Ulundi

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Ulundi
oLundi
South Africa KwaZulu-Natal location map.svg
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Ulundi
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Ulundi
Coordinates: 28°19′S31°25′E / 28.317°S 31.417°E / -28.317; 31.417
Country South Africa
Province KwaZulu-Natal
District Zululand
Municipality Ulundi
Area
[1]
 • Total
16.62 km2 (6.42 sq mi)
Elevation
540 m (1,770 ft)
Population
 (2024) [1]
 • Total
30,828
 • Density1,900/km2 (4,800/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[1]
 •  Black African 98.9%
 •  Coloured 0.3%
 •  Indian/Asian 0.2%
 •  White 0.2%
 • Other0.4%
First languages (2011)
[1]
 •  Zulu 93.4%
 •  English 2.6%
 •  S. Ndebele 1.1%
 • Other2.9%
Time zone UTC+2 (SAST)
PO box
3838
Area code 035

Ulundi, also known as Mahlabathini, is a town which lies under the Ulundi Local Municipality in the Zululand District Municipality. At one time the capital of the Zulu Kingdom [2] in South Africa and later the capital of the Bantustan of KwaZulu, Ulundi now lies in KwaZulu-Natal Province (of which, from 1994 to 2004, it alternated with Pietermaritzburg as the provincial capital). Ulundi's 2025 population is now estimated at 31,185. In 2001, the population of Ulundi was 23,649. [3] Ulundi has grown by 4,647 in the last year, which represents a 1.16% annual change. The town now includes Ulundi Airport, a three-star hotel, and some museums amongst its sights. [4]

Contents

History

When Cetshwayo became king of the Zulus on 1 September 1873, he created, as was customary, a new capital for the nation, naming it "Ulundi" ("The high place"). On 4 July 1879, in the Battle of Ulundi (the final battle of the Anglo-Zulu War), the British Army captured the royal kraal and razed it to the ground.

Nearby is Ondini, where King Mpande, Cetshwayo's father, had his kraal. A large Zulu hut now is on the site.

Climate

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as humid subtropical (Cfa). [5] It is rainier in the warmer months.

Climate data for Ulundi
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)28.2
(82.8)		28.3
(82.9)		27.3
(81.1)		25.9
(78.6)		24.3
(75.7)		22.4
(72.3)		22.5
(72.5)		23.8
(74.8)		25.0
(77.0)		25.7
(78.3)		26.3
(79.3)		27.6
(81.7)		25.6
(78.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)22.9
(73.2)		23.1
(73.6)		22.1
(71.8)		20.3
(68.5)		18.2
(64.8)		16.0
(60.8)		16.1
(61.0)		17.2
(63.0)		18.8
(65.8)		19.9
(67.8)		20.9
(69.6)		22.1
(71.8)		19.8
(67.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)17.6
(63.7)		17.9
(64.2)		16.9
(62.4)		14.8
(58.6)		12.2
(54.0)		9.7
(49.5)		9.7
(49.5)		10.7
(51.3)		12.6
(54.7)		14.1
(57.4)		15.6
(60.1)		16.7
(62.1)		14.0
(57.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches)123
(4.8)		109
(4.3)		90
(3.5)		49
(1.9)		28
(1.1)		18
(0.7)		18
(0.7)		30
(1.2)		56
(2.2)		98
(3.9)		110
(4.3)		115
(4.5)		844
(33.1)
Source: Climate-Data.org (altitude: 535m) [5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Main Place Ulundi". Census 2011.
  2. ↑ Lyde, Lionel William (1907). "South Africa". A Geography of Africa. Adam and Charles Black. p. 97.
  3. ↑ "Ulundi Population 2025". worldpopulationreview.com. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
  4. ↑ "Main Place 'Ulundi Part 1'". Census 2001. Retrieved 3 June 2011.
  5. 1 2 "Climate: Ulundi – Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
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