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AfricaSouth AfricaEastern Cape

Gqeberha

Eastern Cape, South Africa · Africa

About Gqeberha

Gqeberha is worth a stop: 20 minutes from Westville, 18km from Aldo Scribante Circuit.

Gqeberha is in Eastern Cape, South Africa, with about 1.1 million people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Westville, about 19 km away.

Gqeberha (English: keb-AIR-khə, Xhosa: [ᶢǃʱɛ̀ɓéːxà]), also known as Port Elizabeth and colloquially P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa's second-smallest metropolitan

Read more municipality by area. It is the sixth-most populous city in South Africa and is the cultural, economic and financial hub of the Eastern Cape. Gqeberha was founded in 1820 as Port Elizabeth by Sir Rufane Donkin, who was the governor of the Cape at the time. He named it after his wife, Elizabeth, who had died in India. The Donkin Memorial in the central business district of the city bears testament to that. It was established by the government of the Cape Colony when 4,000 British colonists settled in Algoa Bay to strengthen the border region between the Cape Colony and the Xhosa. It is nicknamed "The Friendly City" or "The Windy City". In 2019, the Eastern Cape Geographical Names Committee recommended that Port Elizabeth be renamed Gqeberha, after the Xhosa and Southern Khoe name for the Baakens River that flows through the city. The city's name change was officially gazetted on 23 February 2021. Located on the western portion of Algoa Bay along the southeastern coast of South Africa, the city lies 770 km east of Cape Town. It is east of the Garden Route and faces the Indian Ocean. It covers 251 square kilometers of the Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan area, and is administered by South Africa's sixth-largest metropolitan municipality. The city's warm oceanic climate ranks it among the top cities in the world for pleasant year-round weather. The city is known for many blue-flag beaches along the city's urban coastline; its popularity as an international and local holiday destination; and its rich and diverse cultural heritage. It is a gateway city for the Eastern Cape's adventure, outdoor and African big five game safari tourism.

Read more on Wikipedia

Where to Stay in Gqeberha

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is there to see near Gqeberha?

Within an hour or so of Gqeberha: Aldo Scribante Circuit (18 km).

Are there any good drives near Gqeberha?

The nearest famous roads are Baviaanskloof.

Where is Gqeberha?

Gqeberha is in Eastern Cape, South Africa, about 19 km from Westville.

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Quick Information

Population
1,050,078
Continent
Africa
Country
South Africa
Region
Eastern Cape
Timezone
Africa/Johannesburg
Coordinates
-33.9611, 25.6149

Emergency & Services

Essential numbers in South Africa

Police
10111
Ambulance
10177
Fire
10177
All emergencies
112
Driving side
left

112 works from mobiles. Avoid driving at night in rural areas; keep doors locked in cities.

Full driving guide for South Africa

Tags

AfricaSouth AfricaEastern CapeMajor City

Worth the detour from Gqeberha

1 notable place within an hour's drive.

racetrack

Aldo Scribante Circuit

A compact circuit above Gqeberha with sea views from the higher sections, running club racing since 1972 and one of South Africa's most characterful surviving tracks.

18 km · about 20 min drive

Nearby Destinations

Other places to explore near Gqeberha.

Kariega

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Grahamstown

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Somerset East

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Data sources:GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)•Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)•Mapbox•Photography: George Lawrence