Eastern Cape, South Africa Information - Property, Accommodation and Conference Venues

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The Eastern Cape Province of South Africa
Eastern Cape is a province of diversity, hospitality and natural beauty.

About the Eastern Cape, South Africa
The Eastern Cape was formed as a province of South Africa in 1994. The newly formed province incorporated areas from Transkei, Ciskei and the then Cape Province with Bisho as the capital. The Eastern Cape was the birthplace of former South African president Nelson Mandela.

The western areas of the Eastern Cape is mostly semi-arid Karoo, except in the far south, which is temperate rainforest in the Tsitsikamma region. The Eastern Cape coast is generally rugged with interspersed beaches. The highest point in the province is Ben Macdhui at 3001m. The eastern areas of the Eastern Cape from East London towards the Kwa-Zulu Natal border is lush grassland with intermittent forest.

The climate of the Eastern Cape province of South Africa is highly varied. The western areas are dry and experience frosty winters and hot summers. The Eastern Cape area from Tsitsikamma to Grahamstown receives more rainfall and temperatures are mild. In the eastern regions of the Eastern Cape the rainfall becomes more plentiful and humidity increases. The interior can become very cold in winter, with heavy snowfalls occurring at times in the mountainous regions between Molteno and Rhodes.

The Eastern Cape has much to offer to its visitors including 800 km of untouched and pristine coastline along with some particularly splendid beaches and game viewing. The Addo Elephant National Park offers sanctuary to 170 elephants, Cape buffalo and black rhino. The Eastern Cape is also the location of South Africa's only ski resort, Tiffindell, which is situated in the Southern Drakensberg on the slopes of the highest mountain peak in the Eastern Cape. The rugged and unspoilt Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape is a place of spectacular scenery and natural Beauty.

The Eastern Cape province of South Africa is generally divided into three regions namely the Western Region, the Amatola & Stormberg region and the Wild Coast & Berg region.

The two major industrial centres of the Eastern Cape is Port Elizabeth and East London. These two towns have well-developed economies mostly based on the automotive industry. General Motors and Volkswagen both have major assembly lines in the Port Elizabeth area, while East London is dominated by the large DaimlerChrysler plant.

A Short History of the Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is the area where Xhosas, Afrikaners & the English encountered each other for the first time in the South African region. Xhosa goups were living inland in the area between Bushman's River and the Kei River when white settlements in the Eastern Cape started taking place. By the late 1700's the Xhosas where progressively being confronted by the Trek Boers approaching from the west ...read full article