*** Welcome to piglix ***

Knysna, Western Cape

Knysna
An aerial view of Knysna and its waterfront area, with the lagoon visible in the background to the right
An aerial view of Knysna and its waterfront area, with the lagoon visible in the background to the right
Knysna is located in Western Cape
Knysna
Knysna
Knysna is located in South Africa
Knysna
Knysna
Knysna is located in Africa
Knysna
Knysna
 Knysna shown within Western Cape
Coordinates: 34°02′08″S 23°02′56″E / 34.03556°S 23.04889°E / -34.03556; 23.04889Coordinates: 34°02′08″S 23°02′56″E / 34.03556°S 23.04889°E / -34.03556; 23.04889
Country South Africa
Province Western Cape
District Eden
Municipality Knysna
Established 1871
Government
 • Knysna Executive Mayor Eleanore Bouw-Spies (DA)
Area
 • Total 108.77 km2 (42.00 sq mi)
Population (2011)
 • Total 51,078
 • Density 470/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African 42.8%
 • Coloured 36.8%
 • Indian/Asian 0.5%
 • White 18.3%
 • Other 1.6%
First languages (2011)
 • Afrikaans 45.6%
 • Xhosa 34.4%
 • English 14.7%
 • Other 5.3%
Postal code (street) 6570
PO box 6570
Area code 044
Website http://www.knysna.gov.za/

Knysna (/ˈnznə/; probably from a Khoikhoi word meaning "ferns") is a town with 51,078 inhabitants in the Western Cape Province of South Africa and is part of the Garden Route. It lies 34 degrees south of the equator, and is 72 kilometres east from the town of George on the N2 highway, and 25 kilometres west of Plettenberg Bay on the same road..

Little is known about the indigenous inhabitants of Knysna, the Khoikhoi. The area east of present-day George was separated by high mountains and deep gorges, making it virtually inaccessible to European travelers.

Nevertheless, the first Europeans arrived in the area in 1760, and the farm Melkhoutkraal (literally translating from Afrikaans as 'milk wood kraal’) was established on the eastern shore of the Knysna Lagoon. Stephanus Terblans, the first European farmer to settle in the area, was given a loan permit to farm here in 1770.

Upon moving to Knysna George Rex, a British-born entrepreneur credited as being the founder of Knysna, acquired the loan rights to Melkhoutkraal in 1804 and later, in 1816, to the farm Welbedacht, which he renamed Eastford. He gave 80 acres (32 ha) of Eastford to the Colonial Government, on which the Royal Navy established the township of Melville. Rex’s properties were sold when he died in 1839.


...
Wikipedia

...