town, northern Free State province, South Africa. Founded in 1855, it served briefly as the Boer capital of the Orange Free State (March 13–May 11, 1900) after the fall of Bloemfontein during the South African War (1899–1902). The Vals River runs through the city, its banks of willows and poplars laid out in parks. Kroonstad is a busy agricultural and transportation centre with marshaling yards, grain elevators, and engineering works. It is the northern educational focus of the province, with vocational and trade schools. It is within 40 miles (64 km) of the Free State goldfields, and there are coal and diamond mines to the north. Pop. (2001) town, 23,994; urban agglom., 127,270.