Eastern Cape
Eastern Cape
| |
|---|---|
The Wild Coast | |
| Motto: Development through Unity | |
Location of the Eastern Cape in South Africa | |
| Coordinates: 32°S 27°E / 32°S 27°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Established | 27 April 1994 |
| Capital | Bhisho |
| Largest city | Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth) |
| Districts | |
| Government | |
| • Type | Parliamentary system |
| • Premier | Oscar Mabuyane (ANC) |
| • Legislature | Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature |
| Area : 9 | |
• Total | 168,966 km2 (65,238 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 2nd in South Africa |
| Highest elevation | 3,019 m (9,905 ft) |
| Lowest elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2022) | |
• Total | 7,225,784 |
| • Rank | 4th in South Africa |
| • Density | 43/km2 (110/sq mi) |
| • Rank | 6th in South Africa |
| Population groups (2022) | |
| • Black | 85.7% |
| • Coloured | 7.6% |
| • White | 5.6% |
| • Indian or Asian | 0.5% |
| • Other | 0.7% |
| Languages (2022) | |
| • Xhosa | 81.8% |
| • Afrikaans | 9.6% |
| • English | 4.8% |
| • Sotho | 2.4% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| ISO 3166 code | ZA-EC |
| HDI (2019) | 0.671 medium · 9th of 9 |
| GDP | US$30.7 billion |
| Website | www.ecprov.gov.za |
| Zulu | iMpumalanga Kapa |
|---|---|
| Xhosa | iMpuma-Kapa |
| Afrikaans | Oos-Kaap |
| Sepedi | Kapa Bohlabela |
| Setswana | Kapa Botlhaba |
| Venda | Kapa Vhubvaḓuvha |
The Eastern Cape (Afrikaans: Oos-Kaap [ˈuəs.kɑːp]; Xhosa: iMpuma-Kapa) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, and its largest city is Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). Due to its climate and nineteenth-century towns, it is a common location for tourists. It is also known for having been home to many anti-apartheid activists, including Nelson Mandela.
The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after the Northern Cape, it was formed in 1994 out of the Xhosa homelands or bantustans of Transkei and Ciskei, together with the eastern portion of the Cape Province. The central and eastern part of the province is the traditional home of the indigenous Xhosa people. In 1820 this area, which was known as the Xhosa Kingdom, began to be settled by Europeans who originally came from England, Scotland and Ireland. Eastern Cape is the only province in South Africa were the number of Black Africans declined from 86.6% to 85.7% since Apartheid ended in 1994.