Editing Orange River (section)

=== Etymology ===
Some of the earliest precolonial inhabitants called the river ''ǂNūǃarib'', referring to its black colour, or sometimes just ''Kai !Arib'' ("Great River"), from which is derived the Afrikaans version ''Gariep'',<ref>the surrounding area was once known as "Transgariep" ("the land across the Gariep") but the name has long been obsolete. See Karel Schoeman, ''Early White Travellers in the Transgariep, 1819-1840'', Protea Boekhuis, 2012 ({{ISBN|9781869190163}})</ref> and translation "Groote Rivier".<ref name="ACWR">Earle, Anton et al. (2005), [http://www.acwr.co.za/pdf_files/05.pdf A preliminary basin profile of the Orange/Senqu River (pdf)], ''African Centre for Water Research'', retrieved 30 June 2007</ref> The early Dutch name for the river was just that translation, Groote Rivier, meaning "Great River".<ref name="TonchiLindeke2012" /> The river was named the Orange River by [[Robert Jacob Gordon|Colonel Robert Gordon]], commander of the [[Dutch East India Company|United East India Company (VOC)]] garrison at Cape Town, on a trip to the interior in 1779.<ref name="ACWR" /> Gordon named the river in honor of [[William V, Prince of Orange|William V]] of [[House of Orange-Nassau|Orange]].<ref name="ACWR" /> A popular but incorrect belief is that the river was named after the supposedly orange color of its water, as opposed to the color of its tributary, the [[Vaal River]], which name is derived from the name '''ǀHaiǃarib''' "pale river" (''vaal'' being [[Afrikaans]] for pale or grey). Since the end of [[apartheid]], the name "Gariep" has had greater favour in official correspondence in South Africa, although the name "Orange" has greater international recognition.<ref name="ACWR" /> In Lesotho, where the river rises, it is known as the Senqu River, derived from the original [[Khoemana]] name.
[[Image:Orange River Panorama.jpg|thumb|centre|600px|[[Panorama]] taken from a [[fluorspar]]-rich hill overlooking a bend in the River, which was in flood due to above-normal rains]]The Eastern Cape Geographical Names Committee has advertised its intention to consider a name change from the colonial name, for that portion of the river that forms the border between the [[Eastern Cape]] and the Free State, with suggestions being '''IGqili''' or '''Senqu'''.<ref>{{cite news|title=New name looms for NC River|newspaper=Diamond Fields Advertiser|date= 13 June 2013|page =11}}</ref><ref name="polity.org.za">{{cite web |url=https://www.polity.org.za/print-version/sa-statement-by-afriforum-civil-rights-organisation-objects-to-proposed-name-change-of-orange-river-06062013-2013-06-06 |title=Statement by Afriforum on proposed name change of Orange River |work=Polity |date=6 June 2013 }}</ref> The advertisement placed in the ''Aliwal Weekblad'' newspaper states that the "present name is perceived to have a strong association with the history of colonial subjugation and has therefore no place under the current democratic dispensation."<ref name="polity.org.za"/>