 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2009) |
Alexander Bay
Alexanderbaai | |
|---|---|
 The abandoned Alexander Bay Airport Terminal. | |
  Alexander Bay  Alexander Bay  Alexander Bay | |
| Coordinates: 28°35′S 16°29′E / 28.583°S 16.483°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Northern Cape |
| District | Namakwa |
| Municipality | Richtersveld |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9.25 km2 (3.57 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
| • Total | 1,736 |
| • Density | 190/km2 (490/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 9.7% |
| • Coloured | 74.7% |
| • Indian/Asian | 0.1% |
| • White | 15.2% |
| • Other | 0.2% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Afrikaans | 92.7% |
| • Xhosa | 2.6% |
| • English | 1.5% |
| • Other | 3.2% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| Postal code (street) | 8290 |
| PO box | 8290 |
| Area code | 027 |
Alexander Bay (Afrikaans: Alexanderbaai) is a town in the extreme north-west of South Africa. It is located on the southern bank of the Orange River mouth. It was named for Sir James Alexander,[2] who was the first person to map the area whilst on a Royal Geographical Society expedition into Namibia in 1836. (It is mistakenly believed by many locals that it was he who first established commercial copper mining in the area.) With diamonds being discovered along the West Coast in 1925, Alexander Bay was established to service the mining industry.
The town of Oranjemund lies on the northern bank of the river, which forms the international border with Namibia. The two towns are linked by the Ernest Oppenheimer Bridge, named for Ernest Oppenheimer in 1951.
The town is served by Alexander Bay Airport.
- ^ a b c d "Main Place Alexander Bay". Census 2011.
- ^ Raper, R.E. (1989). Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. Human Sciences Research Council (South Africa). p. 56.