KwaZulu-Natal Province

KwaZulu-Natal, often referred to as "KZN", is a province of South Africa. It was previously known as Natal. South Africa's most populous province is called the garden province and is the home of the Zulu nation. It extends from the borders with Swaziland and Mozambique to the Eastern Cape in the south. Inland it is bound by the Kingdom of Lesotho, and the Free State and Mpumalanga provinces.

Geography

The province has three different geographic areas: the lowland region along the Indian Ocean coast, plains in the central section, and two mountainous areas, the Drakensberg Mountains in the west and the Lebombo Mountains in the north. The Tugela River flows west to east across the center of the province.

Related Topics:
Indian Ocean - Coast - Drakensberg Mountains - Lebombo Mountains - Tugela River

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The coastline is dotted with small towns, many of which serve as seasonal recreational hubs. North of Durban is locally referred to as "The North Coast", while south is "The South Coast". The Kwazulu-Natal Tourist board includes towns like Margate, Port Shepstone, Scottburgh and Port Edward in its definition of what constitutes the South Coast, while Ballito, Umhlanga and Salt Rock are quintessentially North Coast resort towns. Superb beaches of world-class quality are to be found along virtually every part of South Africa's eastern seaboard, with some of the least developed gems found in the far southern and far northern ends of the province's extents. The beach at Marina Beach (and its adjoining resort San Lameer) was recognized in 2002 as a Blue Flag Beach.

Related Topics:
Margate - Port Shepstone - Scottburgh - Port Edward - Ballito - Umhlanga - Salt Rock - Blue Flag Beach

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An extraordinary natural phenomenon that is witnessed annually on the KwaZulu-Natal coast during late autumn or early winter is the "sardine run". Also referred to as "the greatest shoal on earth", the sardine run occurs when millions of sardines migrate from their spawning grounds south of the southern tip of Africa northwards along the Eastern Cape coastline towards KwaZulu-Natal following a path close inshore, often resulting in many fish washing up on beaches along the coast. The huge shoal of tiny fish can stretch for many kilometres and is followed and preyed upon by thousands of predators, including gamefish, sharks, dophins and sea birds. Usually the shoals break up and the fish disappear into deeper water around Durban. Many questions surrounding this exceptional event remain unanswered.

Related Topics:
Sardine run - Sardines - Eastern Cape - Durban

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Average temperatures in the province range from 17° to 28° C from October to April and from 11° to 25° C in the colder months. Annual rainfall is about 690 mm, falling throughout the year.

Related Topics:
October - April

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See also: Parks of KwaZulu-Natal and List of cities and towns in KwaZulu-Natal

Related Topics:
Parks of KwaZulu-Natal - List of cities and towns in KwaZulu-Natal

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Hills lovely beyond any singing of it

From Alan Paton's "Cry the beloved country" set in Kwazulu-Natal

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There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass-covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond any singing of it. The road climbs seven miles into them, to Carisbrooke; and from there, if there is no mist, you look down on one of the fairest valleys of Africa. About you there is grass and bracken and you may hear the forlorn crying of the titihoya, one of the birds of the veld. Below you is the valley of the Umzimkulu, on its journey from the Drakensberg to the sea; and beyond and behind the river, great hill after great hill; and beyond and behind them, the mountains of Ingeli and East Griqualand.

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