The town has a population of around 7,850 and lies in the northernmost portion of the Namaqualand floral region, where winter rainfall is strongest but summer rains sometimes occur. Livestock are also pastured in the area, and the mountains around the town feature three distinct plant biomes, namely Cape fynbos, Kamiesberge, and Richtersveld. The town itself is in the Namaqualand Klein Koperberge, but the eastern pastures are part of Bushmanland and the western ones sandveld.