Eastern Cape

New settlements such as Glenmore, in the Eastern Cape district, were created in South Africa during the apartheid era. Over 4 million people were forced to move home, as segregated ‘homelands’ were created for the black population. Often far from centres of economic activity, the new sites sometimes had little more than a few basic services, and cheap housing built of poor materials meant the settlements resembled shanty towns.

In Zwelitsha, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, unemployment is high, families are large, and the standard of living is low. Many people live in poverty, and as there is a high birth rate and large proportion of young people, the problem is likely to intensify in the future as the growing population seek food, housing, and employment.

The small rural shanty town of Ndevana, in Eastern Cape, South Africa. In countries undergoing rapid development, some communities continue to face low standards in housing and other life essentials. In rural areas the problem of poverty is particularly intense. There are few jobs nearby, as environmental factors limit the prospects for farming, so the inhabitants have to travel far to find employment.

Province of the Republic of South Africa from 1994, formerly part of Cape Province; area 170,616 sq km/65,875 sq mi; population (2000 est) 6,811,400. The capital is Bisho; the other main towns are East London, Port Elizabeth, and Grahamstown. Much of the terrain is elevated, with the interior plateau of the Highveld and the southern part of the Drakensberg mountains falling southwards and eastwards to a narrow coastal plain bordering the Indian Ocean. In agriculture the drier western areas are important for merino sheep, angora goats, and beef cattle, while irrigated areas of the interior produce good crops of wheat, maize, and sorghum. The coastlands are noted for citrus fruit, pineapple, and tobacco cultivation. Industries include motor manufacturing, textiles, and dairy and meat products. The languages spoken are Xhosa (85%), Afrikaans (9%), and English (3%).

The province includes the former independent homelands of the Transkei and the Ciskei. Part of the Drakensberg mountain range lies within the province, and the Orange River passes through it.