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Durban, South Africa

Durban
iTheku (Zulu)
ZA-Durban-straende.jpg
Durban TownHall.jpg ZA-Durban-shaka-m-eing.jpg
ICC Durban-20140315.jpg SunCoast Casino and Entertainment World.jpg
Durban Football Stadium (16231762225).jpg
Clockwise from top left: Durban CBD, Ushaka Marine World, Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World, Moses Mabhida Stadium, Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre and Durban City Hall.
Flag of Durban
Flag
Coat of arms of Durban
Coat of arms
Durban is located in KwaZulu-Natal
Durban
Durban
Durban is located in South Africa
Durban
Durban
Durban is located in Africa
Durban
Durban
 Durban shown within KwaZulu-Natal
Coordinates: 29°53′S 31°03′E / 29.883°S 31.050°E / -29.883; 31.050Coordinates: 29°53′S 31°03′E / 29.883°S 31.050°E / -29.883; 31.050
Country South Africa
Province KwaZulu-Natal
Municipality eThekwini
Established 1880
Government
 • Mayor Zandile Gumede (ANC)
Area
 • City 225.91 km2 (87.22 sq mi)
 • Metro 2,292 km2 (885 sq mi)
Population (2011)
 • City 595,061
 • Density 2,600/km2 (6,800/sq mi)
 • Metro 3,442,361
 • Metro density 1,500/km2 (3,900/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African 51.1%
 • Coloured 8.6%
 • Indian/Asian 24.0%
 • White 15.3%
 • Other 0.9%
First languages (2011)
 • English 49.8%
 • Zulu 33.1%
 • Xhosa 5.9%
 • Afrikaans 3.6%
 • Other 7.6%
Postal code (street) 4001
PO box 4000
Area code 031
GDP US$ 63.9 billion
GDP per capita US$ 15,575
Website www.durban.gov.za

Durban (Zulu: eThekwini, from itheku meaning "bay/lagoon") is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. Durban's metropolitan municipality ranks third among the most populous urban areas in South Africa after Johannesburg and Cape Town. It is also the second most important manufacturing hub in South Africa after Johannesburg. 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 3.5 million, making the combined municipality one of the biggest cities on the Indian Ocean coast of the African continent. It is the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal which is the 2nd most populous province in South Africa. It has the highest number of dollar millionaires added per year of any South African city with the number rising 200% between 2000 and 2014.

In May 2015, Durban was officially recognised as one of the New7Wonders Cities together with Vigan, Doha, La Paz, Havana, Beirut, and Kuala Lumpur.

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.


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