though, that traffic can be bad during peak hours because the roads to the airport serve some major industrial areas.