Durban is a vibrant cosmopolitian city in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. It is also known by Zulu-speakers as eThekwini, the meaning of which is unclear (guesses range from 'lagoon' to 'the one-testicled one'. Durban is being marketed as "South Africa's Playground". It has a population of about 4 million people with diverse cultures including a large Indian community.
While Johannesburg has embraced its new Afro-centric nature, and Cape Town has held on to its Euro-centric culture, Durban has emerged as an Ethno-centric city - a polyglot of Eastern, Western and African cultures, each of which give Durban a distinctly unique flavour.
Durban is primarily a 'holiday city'/beach resort, but at the same time is South Africa's busiest container port and has a substantial industrial sector. The port is one of the world's largest natural deep water ports.
Durban International Airport provides air transportation for the city. There are plans to move the location of the airport to La Mercy, a site north of the metro area not too far from Gateway, one of the largest shopping centres in the Southern Hemisphere.
The long continuous stretch of hotels that line the city's beachfront is known as Durban's Golden Mile.
Durban was the site of the controversial 2001 World Conference against Racism.
History
In 1497, Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama anchored at present day Durban and named it Rio De Natal (Christmas River), later changed to Port Natal.
In 1823, British settlers established a permanent settlement. In 1835, Port Natal was renamed Durban in honor of then Cape Colony Governor, Sir Benjamin D'Urban.
In the late 1800s, the British shipped in Indians to work on the sugarcane fields. The Indian population has grown and is now the densest concentration of Indians outside India.
In the 1990s, Durban usurped Cape Town's position as South Africa's second-largest city, although the two are very similar in size.
Outside of the city centre is the Valley of a Thousand Hills a dramatic geographical rock formation created by the Mngeni River and its tributaries.
Places of interest
Roma Revolving Restaurant, similar to London's Post Office Tower [although smaller in scale], is a prominent building from the port with, as the name suggests, a rotating circular restaurant room that provides 360 degree views of the city, but it is sadly dated.
The port and waterfront, Beachfront, City Hall, Durban Horse Race Course, Berea, Umhlanga Rocks.
The BAT centre and the new aquarium, Durban's Aquarium - uShaka Marine World, one of the largest Aquariums in the world.
Famous references
Mohandas Gandhi, India's famous political and symbolic figure (who fought for his country's independence from Britain) worked as a lawyer in Durban and stayed in the country for 20 years. The tactic of passive resistance, used effectively in India to gain independence from the British in 1947, was first employed by Gandhi in South Africa to protest the Apartheid laws, which enforced racial segregation.