Kwa-Zulu Natal

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The garden province of South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal is a subtropical region of lush and well-watered valleys, washed by the warm Indian Ocean. One of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, the province stretches from Port Edward in the south to the borders of Swaziland and Mozambique to the north.

KwaZulu-Natal , or “KZN” as it is widely known, is one of the country’s most popular holiday destinations. This verdant region includes South Africa’s lush subtropical east coast. Washed by the warm Indian Ocean, it stretches from Port Edward in the south, and northwards to the Mozambique boundary.

The province also boasts sweeping savanna in the east, and the majestic Drakensberg mountain range in the west.

The summer-rainfall coastal regions are hot and humid, with a subtropical climate. The Midlands area is drier, with extremely cold conditions in winter and snow on the high-lying ground. In the north, the subtropical strip extends around Swaziland to the edge of the escarpment.

The province has a population of more than 10 million people living on 92 100 km2 of land. isiZulu is spoken by the majority of the people, followed by English.

Visitors to KwaZulu-Natal can either disembark at King Shaka International Airport at La Mercy, north of Durban or use the extensive national road network. There are also two major harbours – the port of Durban, which is one the busiest in Africa, and Richards Bay, which is an important coal-export harbour.

The province boasts several nature reserves including the Royal Natal National Park, Giant’s Castle and the Kamberg Nature Reserve.

It also has several tertiary institutions of learning, including the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Durban Institute of Technology.

KwaZulu-Natal is the only province with a monarchy specifically provided for in the Constitution.