Official name	Cape Town
Native name
Nickname	The Mother City, The Tavern of the Seas
Settlement type	City
Motto	''Spes Bona'' (Latin for "Good Hope")
Image seal	Capetown coa.jpg
Map caption	The Cape Town metropolitan area
Image map1	Map of the Western Cape with Cape Town highlighted.svg
Map caption1	Location in the Western Cape
Pushpin map	South Africa
Pushpin map caption	Location in South Africa
Coordinates region	ZA
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name
Subdivision type1	Province
Subdivision name1	Western Cape
Subdivision type2	Municipality
Subdivision name2	City of Cape Town
Government footnotes
Government type	Metropolitan municipality
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Patricia de Lille
Leader party	DA
Leader title1	Council
Leader name1	Cape Town City Council
Leader title2	City manager
Leader name2	Achmat Ebrahim
Established title	Founded
Established date	1652
Established title1	Municipal government
Established date1	1839
Area magnitude	1 E9
Area footnotes
Area total km2	2454.72
Elevation max m	1590.4
Elevation min m	0
Population as of	2007
Population total	3497097
Population density km2	auto
Population demonym	Capetonian
demographics type1	Racial makeup
demographics1 footnotes
demographics1 title1	Coloured
demographics1 info1	44.0%
demographics1 title2	Black African
demographics1 info2	34.9%
demographics1 title3	White
demographics1 info3	19.3%
demographics1 title4	Indian or Asian
demographics1 info4	1.8%
demographics type2	Languages
demographics2 footnotes
demographics2 title1	Afrikaans
demographics2 info1	41.4%
demographics2 title2	Xhosa
demographics2 info2	28.8%
demographics2 title3	English
demographics2 info3	28.0%
Timezone	SAST
Utc offset	+2
Latns	S
Coordinates	33°55′31″N18°25′26″N
Longew	E
coor pinpoint	City Hall
coordinates type	region:ZA_type:city(4000000)
coordinates display	inline,title
Postal code type	Postal code range
Postal code	7700 to 8099
Area code	+27 (0)21
Twin1	Aachen
Twin1 country
Twin2	Haifa
Twin2 country
Twin3	Hangzhou
Twin3 country
Twin4	Miami-Dade County
Twin4 country
Twin5	Nice
Twin5 country
Twin6	Saint Petersburg
Twin6 country
Website	www.CapeTown.gov.za }}

Cape Town (; ) is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality. The city is famous for its harbour as well as its natural setting in the Cape floral kingdom, including such well-known landmarks as Table Mountain and Cape Point. Cape Town is also Africa's most popular tourist destination.

Located on the shore of Table Bay, Cape Town was originally developed by the Dutch East India Company as a victualling (supply) station for Dutch ships sailing to Eastern Africa, India, and the Far East. Jan van Riebeeck's arrival on 6 April 1652 established the first permanent European settlement in South Africa. Cape Town quickly outgrew its original purpose as the first European outpost at the Castle of Good Hope, becoming the economic and cultural hub of the Cape Colony. Until the Witwatersrand Gold Rush and the development of Johannesburg, Cape Town was the largest city in South Africa.

Today it is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, reflecting its role as a major destination for immigrants and expatriates to South Africa. the city had an estimated population of 3.5 million. Cape Town's land area of is larger than other South African cities, resulting in a comparatively lower population density of .

The city was named the World Design Capital for 2014 by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design.

History

There is no certainty as to when humans first occupied the area prior to the first visits of Europeans in the 15th century. The earliest known remnants in the region were found at Peers cave in Fish Hoek and date to between 15,000 and 12,000 years ago. Little is known of the history of the region's first residents, since there is no written history from the area before it was first mentioned by Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias in 1486. Vasco da Gama recorded a sighting of the Cape of Good Hope in 1497. In the late 16th century, Portuguese, French, Danish, Dutch and English ships regularly stopped over in Table Bay en route to the Indies. They traded tobacco, copper and iron with the Khoikhoi in exchange for fresh meat. In 1652, Jan van Riebeeck and other employees of the Dutch East India Company (, VOC) were sent to the Cape to establish a way-station for ships travelling to the Dutch East Indies, and the Fort de Goede Hoop (later replaced by the Castle of Good Hope). The settlement grew slowly during this period, as it was hard to find adequate labour. This labour shortage prompted the authorities to import slaves from Indonesia and Madagascar. Many of these became ancestors of the first Cape Coloured communities. Under Van Riebeeck and his successors as VOC commanders and later governors at the Cape, an impressive range of useful plants were introduced to the Cape – in the process changing the natural environment forever. Some of these, including grapes, cereals, ground nuts, potatoes, apples and citrus, had an important and lasting influence on the societies and economies of the region.

During the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, the Netherlands was repeatedly occupied by France, and Great Britain moved to take control of Dutch colonies. Britain captured Cape Town in 1795, but the Cape was returned to the Netherlands by treaty in 1803. British forces occupied the Cape again in 1806 following the battle of Bloubergstrand. In the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814, Cape Town was permanently ceded to Britain. It became the capital of the newly formed Cape Colony, whose territory expanded very substantially through the 1800s.

The discovery of diamonds in Griqualand West in 1867, and the Witwatersrand Gold Rush in 1886, prompted a flood of immigrants to South Africa. Conflicts between the Boer republics in the interior and the British colonial government resulted in the Second Boer War of 1899–1902, which Britain won. In 1910, Britain established the Union of South Africa, which unified the Cape Colony with the two defeated Boer Republics and the British colony of Natal. Cape Town became the legislative capital of the Union, and later of the Republic of South Africa.

In the 1948 national elections, the National Party won on a platform of ''apartheid'' (racial segregation) under the slogan of "swart gevaar". This led to the Group Areas Act, which classified all areas according to race. Formerly multi-racial suburbs of Cape Town were either purged of unlawful residents or demolished. The most infamous example of this in Cape Town was District Six. After it was declared a whites-only region in 1965, all housing there was demolished and over 60,000 residents were forcibly removed. Many of these residents were relocated to the Cape Flats and Lavender Hill. Under apartheid, the Cape was considered a "Coloured labour preference area", to the exclusion of "Bantus", i.e. blacks.

Cape Town was home to many leaders of the anti-apartheid movement. On Robben Island, a former penitentiary island 10-kilometres from the city, many famous political prisoners were held for years. In one of the most famous moments marking the end of apartheid, Nelson Mandela made his first public speech in decades on 11 February 1990 from the balcony of Cape Town City Hall hours after being released. His speech heralded the beginning of a new era for the country, and the first democratic election was held four years later, on 27 April 1994. Nobel Square in the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront features statues of South Africa's four Nobel Peace Prize winners – Albert Luthuli, Desmond Tutu, F. W. de Klerk and Nelson Mandela. Since 1994, the city has struggled with problems such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, a surge in violent drug-related crime and more recent xenophobic violence. At the same time, the economy has surged to unprecedented levels due to the boom in the tourism and the real estate industries.

Geography

The centre of Cape Town is located at the northern end of the Cape Peninsula. Table Mountain forms a dramatic backdrop to the City Bowl, with its plateau over high; it is surrounded by near-vertical cliffs, Devil's Peak and Lion's Head. Sometimes a thin strip of cloud forms over the mountain, and owing to its appearance, it is colloquially known as the "tablecloth". The peninsula consists of a dramatic mountainous spine jutting southwards into the Atlantic Ocean, ending at Cape Point. There are over 70 peaks above (the American definition of a mountain) within Cape Town's official city limits. Many of the suburbs of Cape Town are on the large plain of the Cape Flats, which joins the peninsula to the mainland. The Cape Flats lie on what is known as a rising marine plain, consisting mostly of sandy geology which shows that at one point Table Mountain itself was an island.

Climate

The Cape Peninsula has a Subtropical Mediterranean climate (Koppen ''Csa''), with mild, wet winters, and dry and very warm summers. In winter time, which lasts from the beginning of June to end of August, large cold fronts come across from the Atlantic Ocean with heavy precipitation and strong north-westerly winds. The winter months are cool, with an average minimum of and maximum of . Most of the city's annual rainfall occurs in wintertime, but due to the mountainous topography of the city, rainfall amounts for specific areas can vary dramatically. Newlands, to the south of the city, is the wettest suburb in South Africa. The valleys and coastal plains average of rain per annum, while mountain areas can average as much as per annum.

Summer, which lasts from November to March, is warm and dry. The Peninsula gets frequent strong winds from the south-east, known locally as the Cape Doctor, because it blows away pollution and cleans the air. The south-easterly wind is caused by a high-pressure system which sits in the South Atlantic to the west of Cape Town, known as the South-Atlantic High. Summer temperatures are mild, with an average maximum of . Cape Town can be uncomfortably hot when the Berg Wind, meaning "mountain wind" blows from the Karoo interior for a couple of weeks in February or early March.

Cape Town's weather is remarkably similar to that of San Francisco, with temperature being the conspicuous exception. Cape Town receives slightly more hours of sunlight than San Francisco (3090 to 3030 hours),, somewhat less rainfall (515mm to 518mm) and marginally less wind (a mid-range 3 on the Beaufort scale with just under 50% wind probability, compared to an average low Beaufort 4 at barely over 50% wind probability). Cape Town is, however, noticeably warmer, with an average annual ambient air temperature of 19 °C (66 °F) versus San Francisco's 13 °C (55 °F). On a much smaller, national scale compared to other large South African cities, Cape Town receives a nearly identical annual amount of precipatation as Pretoria , and considerably less than Durban . Remarkably, given that its 3,094 hours of sunshine is extremely high by international standards, Cape Town in fact receives slightly less sunshine than the South African national average for sunshine. It is the least sunny of South Africa's three capital cities (Bloemfontein receives 3470 hours of sun a year, and Pretoria receives 3300), and also less sunny than the country’s financial centre of Johannesburg (3250 hours), Kimberly (3500 hours), Calvinia (3590 hours) or Upington (3840 hours). However, Cape Town surpasses subtropical Durban (2,354 hours) by a great deal in terms of sunshine, though it is far cooler. As a matter of fact, Cape Town receives even more annual sunshine hours than almost all locations in the tropical zones of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, as do many Mediterranean climate areas due to their dry Summers. Compared to other Mediterranean climates (either Koppen climate Csa or Csb), Cape Town is rather warm but it is not hot. As an annual average, Cape Town (19 °C (66 °F)) is significantly warmer than Barcelona (16 °C (61 °F)), barely warmer than Rome (18 °C (64 °F)), fractionally cooler than Palermo, or Athens (20 °C (68 °F)), and the same as Naples. The city receives very much more sunlight than any major city in the Mediterranean however (e.g. Especially sunny Mediterranean cities include Athens (2800 hours per year) and Madrid (2830 hours per year)).

Water temperatures range greatly, between on the Atlantic Seaboard, to in False Bay. Average annual Ocean temperatures are between on the Atlantic Seaboard (similar to Californian waters, such as San Francisco or Big Sur), and in False Bay (similar to Northern Mediterranean temperatures, such as Nice or Monte Carlo).

Flora and fauna

Located in a CI Biodiversity hotspot as well as the unique Cape Floristic Region, the city of Cape Town has one of the highest levels of biodiversity of any equivalent area in the world.

It is home to a total of 19 different vegetation types, of which several are completely endemic to the city and occur nowhere else in the world. It is also the only habitat of hundreds of endemic species, and hundreds of others which are severely restricted or threatened. This enormous species diversity is mainly because the city is uniquely located at the convergence point of several different soil types and micro-climates.

An often quoted fact is that there are more indigenous plant species just on Table Mountain than there are in the whole of the British Isles.

Unfortunately, rapid population growth and urban sprawl has covered much of these ecosystems with development. Consequently Cape Town now has over 300 threatened plant species and 13 which are now extinct. In fact, the Cape Peninsula, which lies entirely within the city of Cape Town, has the highest concentration of threatened species of any continental area of equivalent size in the world. Tiny remnants of critically endangered or near extinct plants often survive on road sides, pavements and sports fields. The remaining ecosystems are partially protected through a system of over 30 nature reserves – including the massive Table Mountain National Park.

Suburbs

City Bowl

The City Bowl is a natural amphitheatre-shaped area bordered by Table Bay and defined by the mountains of Signal Hill, Lion's Head, Table Mountain and Devil's Peak.

The area includes the central business district of Cape Town, the harbour, the Company's Garden, and the residential suburbs of De Waterkant, Devil's Peak, District Six, Zonnebloem, Gardens, Bo-Kaap, Higgovale, Oranjezicht, Schotsche Kloof, Tamboerskloof, University Estate, Vredehoek, Walmer Estate and Woodstock.

Northern Suburbs

The Northern Suburbs are mostly Afrikaans-speaking, and include Bellville, Bothasig, Brooklyn, Burgundy Estate, Durbanville, Edgemead, Elsie's River, Facreton, Goodwood, Kensington, Maitland, Monte Vista, Panorama, Parow, Richwood, Thornton, Table View, and Welgemoed.

Eastern Suburbs

The Eastern Suburbs include Fairdale, Brackenfell, Kraaifontein, Kuils River, Blue Downs, Belhar and Protea Hoogte.

Atlantic Seaboard

The Atlantic Seaboard includes Bantry Bay, Camps Bay, Clifton, Fresnaye, Green Point, Hout Bay, Llandudno, Mouille Point, Sea Point, and Three Anchor Bay.

Southern Suburbs

The Southern Suburbs include Rondebosch, Claremont, Plumstead, Ottery, Pinelands, Wynberg, Newlands, Bergvliet, Constantia and Bishopscourt.

South Peninsula

The South Peninsula is generally regarded as the area south of Muizenberg on the Indian Ocean and Noordhoek on the Atlantic Ocean, all the way to Cape Point. Until recently quite rural, the population of the area is growing quickly as new coastal developments proliferate and larger plots are subdivided to provide more compact housing. It includes Capri Village, Clovelly, Fish Hoek, Glencairn, Kalk Bay, Kommetjie, Masiphumelele, Muizenberg, Noordhoek, Ocean View, Scarborough, Simon's Town, St James, Sunnydale, Sun Valley, and Steenberg.

Cape Flats

The Cape Flats is an expansive, low-lying, flat area situated to the southeast of the central business district of Cape Town. To most people in Cape Town, the area is known simply as 'The Flats'.

Described by some as 'apartheid's dumping ground', from the 1950s the area became home to people the apartheid government designated as non-White. Race-based legislation such as the Group Areas Act and pass laws either forced non-white people out of more central urban areas designated for white people and into government-built townships in the Flats, or made living in the area illegal, forcing many people designated as Black into informal settlements elsewhere in the Flats. The Flats have since then been home to much of the population of Greater Cape Town.

West Coast

The West Coast suburbs of Cape Town include Bloubergstrand, Milnerton, Tableview, West Beach, Atlantis, Melkbosstrand, Big Bay, Sunset Beach, Sunningdale and Parklands.

Government

Cape Town's local government is the City of Cape Town, which is a metropolitan municipality. Cape Town is governed by a 221-member city council. The city is divided into 111 electoral wards; each ward directly elects one member of the council, whilst the other 110 councillors are elected by a system of party-list proportional representation. The Executive Mayor and Executive Deputy Mayor are chosen by the city council.

In the local government elections of 18 May 2011, the Democratic Alliance (DA) won an outright majority, taking 135 of the 221 council seats. The African National Congress, the national ruling party, received 73 seats. As a result of this victory Patricia de Lille, the DA mayoral candidate, was inaugurated as Executive Mayor on 1 June.

Demographics

[[File:Cape Town population density map.svg|thumb|right|Population density in Cape Town ]] [[File:Cape Town dominant language map.svg|thumb|right|Geographical distribution of home languages in Cape Town ]] According to the South African National Census of 2001, the population of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipalityan area that includes suburbs and exurbs often considered not to be part of Cape Townwas 2,893,251 people. There are 759,767 formal households, of which 87.4% have a flush or chemical toilet, and 94.4% have refuse removed by the municipality at least once a week. 80.1% of households use electricity as the main source of energy. 16.1% of households are headed by one person.

Coloured people account for 48.13% of the population, followed by Black Africans at 31%, Whites at 18.75%, and Asians at 1.43%. In 1944, 47% of the city's population was White, 46% was Coloured, less than 6% was Black African and 1% was Asian. 46.6% of the population is under the age of 24, whilst 5% are over the age of 65. The median age in the city is 26 years old, and for every 100 females, there are 92.4 males. 19.4% of city residents are unemployed; 58.3% of the unemployed are Black, 38.1% are Coloured, 3.1% are White and 0.5% are Asian.

Cape Town has four major commercial nodes, with Cape Town Central Business District containing the majority of job opportunities and office space. Century City, the Bellville/TygerValley strip and Claremont commercial nodes are well established and contain many offices and corporate headquarters as well. Most companies headquartered in the city are insurance companies, retail groups, publishers, design houses, fashion designers, shipping companies, petrochemical companies, architects and advertising agencies.

Much of the produce is handled through the Port of Cape Town or Cape Town International Airport. Most major shipbuilding companies have offices and manufacturing locations in Cape Town. The Province is also a centre of energy development for the country, with the existing Koeberg nuclear power station providing energy for the Western Cape's needs. Recently, oil explorers have discovered oil and natural gas off the coast in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Western Cape is an important tourist region in South Africa; the tourism industry accounts for 9.8% of the GDP of the province and employs 9.6% of the province's workforce. In 2004, over 1.5 million international tourists visited the area.

With the highest number of successful Information Technology companies in Africa, Cape Town is an important centre for the industry on the continent. Growing at an annual rate of 8.5% and an estimated worth of R77 billion in 2010 nationwide the IT industry in Cape Town is becoming increasingly important to the city's economy.

The city was recently named as the most entrepreneurial city in South Africa, with the percentage of Capetonians pursuing business opportunities almost three times higher than the national average. Those aged between 18–64 were 190% more likely to pursue new business, whilst in Johannesburg, the same demographic group was only 60% more likely than the national average to pursue a new business.

Tourism

Cape Town is not only the most popular international tourist destination in South Africa, but Africa as a whole. This is due to its good climate, natural setting, and well-developed infrastructure. The city has several well-known natural features that attract tourists, most notably Table Mountain, which forms a large part of the Table Mountain National Park and is the back end of the City Bowl. Reaching the top of the mountain can be achieved either by hiking up, or by taking the Table Mountain Cableway. Cape Point is recognised as the dramatic headland at the end of the Cape Peninsula. Many tourists also drive along Chapman's Peak Drive, a narrow road that links Noordhoek with Hout Bay, for the views of the Atlantic Ocean and nearby mountains. It is possible to either drive or hike up Signal Hill for closer views of the City Bowl and Table Mountain.

Many tourists also visit Cape Town's beaches, which are popular with local residents. Due to the city's unique geography, it is possible to visit several different beaches in the same day, each with a different setting and atmosphere. Though the Cape's water ranges from cold to mild, the difference between the two sides of the city is dramatic. While the Atlantic Seaboard averages annual water temperatures barely above that of coastal California around , the False Bay coast is very much warmer, averaging between annually. This is similar to water temperatures in much of the Northern Mediterranean (for example Nice). In Summer, False bay water averages slightly over , with a common high. Beaches located on the Atlantic Coast tend to have very cold water due to the Benguela current which originates from the Southern Ocean, whilst the water at False Bay beaches may be warmer by up to at the same moment due to the influence of the warm Agulhas current, and the surface warming effects of the South Easter wind.

Both coasts are equally popular, although the beaches in affluent Clifton and elsewhere on the Atlantic Coast are better developed with restaurants and cafés, with a particularly vibrant strip of restaurants and bars accessible to the beach at Camps Bay. Boulders Beach near Simon's Town is known for its colony of African Penguins. Surfing is popular and the city hosts the Red Bull Big Wave Africa surfing competition every year.

The city has several notable cultural attractions. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, built on top of part of the docks of the Port of Cape Town, is the city's most visited tourist attraction. It is also one of the city's most popular shopping venues, with several hundred shops and the Two Oceans Aquarium. Part of the charm of the V&A, as it is locally known, is that the Port continues to operate and visitors can watch ships enter and leave. The V&A also hosts the Nelson Mandela Gateway, through which ferries depart for Robben Island. It is possible to take a ferry from the V&A to Hout Bay, Simon's Town and the Cape Fur Seal colonies on Seal and Duiker Islands. Several companies offer tours of the Cape Flats, a mostly Coloured township, and Khayelitsha, a mostly black township. An option is to sleep overnight in Cape Town's townships. There are several B&Bs where you can spend a safe and real African night.

Cape Town is noted for its architectural heritage, with the highest density of Cape Dutch style buildings in the world. Cape Dutch style, which combines the architectural traditions of the Netherlands, Germany, France and Indonesia, is most visible in Constantia, the old government buildings in the Central Business District, and along Long Street. The annual Cape Town Minstrel Carnival, also known by its Afrikaans name of ''Kaapse Klopse'', is a large minstrel festival held annually on 2 January or ''"Tweede Nuwe Jaar"'' (Afrikaans: Second New Year). Competing teams of minstrels parade in brightly coloured costumes, performing Cape Jazz, either carrying colourful umbrellas or playing an array of musical instruments. The Artscape Theatre Centre is the main performing arts venue in Cape Town.

The city also encloses the 36 hectare Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden that contains protected natural forest and fynbos along with a variety of animals and birds. There are over 7000 species in cultivation at Kirstenbosch, including many rare and threatened species of the Cape Floristic Region. In 2004 this Region, including Kirstenbosch, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Cape Town's transport system links it to the rest of South Africa; it serves as the gateway to other destinations within the province. The Cape Winelands and in particular the towns of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek are popular day trips from the city for sightseeing and wine tasting. Whale watching is popular amongst tourists: Southern Right Whales and Humpback Whales are seen off the coast during the breeding season (August to November) and Bryde's Whales and Killer Whale can be seen any time of the year. The nearby town of Hermanus is known for its Whale Festival, but whales can also be seen in False Bay.

The total accommodation capacity in Cape Town currently stands at close to 60,000 beds (29, 800 rooms) in 2690 establishments, the highest of all South African cities.

Communications and media

Several newspapers, magazines and printing facilities have their offices in the city. Independent News and Media publishes the major English language papers in the city, the ''Cape Argus'' and the ''Cape Times''. Naspers, the largest media conglomerate in South Africa, publishes ''Die Burger'', the major Afrikaans language paper.

Cape Town has many local community newspapers. Some of the largest community newspapers in English are the ''Athlone News'' from Athlone, the ''Atlantic Sun'', the ''Constantiaberg Bulletin'' from Constantiaberg, the ''City Vision'' from Bellville, the ''False Bay Echo'' from False Bay, the ''Helderberg Sun'' from Helderberg, the ''Plainsman'' from Michells Plain, the ''Sentinel News'' from Hout Bay, the ''Southern Mail'' from the Southern Peninsula, the ''Southern Suburbs Tatler'' from the Southern Suburbs, ''Table Talk'' from Table View and ''Tygertalk'' from Tygervalley/Durbanville. Afrikaans language community newspapers include the ''Landbou-Burger'' and the ''Tygerburger''. ''Vukani'', based in the Cape Flats, is published in Xhosa.

Cape Town is a centre for broadcast media and has several radio stations that only broadcast within the city. 94.5 Kfm (94.5 MHz FM) and Good Hope FM (94–97 MHz FM) mostly play pop music. Heart FM (104.9 MHz FM), the former P4 Radio, plays Jazz and R&B, while Fine Music Radio (101.3 FM) plays classical music and jazz. Bush Radio is a community radio station (89.5 MHz FM). The Voice of the Cape (95.8 MHz FM) and Cape Talk (567 kHz MW) are the major talk radio stations in the city. The University of Cape Town also runs its own radio station, UCT Radio (104.5 MHz FM).

The SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) has a small presence in the city, with satellite studios located at Sea Point. e.tv has a greater presence, with a large complex located at Longkloof Studios in Gardens. M-Net is not well represented with infrastructure within the city. Cape Town TV is a local TV station, supported by numerous organisation and folcus mostly on documentaries. Numerous productions companies and their support industries are located in the city, mostly supporting the production of overseas commercials, model shoots, TV-series and movies. The local media infrastructure remains primarily in Johannesburg.

Sport

Cape Town's most popular sports by participation are cricket, association football, swimming, and rugby union. In rugby union, Cape Town is the home of the Western Province side, who play at Newlands Stadium and compete in the Currie Cup. In addition, Western Province players (along with some from Wellington's Boland Cavaliers) comprise the Stormers in the Southern Hemisphere's Super Rugby competition. Cape Town also regularly hosts the national team, the Springboks, and hosted matches during the 1995 Rugby World Cup, including the opening ceremony and game, as well as the All Blacks versus England semi-final that saw Jonah Lomu run in four tries.

Association football, which is better known as ''soccer'' in South Africa, is also popular. Three clubs from Cape Town play in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), South Africa's premier league. These teams are Ajax Cape Town, which formed as a result of the 1999 amalgamation of the Seven Stars and the Cape Town Spurs, Santos and newly-promoted Vasco da Gama. Cape Town was also the location of several of the matches of the FIFA 2010 World Cup including a semi-final, held in South Africa. The Mother City built a new 70,000 seat stadium (Green Point Stadium) in the Green Point area.

In cricket, the Cape Cobras represent Cape Town at the Newlands Cricket Ground. The team is the result of an amalgamation of the Western Province Cricket and Boland Cricket teams. They take part in the Supersport and Standard Bank Cup Series. The Newlands Cricket Ground regularly hosts international matches.

Cape Town has Olympic aspirations: in 1996, Cape Town was one of the five candidate cities shortlisted by the IOC to launch official candidatures to host the 2004 Summer Olympics. Although the games ultimately went to Athens, Cape Town came in third place. There has been some speculation that Cape Town is seeking the South African Olympic Committee's nomination to be South Africa's bid city for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games.

Sports events

The city of Cape Town has vast experience in hosting major national and international sports events.

The Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour is the world's largest individually timed cycle race and the first event outside Europe to be included in the International Cycling Union's Golden Bike Series. It sees over 35 000 cyclists tackling a 109 km route around Cape Town. The Absa Cape Epic is the largest full-service mountain bike stage race in the world.

Some notable events hosted by Cape Town have included the 1995 Rugby World Cup, 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, and World Championships in various sports such as athletics, fencing, weightlifting, hockey, cycling, canoeing, gymnastics and others.

Cape Town was also a host city to the 2010 FIFA World Cup from 11 June to 11 July 2010, further enhancing its profile as a major events city. It was also one of the host cities of the 2009 Indian Premier League cricket tournament.

Education

Public primary and secondary schools in Cape Town are run by the Western Cape Education Department. This provincial department is divided into seven districts; four of these are "Metropole" districts Metropole Central, North, South, and East which cover various areas of the city. There are also many private schools, both religious and secular, in Cape Town.

Tertiary education

Cape Town has a well-developed higher system of public universities. Cape Town is served by three public universities: the University of Cape Town (UCT), the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). Stellenbosch University, while not in the city itself, is 50-kilometres from the City Bowl and has additional campuses, such as the Tygerberg Faculty of Health Sciences and the Bellville Business Park closer to the City.

Both the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University are leading universities in South Africa. This is due in large part to substantial financial contributions made to these institutions by both the public and private sector. UCT is an English speaking institution. It has over 21,000 students and has an MBA programme that is ranked 51st by the Financial Times in 2006. It is also the top-ranked university in Africa, being the only African university to make the world's Top 200 university list at number 146. Since the African National Congress has come into governmental power, some restructuring of Western Cape universities has taken place and as such, traditionally non-white universities have seen increased financing, which has benefitted the University of the Western Cape.

The public Cape Peninsula University of Technology was formed on 1 January 2005, when two separate institutions – Cape Technikon and Peninsula Technikon – were merged. The new university offers education primarily in English, although one may take courses in any of South Africa's official languages. The institution generally awards the National Diploma.

Cape Town has also become a popular study abroad destination for many American college students. Many study abroad providers, such as IES Abroad, offer semester, summer, short-term, and internship programs in partnership with Cape Town universities as a chance for American students to gain intercultural understanding.

Transport

;Air Cape Town International Airport serves both domestic and international flights. It is the second-largest airport in South Africa and serves as a major gateway for travellers to the Cape region. Cape Town has direct flights to most cities in South Africa as well as a number of international destinations.

Cape Town International Airport recently opened a brand new central terminal building that was developed to handle an expected increase in air traffic as tourism numbers will increase in the lead-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Other renovations include several large new parking garages, a revamped domestic departure terminal, a new Bus Rapid Transit system station and a new double-decker road system. The airport's cargo facilities are also being expanded and several large empty lots are being developed into office space and hotels.

The Cape Town International Airport was among the winners of the World Travel Awards for being Africa's leading airport.

;Sea Cape Town has a long tradition as a port city. The Port of Cape Town, the city's main port, is located in Table Bay directly to the north of the central business district. The port is a hub for ships in the southern Atlantic: it is located along one of the busiest shipping corridors in the world. It is also a busy container port, second in South Africa only to Durban. In 2004, it handled 3,161 ships and 9.2 million tonnes of cargo.

Simon's Town Harbour on the False Bay coast of the Cape Peninsula is the main base of the South African Navy.

The Port of Cape Town (specifically the V&A Waterfront) made headlines worldwide during 2009 when plans to berth the iconic liner QE2 were announced.

;Rail The ''Shosholoza Meyl'' is the passenger rail operations of Spoornet and operates two long-distance passenger rail services from Cape Town: a daily service to and from Johannesburg via Kimberley and a weekly service to and from Durban via Kimberley, Bloemfontein and Pietermaritzburg. These trains terminate at Cape Town railway station and make a brief stop at Bellville. Cape Town is also one terminus of the luxury tourist-oriented Blue Train as well as the five-star Rovos Rail.

Metrorail operates a commuter rail service in Cape Town and the surrounding area. The Metrorail network consists of 96 stations throughout the suburbs and outskirts of Cape Town.

;Road Three national roads start in Cape Town: the N1 which links Cape Town with Bloemfontein, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Zimbabwe; the N2 which links Cape Town with Port Elizabeth, East London and Durban; and the N7 which links Cape Town with the Northern Cape Province and Namibia. The N1 and N2 both start in the Central Business District, and split to the east of the CBD, with the N1 continuing to the north east and the N2 heading south east past Cape Town International Airport. The N7 starts in Mitchells Plain and runs north, intersecting with the N1 and the N2 before leaving the city.

Cape Town also has a system of freeway and dual carriageway M-roads, which connect different parts of the city. The M3 splits from the N2 and runs to the south along the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, connecting the City Bowl with Muizenberg. The M5 splits from the N1 further east than the M3, and links the Cape Flats to the CBD. The R300, which is informally known as the ''Cape Flats Freeway'', links Mitchells Plain with Bellville, the N1 and the N2.

;Buses Golden Arrow Bus Services operates scheduled bus services throughout the Cape Town metropolitan area. Several companies run long-distance bus services from Cape Town to the other cities in South Africa.

;Integrated Rapid Transit

Cape Town has embarked on Phase 1 of the IRT system with a total investment of close to R5 billion. Phase 1 will include a West Coast Service, Inner City Service and Airport Link. A 2010 Starter service to meet the requirements for the FIFA World Cup will include an Inner City Service, Stadium Shuttle and Airport Service. A total of 43 IRT Volvo buses have been ordered and are expected to be delivered during April and May.

;Taxis Cape Town has two kinds of taxis: metered taxis and minibus taxis. Unlike many cities, metered taxis are not allowed to drive around the city to solicit fares and instead must be called to a specific location.

Minibus taxis are the standard form of transport for the majority of the population who cannot afford private vehicles. Although essential, these taxis are often poorly maintained and are frequently not road-worthy. These taxis make frequent unscheduled stops to pick up passengers, which can cause accidents. With the high demand for transport by the working class of South Africa, minibus taxis are often filled over their legal passenger allowance, making for high casualty rates when minibuses are involved in accidents. Minibuses are generally owned and operated in fleets, and inter-operator violence flares up from time to time, especially as turf wars occur over lucrative taxi routes.

Twin towns – sister cities

Cape Town has six twin towns and sister cities, as listed below:

! Country	! City	! Established
	Aachen	2000
	Bangkok	2007
	Haifa	1975
	Hangzhou	2005
	Nice	1974
	Saint Petersburg	2001
	Antwerp	1996

See also

Cape Town Partnership

Greenmarket Square

Noon Gun

OPENCities

References

External links

;Government

Official website of the City of Cape Town

Official website of the Western Cape

OPENCities Monitor participant

;Other

Official Cape Town Tourism website

Cape Town Routes Unlimited (official Western Cape Tourism website)

Category:Provincial capitals in South Africa Category:Populated coastal places in South Africa Category:Populated places established in 1652 Category:Capitals in Africa Category:Port cities in South Africa Category:Populated places in the City of Cape Town

af:Kaapstad am:ኬፕ ታውን ar:كيب تاون an:Ciudat d'o Cabo frp:Lo Cap ast:Ciudá del Cabu az:Keyptaun bn:কেপ টাউন zh-min-nan:Cape Town be:Горад Кейптаўн be-x-old:Кейптаўн bs:Cape Town br:Ar C'hab (Suafrika) bg:Кейптаун ca:Ciutat del Cap cs:Kapské Město cy:Tref y Penrhyn da:Kapstaden de:Kapstadt et:Kaplinn el:Κέιπ Τάουν es:Ciudad del Cabo eo:Kaburbo eu:Lurmutur Hiria fa:کیپ‌تاون hif:Cape Town fo:Høvdastaður fr:Le Cap fy:Kaapstêd ga:Cape Town gd:Cape Town gl:Cidade do Cabo - Cape Town gu:કેપ ટાઉન ko:케이프타운 hi:केपटाउन hsb:Kapstadt hr:Kaapstad ilo:Cape Town, Abagatan nga Africa id:Cape Town os:Кейптаун xh:IKapa zu:IKapa is:Höfðaborg it:Città del Capo he:קייפטאון jv:Cape Town kn:ಕೇಪ್ ಟೌನ್ ka:კეიპტაუნი kk:Кейптаун kw:Cape Town sw:Cape Town ht:Li Kap la:Civitas Capitis lv:Keiptauna lb:Kapstad lt:Keiptaunas lij:Çittæ do Capo lmo:Cità del Cap hu:Fokváros mk:Кејптаун ml:കേപ് ടൗൺ mr:केपटाउन arz:كيب تاون ms:Cape Town mn:Кейптаун nah:Āltepētl In Cabo nl:Kaapstad ja:ケープタウン no:Cape Town nn:Cape Town nrm:Lé Cap nov:Kabe Urbe oc:Lo Cap pnb:کیپ ٹاؤن ps:کيپ ټاؤن pms:Sità dël Cap pl:Kapsztad pt:Cidade do Cabo ro:Cape Town rue:Капске Місто ru:Кейптаун sah:Кейптаун sco:Cape Toun simple:Cape Town sk:Kapské Mesto sl:Kaapstad so:Kab town ckb:کەیپ تاون sr:Кејптаун sh:Cape Town fi:Kapkaupunki sv:Kapstaden tl:Cape Town ta:கேப் டவுன் te:కేప్ టౌన్ th:เคปทาวน์ tr:Cape Town tk:Keýptaun uk:Кейптаун ur:کیپ ٹاؤن ug:Kapétown vec:Città del Capo vi:Cape Town vo:Cape Town war:Cape Town yi:קאפשטאט yo:Cape Town zh-yue:急當 bat-smg:Keiptauns zh:開普敦

name	Durban
native name lang
settlement type	City
map caption	Map of the eThekwini metropolitan area, showing Durban
dot x	|dot_y
pushpin map	South Africa
pushpin map caption	Location of Durban in South Africa
coordinates type	region:ZA_type:city
coordinates display	inline,title
subdivision type	Country
subdivision name	South Africa
subdivision type1	Province
subdivision name1	KwaZulu-Natal
subdivision type2	Metropolitan municipality
subdivision name2	eThekwini
established title	Established
established date	1835
area magnitude	1 E9
area footnotes
population total	3468086
population as of	2007
population density km2	1513
timezone1	South Africa Standard Time
utc offset1	+2
postal code type	Postal Code
postal code	4001
area code	031
website	www.durban.gov.za
footnotes	}}

Durban (, from ''itheku'' meaning 'bay') is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in the country. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism because of the city's warm subtropical climate and extensive beaches. The municipality, which includes neighbouring towns, has a population of almost 4.5 million, making the combined municipality the biggest city on the east coast of the African continent. The metropolitan land area of is comparatively larger than other South African cities, resulting in a somewhat lower population density of .

History

Archaeological evidence from the Drakensberg mountains suggests that the Durban area has been inhabited by communities of hunter-gatherers since 100,000 BC. These people lived throughout the area of present day KwaZulu-Natal until the expansion of Bantu farmers and pastoralists from the north saw their gradual displacement,incorporation or extermination.

Little is known of the history of the first residents, as there is no written history of the area until it was sighted by Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, who sailed parallel to the KwaZulu-Natal coast at Christmastide in 1497 while searching for a route from Europe to India. He named the area "Natal", or Christmas in Portuguese.

First European settlers

The modern city of Durban dates from 1824, when a party of 25 men under British Lieutenant F. G. Farewell arrived from the Cape Colony and established a settlement on the northern shore of the Bay of Natal, near today's Farewell Square. Accompanying Farewell was an adventurer named Henry Francis Fynn. Fynn was able to befriend the Zulu King Shaka by helping him to recover from a stab wound he suffered in battle. As a token of Shaka's gratitude, he granted Fynn a "30-mile strip of coast a hundred miles in depth."

During a meeting of 35 European residents in Fynn's territory on 23 June 1835, it was decided to build a capital town and name it "d'Urban" after Sir Benjamin d'Urban, then governor of the Cape Colony.

Republic of Natalia

The Voortrekkers established the Republic of Natalia in 1838, with its capital at Pietermaritzburg.

Reports filtered back to the Cape Colony of mistreatment of the Zulu by the Voortrekkers. The governor of the Cape Colony dispatched a force under Captain Charlton Smith to re-establish British rule in Port Natal. The force arrived on 4 May 1842 and built a fortification that was later to be ''The Old Fort''. On the night of 23/24 May 1842 the British attacked the Voortrekker camp at Congella. The attack failed, and the British had to withdraw to their camp which was put under siege. A local trader Dick King and his servant Ndongeni were able to escape the blockade and rode to Grahamstown, a distance of in fourteen days to raise reinforcements. The reinforcements arrived in Durban 20 days later; the Voortrekkers retreated, and the siege was raised.

Fierce conflict with the Zulu population led to the evacuation of Durban, and eventually the Afrikaners accepted British annexation in 1844 under military pressure.

British colonial rule

A British governor was appointed to the region and many settlers emigrated from Europe and the Cape Colony. The British established a sugar cane industry in the 1860s. Farm owners had a difficult time attracting Zulu labourers to work on their plantations, so the British brought thousands of indentured labourers from India on twenty five-year contracts. As a result of the importation of Indian labourers, Durban has the largest Asian community in South Africa and the African continent. South Africa also has the largest Hindu population outside India.

Durban's historic regalia

When the Borough of Durban was proclaimed in 1854, the council had to procure a seal for official documents. The seal was produced in 1855 and was replaced in 1882. The new seal contained a coat of arms without helmet or mantling that combined the coats of arms of Sir Benjamin D’Urban and Sir Benjamin Pine. An application was made to register the coat of arms with the College of Arms in 1906, but this application was rejected on grounds that the design implied that D’Urban and Pine were husband and wife! Nevertheless, the coat of arms appeared on the council’s stationery from about 1912. The following year, a helmet and mantling was added to the council’s stationery and to the new city seal that was made in 1936.

The blazon of the arms registered by the South African Bureau of Heraldry and granted to Durban on 9 February 1979. The coat of arms fell into disuse with the reorganisation of the South African local government structure in 2000. The seal ceased to be used in 1995.

Durban today

Today, Durban is the busiest container port in Africa and a popular tourist destination. The Golden Mile, developed as a welcoming tourist destination in the 1970s, as well as Durban at large, provide ample tourist attractions, particularly for people on holiday from Johannesburg. It lost its international holiday pre-eminence to Cape Town in the 1990s, but remains more popular among domestic tourists. The city is also a gateway to the national parks and historic sites of Zululand and the Drakensberg.

Government and politics

Since the creation of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, Durban has not had a mayor ''per se''. The mayor of eThekwini is elected for a five year term. Since 1996, the mayor has been Obed Mlaba, who was re-elected to his third term in 2006. Following the May 2011 Local Government election James Nxumalo, the former Speaker of the Council, was elected as the new mayor.

The name of the Durban municipal government, prior to the post-apartheid reorganisations of municipalities, was the Durban Corporation or City of Durban.

The Freedom of Expression Institute has reported that there have been problems with the Municipality allowing shack dwellers their legal right to march.

There have been reports of serious corruption by high level city officials.

Geography and climate

Durban is characterised by a mild subtropical climate with warm wet summers and mild moist to dry winters, which are frost-free. However, due to large altitude variations, some western suburbs get slightly chilly in the winter. Durban has an annual rainfall of The average annual temperature is , with daytime maxima peaking from January to March at and the minimum is , dropping to daytime highs from June to August of and the minimum is . Sunrise in Durban is at 04h45 *(04h15) and sunset is 19h00 *(19h30) in summer & rise at 06h30 *(06h10) and set at 17h20 *(17h00) in winter. (* = dawn and dusk)

Durban and its suburbs are hilly, with very few flat areas, except for locations in and around the central business district and the harbour. The western suburbs off Hillcrest and Kloof are significantly higher above sea-level, reaching up to in the community of Botha's Hill. Many gorges and ravines are found within the metropolitan area. There is almost no true coastal plain.

Demographics

[[File:Ethekwini dominant language map.svg|thumb|Geographical distribution of home languages in eThekwini metropole ]] Durban is ethnically diverse, with a cultural richness of mixed beliefs and traditions. Zulus form the largest single ethnic group.

The city’s demographics indicate that 68% of the population are of working age, and 38% of the people in Durban are under the age of 19 years.It has an extremely high rate of HIV/AIDS at 32%.

Economy

The Durban Metropolitan Area (DMA) has a large and diversified economy with strong manufacturing, tourism, transportation, finance and government sectors. Its coastal location and large port gives it comparative advantage over many other centres in South Africa for export-related industry. Durban's mild climate, warm marine current and culturally diverse population has also provided a drawcard for tourism to the region.

There has, however, been little growth in the number of jobs provided by DMA's formal sector over the past 20 years. The manufacturing sector, which is second only to government in the number of jobs provided, has been shedding jobs as firms restructure and become more capital intensive. High rates of crime have become a disincentive to growth in tourism and many other sectors. Despite a dynamic and growing small and micro business sector, the DMA has very high rates of unemployment, reaching over 30% in some areas of the city. There are still few economic opportunities in the former township areas. The central business district has experienced an economic decline due to crime and grime. Many corporates have relocated due to rampant decentralisation, especially to the Umhlanga area north of the city. This region has become a new central business district near the Gateway Theatre of Shopping.

Efforts have recently been made to attract business back to the city, with the new Durban Point Waterfront development south-east of downtown sporting uShaka Marine World and many new residential and leisure developments. It is hoped efforts by the city to clean up the business district, new developments in Point and the 2010 FIFA World Cup stadium north of the CBD (Moses Mabidha Stadium) will aid in the economic turnaround.

Durban's economic contribution to the region

The Durban Metropolitan Area is the main economic driver in KwaZulu-Natal, contributing over half of the province's output, employment and income. In national terms, Durban is the second most important economic complex after Gauteng, accounting for 15% of national output, 14% of household income and 11% of national employment. Regional development corridors link Durban northwards to Richards Bay and Maputo, and westward to Pietermaritzburg and Johannesburg.

Informal sector

The City's responses to informal housing have been met with a mixed reaction. The City won two Vuna awards from the state. But its treatment of shack dwellers has been strongly criticised by a report from the United Nations linked Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions and there has also been strong criticism of the city's treatment of street traders and street children.

Civil Society

There are a number of prominent civil society organisations based in ethekwini. These include: Abahlali baseMjondolo (shackdwellers') movement which has over 10,000 members, the Diakonia Council of Churches, the Right2Know Campaign, and the South African Unemployed Peoples' Movement.

Visitor attractions

The Golden Mile

Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World

The Victoria Embankment (also known as The Esplanade) is home to many tourist sites.

The International Convention Centre (ICC) – the leading conference centre in Africa for the last 5 years, and rated 4th in the world in 2005.

uShaka Marine World, one of the largest Aquariums in the world.

Sahara Stadium Kingsmead is a major test match and one-day cricket venue.

Kings Park Stadium (Previously known for sponsorship reasons as ABSA Stadium) is host to the internationally renowned Sharks Rugby Team.

Gateway Theatre of Shopping

Greyville Racecourse (home of the Durban July Handicap) and Durban Country Club and golf course.

Umgeni River Bird Park

Communications and media

Two major English-language daily newspapers are published in Durban, both part of the Independent Newspapers, the national group owned by Irish media magnate Tony O'Reilly. These are the morning editions of The Mercury and the afternoon Daily News. Like most news media in South Africa, they have seen declining circulations in recent years. Major Zulu language papers comprise "Isolezwe" ( Independent Newspapers), "UmAfrika" and "Ilanga", the latter being seen to be politically aligned to the IFP. Independent Newspapers also publish "Post", a newspaper aimed largely at the Indian community. A national Sunday paper, the "Sunday Tribune" is also published by Independent Newspapers as is the "Independent on Saturday".

A variety of free weekly suburban newspapers are published by the Caxton Group and there are numerous "community" newspapers, some of which are short lived and others which have had stable tenure. The Tabloid Newspaper group situated in North Coast Road,Durban has also added to the variety of community newspapers.They have ten newspaper publications, three of them in the isiZulu language. Community newspapers target specific areas or zones rooting out and exposing community issues like a magnifying glass. These papers rely solely on advertising revenue and are delivered to each house hold irrespective of race or wealth. Many journalists gain experience at these papers before moving on to other major national publications.

A major city initiative is the eZasegagasini Metro Gazette (). It is the official newspaper of the eThekwini Municipality, through which ratepayers and residents are kept informed about projects, programmes and activities of the eThekwini Municipality. It is also a forum for readers’ views. Published fortnightly, the newspaper hits the streets on a Friday morning, with 400 000 copies distributed in English and Zulu. The publication is an in-house product of the Municipality’s Communications Department.

A major English language radio station, East Coast Radio (), operates out of Durban and is owned by SA media giant Kagiso Media. The national broadcaster, the SABC, has regional offices in Durban and operates two major stations here, the Zulu language "Ukhozi FM" with a huge national listenership of over 5 million, and Radio Lotus, aimed at "Indian" listeners. The other SABC national stations have smaller regional offices here, as does TV for news links and sports broadcasts. There are a number of smaller stations which are independent, having been granted licences by ICASA, the national agency charged with the issue of broadcast licences.

Sports teams and stadia

Durban is home to two closely related rugby union teams, the Natal Sharks, who compete in the domestic Currie Cup competition, and the Sharks, who compete in the international Super Rugby competition. Both teams play out of the 56,000 capacity Kings Park Stadium, sometimes referred to as the ''Shark Tank'' – currently it is known as the Mr Price Kings Park for sponsorship reasons.

The City is also home to three clubs in the Premier Soccer League—AmaZulu, Thanda Royal Zulu and the Golden Arrows. AmaZulu play most of their home games in their own Princess Magogo Stadium, but will take especially important fixtures to ABSA Stadium. Similarly, the Golden Arrows have their own stadium, King Zwelithini Stadium in the suburb of Umlazi, but play their most important matches in ABSA Stadium. Durban used to be home to a fourth team, Manning Rangers, who won several honours including the league championship. Durban is also host to the Dolphins, the provincial cricket team. Shaun Pollock, Lance Klusener and Barry Richards all come from the Dolphins (although it was formally called Natal). Cricket in Durban is played at Sahara Stadium Kingsmead.

Durban hosted matches in the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup. In 2007 the city hosted nine matches, including a semi-final, as part of the inaugural ICC World Twenty20. The 2009 IPL season was played in South Africa, and Durban was selected as a venue. 2010 saw the city host six matches, including a semi-final, in the 2010 Champions League Twenty20.

Durban was one of the host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and is the host of an A1GP motor race, driven on a street track. It is rumoured that Durban will bid for the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2020 Summer Olympics. Durban hosted the 123rd IOC Session in July 2011.

The City is home to Greyville Racecourse, a major Thoroughbred horse racing venue which annually hosts a number of prestigious races including the country's premier event, the July Handicap, and the premier staying event in South Africa, the Gold Cup. Another well-equipped Racecourse is located at Clairwood, just south of the city centre and not far from Durban International Airport.

A professional Tennis venue is located at Westridge Park near The Berea, and an Olympic-standard swimming pool is found in the Kings Park Sporting Precinct. In addition to these venues, Durban has facilities for Water Polo, Hockey, and other sports, most notably the outstanding beach front which has played host to numerous water sports events such as the Mr Price Pro (previously known as the Gunston 500) surfing competition and the related Ocean Action festival. Beach volleyball is regularly played on local beaches and Powerboat racing has taken place in the Harbour. Durban and surrounding areas are also well patronised by Professional and Amateur golfers, with the golf course at Durban Country Club near the CBD being particularly well-known.

Transport

Air

King Shaka International Airport services both domestic and international flights, with regularly scheduled service to Dubai, Swaziland, Mozambique, and Mauritius. The airport opened in May 2010, replacing all operations from Durban International Airport, which handled four million passengers in 2005, up over 15 percent from 2004. King Shaka International Airport was constructed at La Mercy, about north of central Durban. All operations at Durban International have been transferred to King Shaka International as of 1 May 2010; with plans for flights to Singapore, London and Australia.

The Durban International Airport was used by the South African Defence Force during the 2010 FIFA World Cup and as a secondary airport to handle overflow.

The airport serves as a major gateway for travellers to KwaZulu-Natal and the Drakensberg.

Sea

Durban has a long tradition as a port city. The Port of Durban, which was formerly known as the Port of Natal, is one of the few natural harbours between Port Elizabeth and Maputo, and is also located at the beginning of a particular weather phenomenon which can cause extremely violent seas. These two features made Durban an extremely busy port of call for ship repairs when the port was opened in the 1840s. The Port of Durban is now the busiest port in South Africa, as well as the third busiest container port in the Southern Hemisphere.

The modern Port of Durban grew around trade from Johannesburg, as the industrial and mining capital of South Africa is not located on any navigable body of water. Thus, products being shipped from Johannesburg outside of South Africa have to be loaded onto trucks or railways and transported to Durban. The Port of Maputo was unavailable for use until the early 1990s due to civil war and an embargo against South African products. There is now an intense rivalry between Durban and Maputo for shipping business.

Salisbury Island now joined to the mainland and part of the Port of Durban, was formerly a full naval base until it was downgraded in 2002. It now contains a naval station and other military facilities. The future of the base, however, is uncertain, as there is increasing demand to use Salisbury Island as part of the port facilities.

Rail

Durban featured the first operating steam railway in South Africa when the Natal Railway Company started operating a line between the Point and the city of Durban in 1860.

Durban is well-served by railways due to its role as the largest trans-shipment point for goods from the interior of South Africa. Shosholoza Meyl, the passenger rail service of Spoornet, operates two long-distance passenger rail services from Durban: a daily service to and from Johannesburg via Pietermaritzburg, and a weekly service to and from Cape Town via Kimberley and Bloemfontein. These trains terminate at Durban railway station.

Metrorail operates a commuter rail service in Durban and the surrounding area. The Metrorail network runs from Durban Station outwards as far as Stanger on the north coast, Kelso on the south coast, and Cato Ridge inland.

A high speed rail link has been proposed, between Johannesburg and Durban.

Roads

The City's main position as a port of entry onto the southern African continent has led to a development of national roads around it. One such highway starts in Durban, and one passes through it. The N3 Western Freeway; which links Durban with the economic hinterland of Gauteng heads west out of the city. The N2 Outer Ring Road links Durban with the Eastern Cape to the south, and Mpumalanga in the north. The Western Freeway is particularly important because freight is shipped by truck to and from the Witwatersrand for transfer to the port.

The N3 Western Freeway starts in the central business district and heads west under Tollgate Bridge and through the suburbs of Sherwood and Mayville. The EB Cloete Interchange (which is informally nicknamed the Spaghetti Junction) lies to the east of Westville, allowing for transfer of traffic between the N2 Outer Ring Road and the Western Freeway.

The N2 Outer Ring Road cuts through the city from the north coast to the south coast. It provides a vital link to the Durban International Airport and to the coastal towns (such as Scottburgh and Stanger) that rely on Durban.

Durban also has a system of freeway and dual arterial metropolitan routes, which connect the sprawling suburbs that lie to the north, west and south of the city. The M4 exists in two segments: The northern segment, named the Leo Boyd Highway, starts as an alternative highway at Ballito where it separates from the N2. It passes through the northern suburbs of Umghlanga and La-Lucia where it becomes a dual carriageway and ends at the northern edge of the CBD. The southern segment of the M4, the Albertina Sisulu Highway, starts at the southern edge of the CBD, connecting through to the Durban International Airport, where it once again reconnects with the N2 Outer Ring Road.

The M7 connects the southern industrial basin with the N3 and Pinetown via Queensburgh via the N2. The M19 connects the northern suburbs with Pinetown via Westville.

The M13 is an untolled alternative to the N3 Western Freeway (which is tolled at Mariannhill). It also feeds traffic through Gillitts, Kloof, and Westville. In the Westville area it is called the Jan Smuts Highway, while in the Kloof area it is named the Arthur Hopewell Highway.

A number of streets in Durban were renamed in the late 2000s to the names of figures related to the anti-apartheid struggle, persons related to liberation movements around the world (including Che Guevera, Kenneth Kaunda and SWAPO), and others associated with the governing African National Congress. A few street names were changed in the first round of renaming, followed by a larger second round . The renamings provoked incidents of vandalism , as well as protests from opposition parties and members of the public .

Buses

Remant Alton, a company which bought Durban Transport in 2003, operated scheduled bus services throughout the Durban metropolitan area. However, Remant Alton's services were suspended in March 2009 due to violent industrial action by its employees, unroadworthy vehicles and the company's poor financial position. Remant Alton is barely functional, has lost key individuals, suffered the loss of 56 buses in a fire, and had many of the remainder impounded due to unroadworthiness. This has left Durban with a poorly functioning formal public transport system.

The Durban People Mover is a tourist-oriented bus service which runs every 15 minutes and consists of three routes within the central business district and along the beachfront, connecting various attractions.

Several companies run long-distance bus services from Durban to the other cities in South Africa. Buses have a long history in Durban. Most of them run by Indian owners since the early 1930`s. Privately owned buses who are not subsidised by the government service the communities timeoulsy. Buses operate in all areas of the eThekwini Municipality. Since 2003 buses have been violently taken out of the routes and bus ranks by taxi operators. This has brought bus operations into disarray. Bus owners have bought into taxi operations using their bus permits to make a living.

Taxis

Durban has two kinds of taxis: metered taxis and minibus taxis. Unlike many cities, metered taxis are not allowed to drive around the city to solicit fares and instead must be called and ordered to a specific location. There are a number of companies which service the Durban and surrounding regions. These taxis can also be called upon for airport transfers, point to point pick ups and shuttles.

Mini bus taxis are the standard form of transport for the majority of the population who cannot afford private cars. With the high demand for transport by the working class of South Africa, minibus taxis are often filled over their legal passenger allowance, making for high casualty rates when minibuses are involved in accidents. Minibuses are generally owned and operated in fleets, and inter-operator violence flares up from time to time, especially as turf wars over lucrative taxi routes occur.

Rickshaws

Durban is also famous for its iconic Zulu Rickshaw pullers navigating throughout the city. These colourful characters are famous for their giant, vibrant hats and costumes. Although they had been a mode of transportation since the early 1900s, they have been displaced by other forms of motorised transport, and the 25 or so remaining rickshaws mostly cater to tourists today.

Suburbs

Educational institutions

Private schools

{| |- style="vertical-align:top;" |

Al Falaah College

Clifton School

Eden College, South Africa

Crawford College, La Lucia

Crawford College, North Coast

Deutsche Schule Durban

Durban Girls' College

Highbury Preparatory School

Hillcrest Christian Academy

Highway College

Holy Family College

Eden College Durban

|

Kearsney College

Inanda Seminary

St Henry's Marist Brothers' College

Maris Stella School

Oakridge College

Orient Islamic School

Jasmine Codd School

St. Mary's D.S.G.

Thomas More College

Roseway Waldorf School

Star College

Victory Christian Academy

|}

Public schools

{| |- style="vertical-align:top;" |

Apollo Secondary School

Arena Park Secondary School

Atholton Primary School

Avoca Primary School

Avoca Secondary School

Bechet High School

Berea Primary School

Bonela Primary School

Brighton Beach Senior Primary

Carrington Primary School

Chatsworth High School

Chelsea Preparatory School

Crystalpiont Secondary School

Daleview Secondary School

Dawnridge Primary school

Dr AD Lazarus Secondary School

Durban Academy High School

Durban Girls' High School (DGHS)

Durban High School (DHS)

Durban North College

Effingham Primary School

Effingham Secondary School

Foresthaven Secondary

Gelofte High School

George Campbell School of Technology

Glenwood High School

Glenwood Preparatory School

Glenover Secondary school

Greenbury Secondary School

Greenheights Primary School

Grosvenor Boys High School

Grosvenor Girls High School

Hillgrove Secondary School (HSS)

Hillcrest High School

Hunt Road Secondary

Isipingo Secondary School

John Dube High School

Kingsway High School

Kloof High School

|

Kloof Junior Primary School

Kloof Pre-Primary School

Kloof Senior Primary School

Montclair Senior Primary School

Mowat Park High School

Mzuvele Secondary School

New Forest High School

New Germany Primary School

Northlands Girls' High School

Northmead Secondary School

Northwood School

NqabakaZulu Comprehensive High School

Ogwini Comprehensive High School

Open Air School

Palmcroft Primary School

Parkhill Secondary School

Parlock Primary School

Penzance Primary School

Pinetown Boys' High School

Pinetown Girls' High School

Port Natal High School

Queensburgh Girls' High School

Queensburgh High School

Reservoir Hills Secondary School

Ridge Park College

Sastri College

Sibonelo High School

Sishosonke High School

Sivananda Technical College and High School

Stanmore Secondary School

Swelihle High School Virginia Preparatory School Vukuzakhe High School

Werda Hoërskool

Westcliff Secondary School

Westville Boys' High School

Westville Girls' High School

Wingen Heights Secondary School

Werda High School

Zakhe High School

Zeph Dlomo High School

Zwelibanzi High School

|}

Tertiary institutions

University of KwaZulu-Natal

Durban University of Technology

Varsity College

Regent Business School

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Durban is twinned with:

* Alexandria, Egypt

* Baku, Azerbaijan

* Chicago, Illinois, United States

* Leeds, United Kingdom,

* Rotterdam, Netherlands

Guangzhou, China

* Nantes, France

* Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium

Bremen, Bremen (state)>Bremen, Germany

* Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

* Le Port, Réunion

* [[Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

* New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

* Oran, Algeria

Eilat, Israel

* Maracaibo, Venezuela

* Kaohsiung, Taiwan

See also

Art Deco in Durban

Durban Industry Climate Change Partnership Project (DICCPP)

World Conference against Racism 2001 – held in Durban

Durban International Film Festival

References

External links

Official Durban city website

Municipal Demarcation Board

Statssal

Independent Electoral Commission 2004 election results

Category:Cities in South Africa Category:EThekwini Metropolitan Municipality Category:History of KwaZulu-Natal Category:Indian Ocean Category:Populated places established in 1824 Category:Populated places in KwaZulu-Natal Category:Port cities in South Africa Category:Populated coastal places in South Africa Category:IOC Session Host Cities

af:Durban ar:ديربان be:Горад Дурбан be-x-old:Дурбан bg:Дърбан ca:Durban ceb:Durban cs:Durban cy:Durban da:Durban pdc:Durban de:Durban et:Durban el:Ντέρμπαν es:Durban eo:Durbano eu:Durban fa:دوربان fr:Durban ga:Durban gl:Durban - eThekwini ko:더반 hi:डर्बन hr:Durban id:Durban os:Дурбан zu:ITheku it:Durban he:דרבן (דרום אפריקה) kn:ಡರ್ಬನ್ ka:დურბანი kk:Дурбан sw:Durban la:Durbanum lv:Durbana lb:Durban lt:Durbanas lmo:Durban hu:Durban mk:Дурбан ml:ഡർബൻ mr:डर्बन ms:Durban nl:Durban (Zuid-Afrika) ja:ダーバン no:Durban oc:Durban (Africa) pnb:ڈربن pl:Durban pt:Durban ro:Durban ru:Дурбан sco:Durban simple:Durban sk:Durban sr:Дурбан fi:Durban sv:Durban ta:டர்பன் te:డర్బన్ th:เดอร์บัน tr:Durban uk:Дурбан ur:ڈربن vi:Durban vo:Durban war:Durban yo:Durban zh-yue:爹濱 zh:德班