Pietermaritzburg : Ask Biography

Administration

Full name

Pietermaritzburg

Official name

Pietermaritzburg

Native name lang

Motto

The City of Choice

Country

South Africa

Province

KwaZulu-Natal

District

Umgungundlovu

Municipality

Msunduzi

Established

1838

Government

Mayor

Mike Tarr

Geography

Total Area

250.5 sq mi (649 km2)

Elevation

1955.4 ft (596 m)

Demography

Density (pop.)

auto/km² (0/sq mi)

Other information

Time zone

SAST (UTC+2)

Area code

033

Home | City | Pietermaritzburg

Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality. Pietermaritzburg is popularly called Maritzburg in English and Zulu alike, and often informally abbreviated to PMB. It is a regionally important industrial hub, producing aluminium, timber and dairy products. It is home to many schools and tertiary education institutions, including a campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. It had a population of 228,549 in 1991; the estimated current population is around 500,000 (including neighbouring townships) and has one of the largest population of Indian South Africans in South Africa.