Mpumalanga, formerly Eastern Transvaal, province in northeastern South Africa, bounded on the east by Mozambique and Swaziland, on the south by the province of KwaZulu-Natal, on the north by Limpopo Province, and on the west by Gauteng and Free State provinces. Created in 1994, Mpumalanga covers 79,490 sq km (30,691 sq mi) and includes part of Transvaal, one of the four former South African provinces, and the three former bantustans (or black homelands) of KaNgwane, KwaNdebele, and Lebowa. The name Mpumalanga means “the place where the sun rises.”

Most of Mpumalanga consists of grassy plains. The western part of the province is situated on the High Veld, a large plateau that covers much of central South Africa. The Drakensberg Mountains rise in the northeastern region of Mpumalanga, an area that also features deep gorges. The highest peaks are Die Berg, at 2,331 m (7,648 ft), Mount Anderson, and Mauchsberg. Extensive commercial forests and timber mills are located in the northeastern region. In the eastern part of the province the land drops abruptly to the Low Veld, an area of lower elevation, which has subtropical vegetation. The Olifants, Blyde, and Krokodil rivers flow through the province. Temperatures range from 18° to 29° C (64° to 84° F) in the summer and from 6° to 27° C (43° to 80° F) in the winter. Annual rainfall totals about 430 mm (about 17 in), with most of the rain falling in the summer months, from November to March.

The population of Mpumalanga is 3,219,900 (2005 estimate). Black Africans make up the majority of the population. The two primary languages spoken are siSwati and Zulu; Afrikaans and English are also spoken. The province's capital at Nelspruit serves as an administrative and commercial hub. Other important cities include Witbank, a major center for the coal industry; Secunda, the site of a large coal-to-oil conversion plant; Lydenburg; Heidelberg; and Ermelo. Important historical sites in the province include Barberton, Pilgrim's Rest, and Sabie, three gold rush towns from the late 19th century; and Fort Merensky, built near Middelburg by Sotho and a German missionary during the 19th century.

Mpumalanga has a varied economy built around timber, coal, agriculture, and tourism. Chief agricultural products include maize (corn), sugarcane, and citrus fruits; farmers also raise sheep and dairy cattle. Nature reserves such as Kruger National Park, one of the world's largest national parks, attract many tourists. The park is situated along the Mozambique border, and the northern section extends into neighboring Limpopo Province.

Mpumalanga's provincial government consists of a premier, an executive council of ten ministers, and a legislature. The provincial assembly and premier are elected for five-year terms, or until the next national election. Political parties are awarded assembly seats based on the percentage of votes each party receives in the province during the national elections. The assembly elects a premier, who then appoints the members of the executive council.