Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape, province in southeastern South Africa, bounded on the south and southeast by the Indian Ocean, on the north by Lesotho and the provinces of KwaZulu-Natal and Free State, and on the west by Northern Cape and Western Cape provinces. Created in 1994, Eastern Cape covers 169,580 sq km (65,475 sq mi) and includes the eastern half of the former Cape Province and the former bantustans (or black homelands) of Ciskei and Transkei.

Eastern Cape has a varied topography and climate. Much of the province consists of rolling grasslands, but the northwest section is part of the sparsely vegetated Great Karoo, a large, arid plateau (see Karoo). Extensive forests cover the southern section of the province. A series of mountain ranges runs through the center of Eastern Cape, and the Witteberge Mountains and the Drakensberg Mountains rim the province's northeastern boundary. The Great Fish, the Keiskamma, and the Kei rivers flow through the region. Eastern Cape's coastal area receives abundant rainfall, but the interior is much drier and has had chronic drought problems. The city of East London, located on the coast, receives an average annual rainfall of 900 mm (36 in), while Cradock, in the interior, receives an average annual rainfall of 310 mm (10 in). Most rain falls during the warmer months of October through April. Average temperatures in Eastern Cape range from 18° to 27° C (from 64° to 80° F) in the summer and from 8° to 20° C (46° to 68° F) in the winter.

The population of Eastern Cape in 2005 was 7,039,300. Most of the province's residents are black Africans. Xhosa is the principal language, but Afrikaans and English are also spoken. Bisho, the capital of the province, served as the capital of Ciskei after the bantustan became nominally independent in 1981. Other significant cities are Aliwal North, Cradock, East London, Grahamstown, King William’s Town, Port Elizabeth, Queenstown, Uitenhage, and Umtata. The province has four universities: Rhodes University (founded in 1904) in Grahamstown, the University of Transkei (1977) in Umtata, the University of Fort Hare (1916) in Alice, and the University of Port Elizabeth (1964).

Important historical and cultural sites in the province include the home of Olive Schreiner, a prominent 19th-century novelist, in Cradock; the Settlers' National Monument in Grahamstown, which commemorates the contributions of English immigrants to South Africa; Lovedale, a mission school in Alice that was founded in 1841 for the education of black children; and the East London Museum, noted for its natural history collection. Many forts stand throughout the province as reminders of the numerous wars fought between white settlers and black Africans during the 19th century. Eastern Cape has two major wildlife reserves: Addo Elephant National Park and Mountain Zebra (Bergkwagga) National Park. Prominent antiapartheid leaders such as Stephen Biko, Chris Hani, Nelson Mandela, Govan Archibald Munyelwa Mbeki, Walter Sisulu, and Oliver Tambo were born in what is now Eastern Cape.

Eastern Cape is an agricultural region, producing citrus and other fruits, maize (corn), and sorghum. The province also has cattle and sheep ranches. The leading manufacturing centers, East London and Port Elizabeth, are located on the coast. Port Elizabeth is noted for its automotive industry and its summer resorts. Resorts lie all along the coast of Eastern Cape.

The provincial government consists of a premier, an executive council of ten ministers, and a legislature. The provincial assembly and premier are elected for five-year terms, or until the next national election. Political parties are awarded assembly seats based on the percentage of votes each party receives in the province during the national elections. The assembly elects a premier, who then appoints the members of the executive council.