The decision by Van Riebeeck to establish a community at Cape Town was influenced by the flow of water that came from Platteklip Gorge Stream.
Table Mountain that sits behind the city is composed of layers of light grey sandstone upon a foundation of Cape Granite. In the north the cape granite gives way to rocks of the Malmesbury Group from which most of Signal Hill is made. The towns of False Bay and the Atlantic coast site on a narrow coastal strip. To the east are the Cape Flats which is a sandy plain.
The diversity of fauna in the area 111 of the invertebrates and one vertebrate are only found in the Cape area. The flora is internationally recognized as being very diverse. Table Mountain and the Peninsula is home to 2,285 plant species. The most common is the fynbos which is low growing shrubby vegetation.
