Saldanha, South Africa

This article is about the town. For other uses, see Saldanha.

Saldanha
Clockwise from Top: Saldanha beach, Saldanha at night, indigenous vegetation, view over the town, traditional fishermans cottages
Saldanha Saldanha
Coordinates: 32°59′52″S 17°56′44″E
Country	South Africa
Province	Western Cape
District	West Coast
Municipality	Saldanha Bay
Area
• Total	17.36 km2 (6.70 sq mi)
Population  (2011)
• Total	28,142
• Density	1,600/km2 (4,200/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
• Black African	29.9%
• Coloured	65%
• Indian/Asian	1.4%
• White	13.5%
• Other	0.9%
First languages (2011)
• Afrikaans	70.3%
• Xhosa	19.6%
• English	7.0%
• Other	3.1%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	7395
PO box	7395
Area code	022

Saldanha (Afrikaans: [sal'dana]), also known as Saldanha Bay, is a town of 21,636 people, located 110 kilometres (70 mi) north of Cape Town on the northern shore of Saldanha Bay, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its situation as a natural sheltered harbour has led to development as a port for the export of iron ore from Sishen in the Northern Cape, which is transported on the Sishen–Saldanha railway line. The port is one of the largest exporting ports of ore in the whole of Africa, and it is able to handle ships as large as 200 000 tons deadweight.

History

Historic map of Saldanha by the East India Company (bottom).

'Agoada de Saldanha' was the early Portuguese name for Table Bay, but later given to the present location by Joris van Spilbergen, meaning 'watering place of Saldanha'.

Bartolomeu Dias was the first recorded European to set eyes on what is now Saldanha.

Saldanha Bay is ultimately named after António de Saldanha, captain of a vessel in Albuquerque's fleet which visited South Africa in 1503.

Port

The port has handling facilities for both bulk iron ore and crude oil. Ore vessels up to 21.5 metre draft are handled, as well as large crude oil carriers up to 20.5 metre draft.

Demographics (2011)

• Area: 17.36 square kilometres (6.70 sq mi)
• Population: 28,142: 1.621 inhabitants per square kilometre (4.20/sq mi)
• Households: 7,654: 440.81 per square kilometre (1,141.7/sq mi)

Gender	Population	Percentage
Male	14,264	50.69
Female	13,878	49.31
Total	28,142	100

Race	Population	Percentage
Black	8,404	29.9
White	3,811	13.5
Coloured	15,286	54.3
Asian	391	1.4
Other	250	0.9
Total	28,142	100

First language	Population	Percentage
Afrikaans	18,524	70.3
Xhosa	5,176	19.6
English	1,059	7.0
Southern Sotho	1,835	0.78
Tswana	170	0.65
Other	1,360	1.67
Total	28,142	100