Eastern Cape

Also known as Eastern Cape Province, province of the Eastern Cape, province of Eastern Cape

province of South Africa

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The Eastern Cape is a province located on the southeast coast of South Africa that is known for its historical significance in the country's anti-apartheid movement and its role in producing important political leaders. Today, it remains an economically significant region contributing to South Africa's agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism industries.

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Wikidata facts

Official name: Eastern Cape
Population: 7230204
Area: 168966.0
Elevation: 1125
Official website: ecprov.gov.za
Image: Seal Point Lighthouse-001.jpg

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Commons category: Eastern Cape
inception: 1994-04-27
native label: Eastern Cape
P12749: Chelyocarpus

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Article

The Eastern Cape (Afrikaans: Oos-Kaap [ˈuəs.kɑːp]; Xhosa: eMpuma-Kapa; Khoekhoe: Aiǂoas!hub) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, and its largest city is Gqeberha (formerly Port Elizabeth). Due to its temperate climate and Victorian towns, it is a common location for tourists. It is also known for having been home to many anti-apartheid activists, including Nelson Mandela, Steve Biko and Chris Hani.

The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km) 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 Great Britain and Ireland. Eastern Cape is the only province in South Africa where the number of Black Africans declined from 86.6% to 85.7% since Apartheid ended in 1994.