Saldanha, South Africa

This article is about the town. For other uses, see Saldanha.

Saldanha
Clockwise from Top: Saldanha beach, Saldanha at night, indigenous vegetation, view over the town, traditional fishermans cottages
Saldanha is located in Western Cape
Saldanha
Saldanha
Saldanha is located in South Africa
Saldanha
Saldanha
Coordinates: 32°59′52″S 17°56′44″E / 32.99778°S 17.94556°E / -32.99778; 17.94556
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceWestern Cape
DistrictWest Coast
MunicipalitySaldanha Bay
Area
[1]
 • Total
17.36 km2 (6.70 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total
28,142
 • Density1,600/km2 (4,200/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[1]
 • Black African29.9%
 • Coloured65%
 • Indian/Asian1.4%
 • White13.5%
 • Other0.9%
First languages (2011)
[1]
 • Afrikaans70.3%
 • Xhosa19.6%
 • English7.0%
 • Other3.1%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
7395
PO box
7395
Area code022

Saldanha (Afrikaans: [sal'dana]), also known as Saldanha Bay, is a town of 21,636 people, located 110 kilometres (70 mi) north of Cape Town on the northern shore of Saldanha Bay, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its situation as a natural sheltered harbour has led to development as a port for the export of iron ore from Sishen in the Northern Cape, which is transported on the Sishen–Saldanha railway line. The port is one of the largest exporting ports of ore in the whole of Africa, and it is able to handle ships as large as 200 000 tons deadweight.[2]

History

Historic map of Saldanha by the East India Company (bottom).

'Agoada de Saldanha' was the early Portuguese name for Table Bay, but later given to the present location by Joris van Spilbergen, meaning 'watering place of Saldanha'.[3]

Bartolomeu Dias was the first recorded European to set eyes on what is now Saldanha.[4]

Saldanha Bay is ultimately named after António de Saldanha, captain of a vessel in Albuquerque's fleet which visited South Africa in 1503.

Port

The port has handling facilities for both bulk iron ore and crude oil.[5] Ore vessels up to 21.5 metre draft are handled, as well as large crude oil carriers up to 20.5 metre draft.[5]

Demographics (2011)[6]

  • Area: 17.36 square kilometres (6.70 sq mi)
  • Population: 28,142: 1.621 inhabitants per square kilometre (4.20/sq mi)
  • Households: 7,654: 440.81 per square kilometre (1,141.7/sq mi)
Gender Population Percentage
Male 14,264 50.69
Female 13,878 49.31
Total 28,142 100
Race Population Percentage
Black 8,404 29.9
White 3,811 13.5
Coloured 15,286 54.3
Asian 391 1.4
Other 250 0.9
Total 28,142 100
First language Population Percentage
Afrikaans 18,524 70.3
Xhosa 5,176 19.6
English 1,059 7.0
Southern Sotho 1,835 0.78
Tswana 170 0.65
Other 1,360 1.67
Total 28,142 100

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Main Place Saldanha". Census 2011.
  2. ^ "Saldanha" (PDF). Saldanha Bay Local Municipality. Retrieved 22 March 2010.
  3. ^ Raper, P.E. (1989). Dictionary of Southern African Place Names.
  4. ^ "Agoada de Saldanha". South Africa History Online. Retrieved 2024-06-08.
  5. ^ a b "Port of Saldanha Bay, South Africa". findaport.com.
  6. ^ [1], Census 2011 — Main Place "Saldanha"