Natal Province

Natal ( stressed on the second syllable ) is a former South African province, which existed from 1910 to 1994. The province lay to the east of South Africa. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg, Durban largest city however. In 1994, the province was combined with the then existing Homeland KwaZulu to the new province of KwaZulu -Natal.

The name is translated as " Christmas Land " because it on Christmas Day, the " dies natalis ". , 1497 by Vasco da Gama discovered It is one of the three stages divided the land between the Southern Drakensberg and the Indian Ocean. The country is rainy and contains water-rich, but not navigable rivers, but numerous dams for irrigation purposes.

Nature

Through the rain wealth, the area has a subtropical climate. Main crops in clearings in the rainforest are sugar cane, tea and bananas. At higher altitude grassland pastures and arable land is found with cattle, sheep and goats.

History

In 1719, the area was a Dutch colony for a short time. 1836 emigrated about 5000 from Kapburen from the Cape Colony and arrived in October 1837 in Natalia. They settled in the territory of Zulufürsten Dingaan and at Port Natal. There were battles against the Zulus, who were defeated at the Battle of Blood River. On November 11, 1839 for the settlers of the United Kingdom declared independence and founded the Boer Republic of Natalia. In 1842 the Boers were forced by the British forcibly evicted Natalia. 1843 Britain annexed the region final and incorporated it in the Cape Colony. After that, most Boers emigrated. 1848 settled a German immigrant group in Natal. 1856, the Colony of Natal was founded. Natal was founded in 1910 with the founding of the Union of South Africa one of the four South African provinces. With the reorganization of the South African provinces, there was in 1994 by the union of Natal with the KwaZulu homeland to the new province of KwaZulu -Natal.

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