City Africa
Durban
Durban is a big city by the sea in South Africa. It has a busy port and long sandy beaches.
Durban is a port city on the Indian Ocean coast of South Africa, in KwaZulu-Natal. Universalis calls its harbor the largest port in South Africa. The 2011 census counted 2,786,046 people in the Durban urban area.
Durban, on a bay sheltered by the Bluff on South Africa's east coast, grew from an 1824 trading post into what Universalis calls the country's largest port and a major seaside resort. Census 2011: 2,786,046 (urban area incl. Umlazi, Chatsworth, KwaMashu, Pinetown).
Photo: =XEON=, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Discover Durban
Durban is a city in South Africa, a country at the southern tip of Africa.
Durban is next to the Indian Ocean. Lots of people live there.
Durban lies on the east coast of South Africa, beside the Indian Ocean, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Universalis calls its harbor the largest port in South Africa and one of the leading ports of the continent.
The 2011 census counted 2,786,046 people in the Durban urban area, which takes in places such as Umlazi, Chatsworth, KwaMashu and Pinetown. Only Johannesburg and Cape Town had bigger urban areas.
Statistics South Africa via City Population: Durban urban area (incl. Umlazi, Chatsworth, Kwa-Mashu, Pinetown) 2,487,162 (census 2001) and 2,786,046 (census 9 Oct 2011), rank 3 after Johannesburg (7,860,781) and Cape Town (3,430,992). The wider eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality counted 4,239,901 in the 2022 census.
Universalis: the agglomeration was the country's second after Johannesburg with 3.4 million in 2007; Durban has a very large Indian community, nearly a quarter of the population.
- Country
- South Africa (province of KwaZulu-Natal)
- People in the Durban urban area (census 2011)
- 2,786,046
- Rank among South Africa's urban areas (2011)
- third, after Johannesburg and Cape Town
- eThekwini metropolitan municipality (census 2022)
- 4,239,901 people, a larger area that includes Durban
A skyline across the bay
Look across the blue water! Tall buildings stand in a long row. Little red and yellow floats bob in the bay.
This photo was taken on 4 July 2007, looking across the calm blue water of Durban's bay at the city. A long line of tall buildings stretches across the picture, with boat masts along the waterfront. At the left are port buildings and cranes, and at the right a large white ship is tied up at the quay.
Universalis says the city's business district lies between the beach and the bay.
Commons: Panoramio photo 5740929 by '---=XEON=---', CC BY 3.0 (Panoramio upload bot, 2 Dec 2015, license reviewed); description 'Durban', taken 4 July 2007; the Panoramio camera point is about 2.6 km SW of the Wikidata city point, on the bay side.
In the picture: open bay water with red and yellow buoys; boat masts at the waterfront; a row of towers; port sheds and cranes at left; a large white ship at right. Universalis: the bay covers 16 km2 and is protected by the Bluff; the Central Business District lies between the beach and the bay.
- Photo
- Durban's skyline across the water of the bay, 4 July 2007
- The bay
- 16 square kilometers, sheltered by the Bluff headland (Universalis)
- Business district
- between the beach and the bay (Universalis)
From trading post to big port
Long ago, a small group of traders came to this bay. A town grew next to the port, and later a railway made it grow even more.
Universalis says that in 1824 a small group of English traders set up a trading post at Port Natal, the only bay ships could reach on this rough coast. In 1835 a town was laid out near the port, with a name taken from that of the governor of the Cape, D'Urban. In 1854 only 1,204 people lived there.
Gold mines inland, farming, and a railway to Johannesburg, begun in 1886, then made Durban's fortune.
Universalis: Vasco da Gama sailed along this coast in December 1497 and called it Natal; only in 1824 did a small group of English traders set up a trading post at Port Natal, the only accessible bay on this inhospitable coast; in 1835 a town was laid out near the port, named after the Cape governor D'Urban; population 1,204 in 1854; the Transvaal gold mines, the railway to Johannesburg (begun 1886) and farming made Durban's fortune.
Census counts of the urban area (Statistics South Africa via City Population): 2,487,162 (2001), 2,786,046 (2011).
- 1824
- English traders set up a trading post at Port Natal (Universalis)
- 1835
- a town is laid out near the port (Universalis)
- 1854
- only 1,204 people lived there (Universalis)
Ships, a channel and a railway
Huge ships carry boxes called containers into Durban's port. A deep path was dug so the ships can get in.
A sandbar on the ocean side once made it hard for ships to enter Durban's bay. Universalis says dredging cut a channel 13 meters deep, and quays were built inside the bay.
The port is the gateway to the industrial region around Johannesburg. It handles the biggest container ships, and in 2005 it handled 44 million tonnes of cargo. Many ships also stop there for supplies.
Universalis: major works made Durban the largest port in South Africa and one of the first of the continent; the bay, protected by the Bluff, covers 16 km2, but a bar on the ocean side hindered ships; dredging dug a channel 13 m deep and quays were built in the bay; the port, gateway to the Witwatersrand industrial region, receives the largest container ships (44 million tonnes in 2005), and many ships call to stop and take on supplies.
Industries (Universalis): oil refineries, a sugar refinery for part of the Natal coastal plain's cane, soap and margarine, shipyards, tires, textiles, fertilizers, mostly at the head of the bay and in the southern suburbs.
- Channel
- dredged to 13 meters deep through a sandbar at the bay's mouth (Universalis)
- Cargo
- 44 million tonnes in 2005; the biggest container ships call (Universalis)
- Railway
- line to Johannesburg begun in 1886 (Universalis)
Humid summers, sunny winters
Durban's summers are hot and rainy. Its winters are mild and sunny.
Universalis describes Durban's climate as subtropical: hot and humid in summer, mild and sunny in winter. In the World Meteorological Organization's averages for 1961 to 1990, the average daily high is 28.0 °C in February and 22.6 °C in July.
About 1,009 millimeters of rain fall in a year. January is the wettest month, with 134 millimeters, and June the driest, with 28.
WMO World Weather Information Service, Durban (29.97° S, 30.95° E; South African Weather Service), 1961–1990: mean daily maximum 22.6 °C (July) to 28.0 °C (February); mean daily minimum 10.5 °C (July) to 21.1 °C (January, February). Rainfall sums to 1,009 mm; October to March bring 675 mm (67%); January (134 mm) is the wettest month and June (28 mm) the driest. The monthly rain-day counts add up to about 130. Universalis: 1,016 mm a year, 70% of it in summer.
- Average daily highs (WMO, Durban, 1961–1990)
- 22.6 °C (July) to 28.0 °C (February)
- Average daily lows (same table)
- 10.5 °C (July) to 21.1 °C (January and February)
- Rain in a year (sum of the monthly averages)
- about 1,009 mm
Beaches and a seaside promenade
Durban has long sandy beaches. Many families come to swim and play by the sea.
Universalis says that thanks to its wonderful beaches, Durban has become a very important seaside resort and a favorite destination for South African tourists. Its seafront, Marine Parade, is lined with big hotels and stretches north.
Universalis also says Durban has a very large Indian community, nearly a quarter of its people. About 2 kilometers east-southeast of the city's center point on Wikidata is uShaka Marine World, an aquarium theme park, and about 2 kilometers northwest are the Durban Botanic Gardens, which Wikidata dates to 1851.
Universalis: thanks to its marvelous beaches Durban became a very important seaside resort and a preferred destination of domestic tourists; the seafront, lined with big hotels (Marine Parade), stretches north (Snell Parade); to the west, sandstone hills (the Berea) overlook the coastal plain; Pinetown is a large residential district; a very large Indian community, nearly a quarter of the population.
Wikidata (from the city point Q5468): uShaka Marine World (Q288325, aquarium theme park, 2004) 2.00 km ESE; Durban Botanic Gardens (Q5316277, 1851) 2.19 km NW.
- Seaside resort
- a favorite destination for South African tourists, thanks to its beaches (Universalis)
- Seafront
- Marine Parade, lined with big hotels, runs north toward Snell Parade (Universalis)
- uShaka Marine World
- an aquarium theme park, opened in 2004 (Wikidata)
Durban on the map
Find Africa on the globe. Go down to the bottom, then to the right side. Durban is there, by the Indian Ocean.
Durban lies at about 29.9° south and 31.0° east, on South Africa's east coast beside the Indian Ocean. Its bay is sheltered by a headland called the Bluff, and the business district lies between the beach and the bay, Universalis says.
Measured from the city's center point on Wikidata, uShaka Marine World is about 2.0 kilometers east-southeast and the Durban Botanic Gardens about 2.2 kilometers northwest.
Durban lies at about 29.86° S and 30.98° E (Natural Earth point, 4.55 km W of the Wikidata point). From the Wikidata point (Q5468; 31.0250° E, 29.8583° S): uShaka Marine World 2.00 km ESE; Durban Botanic Gardens 2.19 km NW; the photo's Panoramio camera point 2.58 km SW. The WMO station point (29.97° S, 30.95° E) is 14.37 km SSW of the Wikidata point.
- Latitude
- about 29.9° south
- Longitude
- about 31.0° east
- Water
- the Indian Ocean and Durban's bay, sheltered by the Bluff
Amazing facts
-
In 1854, Durban was a tiny town of about 1,200 people. Now millions live there!
Universalis says only 1,204 people lived in Durban in 1854; the 2011 census counted 2,786,046 in its urban area.
Population 1,204 in 1854 (Universalis); 2,786,046 in the urban area in 2011 (Statistics South Africa).
-
A deep path was dug in the sea so big ships can reach Durban's port.
A sandbar once blocked ships; dredging cut a channel 13 meters deep into Durban's bay.
Universalis: a bar on the ocean side hindered ships; dredging dug a 13-meter channel and quays were built in the bay.
-
In Durban, the rainiest month is January, in the middle of summer.
In the WMO table, January is Durban's wettest month, with 134 millimeters of rain, and June the driest, with 28.
WMO table for Durban (1961–1990): January 134 mm, March 120 mm, February 113 mm; June 28 mm.
-
Durban's seafront has a long road of hotels next to the beach.
Durban's seafront, Marine Parade, is lined with big hotels and runs north along the beaches, Universalis says.
Universalis: the seafront, lined with big hotels (Marine Parade), stretches north (Snell Parade).
Words to know
- port
- a town or harbor where ships load and unload
- dredge
- to dig mud and sand from the bottom of the water to make it deeper
- sandbar
- a long ridge of sand under or just above the water
- container ship
- a ship that carries goods packed in big metal boxes
- subtropical
- having hot, humid summers and mild winters
- urban area
- a city together with the built-up towns joined to it
Discovery challenge
-
Which ocean is Durban next to?
Durban lies on the coast of which ocean?
Durban's bay opens onto which ocean?
- Indian Ocean
- Atlantic Ocean
- Arctic Ocean
Show the answer
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean!
The Indian Ocean.
The Indian Ocean.
-
What did traders start at Durban in 1824?
What did a small group of English traders set up at Port Natal in 1824?
According to Universalis, what was set up at Port Natal in 1824?
- A trading post
- A school
- A zoo
Show the answer
A trading post
A trading post!
A trading post.
A trading post.
-
How deep was the channel dug into Durban's bay?
Dredging cut a channel how deep into Durban's bay?
Universalis gives what depth for the dredged channel into the bay?
- 13 meters
- 3 meters
- 130 meters
Show the answer
13 meters
13 meters!
13 meters.
13 m.
-
Which month is the rainiest in Durban?
In the WMO table, which month is Durban's wettest?
WMO table for Durban (1961–1990): which month has the highest rainfall, 134 mm?
- January
- June
- September
Show the answer
January
January!
January.
January (134 mm).
-
Where was a railway built to, from Durban?
A railway begun in 1886 linked Durban to which city?
Universalis says the railway begun in 1886 ran from Durban to which city?
- Johannesburg
- Cairo
- Nairobi
Show the answer
Johannesburg
Johannesburg!
Johannesburg.
Johannesburg.
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For parents & teachers
What children will learn
- Locate Durban on South Africa's Indian Ocean coast.
- Explain how dredging a channel through a sandbar, and building quays, turned a bay into a large port.
- Describe how a railway inland helped a port city grow.
- Read a Southern Hemisphere climate table where summer falls in December to February.
Recommended ages: 3 to 17 · About 15 minutes
Talk about it
- Why would a sandbar at the mouth of a bay be a problem for ships?
- How can a railway to mines far inland help a city on the coast?
- Why are the seasons in Durban the opposite of the seasons in Europe or North America?
Try at home or in class
- Growth math: Durban had 1,204 people in 1854 and 2,786,046 in its urban area in 2011. About how many times bigger is that?
- Sandbar test: in a tray of water, build a sand ridge across a bay mouth, then scoop a channel and float a toy boat through.
- Season chart: plot Durban's monthly rain and color the Southern Hemisphere summer months.
Key vocabulary: port, dredge, sandbar, container ship, subtropical, urban area
Where these facts come from
- Wikidata , Wikimedia Foundation (CC0 1.0)
- Natural Earth vector data , Natural Earth (NACIS) (Public domain)
- Durban , Encyclopædia Universalis
- South Africa: Urban Areas , City Population (Thomas Brinkhoff), from Statistics South Africa
- KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa): Urban Areas and Places , City Population (Thomas Brinkhoff), from Statistics South Africa
- South Africa: provinces and municipalities (censuses 1996–2022) , City Population (Thomas Brinkhoff), from Statistics South Africa
- Durban: climatological information , World Meteorological Organization, World Weather Information Service
- File:Durban - panoramio - ---=XEON=---.jpg (July 2007) , Wikimedia Commons
- Wikimedia Commons , Wikimedia Foundation (Per file (public domain, CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA); see each media record)
Checked, not yet human-reviewed. Last updated November 1, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.