KwaZulu-Natal, Administrative division in southeastern South Africa
KwaZulu-Natal is a province in southeastern South Africa that stretches from the Indian Ocean shore to the Drakensberg range. Topography includes subtropical beaches, central Midlands plateau, and mountain regions rising above 3,300 meters.
The province was created in 1994 when the government merged the Zulu homeland KwaZulu with Natal Province, designating Pietermaritzburg as capital. This reorganization followed the end of apartheid and the shift to democratic governance.
Zulu culture shapes daily life here, from handcraft to music traditions, spoken in most villages and neighborhoods. Indian communities bring a rich culinary and religious tradition, especially visible in Durban and surrounding coastal towns.
Two World Heritage Sites, iSimangaliso Wetland Park and uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park, offer wide areas for wildlife observation and hiking. Coastal towns such as Durban suit beach visits year-round, while mountains turn cool and foggy during South African winter.
This area contains the Ingonyama Trust system, managed by the Zulu monarchy, which oversees wide tracts of land under traditional leadership. This parallel system alongside state administration allows older land tenure structures to continue for many communities.
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