# Buffalo City District, Eastern Cape Province – Population

> Source: https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/eastern-cape/buffalo-city/

District · Eastern Cape Province 

# Buffalo City District

Buffalo City District is a district or metropolitan municipality of South Africa in Eastern Cape Province. It had an estimated **760,840 people** in 2020 on 2,750 km² (about 277 per km²). Its main town is Bhisho. It is divided into 1 local municipalities. 238 named villages and localities are recorded here, and 2,101 mapped services such as hospitals, banks and schools.

- 760,840people (2020)
- 2,750km²
- 1local municipalities
- 2,101mapped services

## How many people live in Buffalo City District?

Buffalo City District had an estimated **760,840 people** in 2020 — 11.7% of Eastern Cape Province, 26th of 50 districts. There are 1,076 women for every 1,000 men (below the Eastern Cape Province figure of 1,103). Spread over 2,750 km², that is about **277 people per km²**, 7th of 50 districts.

25.5% of people are children under 15 and 6.9% are 65 or older; the median age is about 30 years (it is 25 across Eastern Cape Province). For every 100 people of working age (15–64) there are 48 children and older people.

0–4 ****67,573**

5–9 ****67,733**

10–14 ****58,693**

15–19 ****60,310**

20–24 ****61,867**

25–29 ****64,328**

30–34 ****71,346**

35–39 ****62,814**

40–44 ****52,305**

45–49 ****43,524**

50–54 ****38,735**

55–59 ****33,345**

60–64 ****25,625**

65–69 ****20,962**

70–74 ****15,877**

75–79 ****9,047**

80+ ****6,756**

Source: [Statistics South Africa 2016 Community Survey Population via OCHA HDX, population 2020 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-zaf).

## Where is Buffalo City District?

Buffalo City District lies in [Eastern Cape Province](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/eastern-cape/), [South Africa](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/). It borders 1 other district: [Amathole District](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/eastern-cape/amathole/). By area it is the 47th largest of 52 districts in South Africa. It covers 1.6% of [Eastern Cape Province](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/eastern-cape/). The centre of Buffalo City District is about 806 km in a straight line from Pretoria, the capital. It is about 27 km from Bhisho, the main town of Eastern Cape Province. The centre point is at 32.9796° S, 27.6814° E. Local names: BUF .

Source: [South African Municipal Demarcation Board via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-zaf).

## Things to see in and around Buffalo City District

OpenStreetMap lists 37 named sights in Buffalo City District: 14 nature reserves; 5 memorials; 4 museums; 4 zoos; 3 beachs; 2 monuments; 1 ruins; 1 attraction; 1 cave; 1 viewpoint; 1 waterfall.

- Amathole Museum · museum
- Calgary Transport Museum · museum
- East London Museum · museum
- Gately House Museum · museum
- Yellow Woods Falls · waterfall
- Amalinda Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Bridle Drift Dam Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Chalumna Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Fort Pato Forest Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Gonubie Mouth Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Grey Dell and Fort Grey Controlled Forest Area · nature reserve
- Gulu Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Hamburg Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- King Williams Town Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Kwelera Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Nahoon Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Potters Pass Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Quenera Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Umtiza Nature Reserve · nature reserve
- Gonubie Beach · beach
- Orient Beach · beach
- Paradise Naturist Beach · beach
- Nahoon Nature Wal Viewsite Picnic table Upper · viewpoint
- Thornycroft Road · attraction
- Bat's Cave · cave
- Cambridge Cenotaph · memorial
- East London Aquarium · zoo
- German Settlers Memorial · memorial
- John Bailie Memorial · memorial
- Kimmerling Plaque · monument

…and 7 more.

Source: [© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright).

Named attractions, museums, viewpoints, historic sites and natural features mapped in OpenStreetMap. Places of worship are not listed.

## Know before you go: Buffalo City District

- Time zoneUTC+2, no daylight saving · Africa/Johannesburg
- CurrencyRand (ZAR)
- Country calling code+27
- LanguagesZulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Pedi, English, Tswana
- Plug typesType C, D · 230 V
- Driving sideLeft
- Postcode format4 digits (####)

### Nearest airports

- King Phalo Airport (ELS) · East London15 km
- K. D. Matanzima Airport (UTT) · Mthatha185 km

### Nearest railway station

Fort Jackson (Buffalo City), about 6.7 km from the centre.

### Daylight

Days are longest in Dec (about 14.3 hours, sunrise around 04:55) and shortest in Jun (about 10.0 hours, sunrise around 07:09, sunset around 17:08).

Source: [GeoNames country and time-zone files (CC BY 4.0)](https://www.geonames.org/); [Wikidata (CC0) — plug types, mains voltage, driving side; retrieved 2026-11-03](https://www.wikidata.org/); [OurAirports (public domain)](https://ourairports.com/data/).

Airports with scheduled passenger flights; straight-line distances. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of each month in local standard time. Check entry and visa rules with official government sources before travelling.

## Local municipalities of Buffalo City District

Local municipality People per km² Area km² Localities Services 

[Buffalo City](https://wherepedia.org/south-africa/eastern-cape/buffalo-city/buffalo-city/) 760,840 277 2,750 238 2,101 

Source: [South African Municipal Demarcation Board via OCHA HDX, administrative boundaries (COD-AB, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ab-zaf); [Statistics South Africa 2016 Community Survey Population via OCHA HDX, population 2020 (COD-PS, CC BY-IGO)](https://data.humdata.org/dataset/cod-ps-zaf).

## Villages and localities in Buffalo City District

Open gazetteers list **238 villages, towns and localities** in Buffalo City District. The largest with a recorded population: East London (478,676), Mdantsane (205,504), Bhisho (137,287), Qonce (93,072), Dimbaza (26,099) and Gonubie (23,733). Settlements here lie between about 12 m and 657 m above sea level (median 140 m).

- Abbotsford
- Almondale
- Amalinda
- Amalinda North
- Amatola View
- Arcadia
- Balasi
- Balazie
- Bay View
- Baysville
- Beacon Bay
- Beacon Bay North
- Beacon Hill
- Beaconhurst
- Belgravia
- Berea
- Bhisho
- Blue Bend
- Blue Rock
- Bonnie Doon
- Bonza Bay
- Boxwood
- Braelyn
- Braelyn Hills
- Braelynn
- Braunschweig
- Breidbach
- Buffalo
- Buffalo Flats
- Buffalo Harbor
- Bulembu
- Bunkers Hill
- Cambridge
- Cambridge Village
- Cambridge West
- Chiselhurst
- Christmas Rock
- Christmas Vale
- Cove Rock Country Estate
- Cwengcwe
- Cyprus Dale
- Dawn
- Dimbaza
- Dongwe
- Donny-brook
- Dorchester Heights
- Ducats
- Duncan Village
- Dyam-Dyam
- East London
- Eluphendweni
- Eluxolweni
- Ententeni
- Ethembeni
- Eureka
- Ezigodlweni
- Fort Grey
- Fort Hill
- Fort Murray
- Gately
- Ginsberg
- Gompo
- Gonubie
- Gonubie Manor
- Gonubie Park
- Gonubie West
- Gqola
- Greenfields
- Gulu
- Gwaba
- Hani Park
- Hanover
- Haven Hills North
- Haven Hills South
- Highgate
- Horseshoe
- Igoda Mouth
- Ilitha
- Izeleni
- Jafta’s
- Jojweni
- Kayser's Beach
- Kayser’s Beach Road
- Khayelethu
- Khiwane
- Kidd’s Beach
- Kiwane
- Kom Nader
- KuGompo City
- Kulogaxa
- Kwa-Altile
- Kwa-Ngcamama
- KwaBelekile
- KwaBhonke
- KwaDikidikana
- KwaGana
- KwaKlifu
- KwaLenze
- KwaMasele
- KwaMasingatha
- KwaMdingi
- KwaMpundu
- KwaMxhalanga
- KwaNdayi
- KwaNdubungela
- KwaNonkcampa
- KwaNtsipho
- KwaNxamkwana
- KwaPosi
- KwaQongqotha
- KwaRayi
- KwaSandile
- KwaTshatshu
- Kwalini
- Kwelera
- Kwelerha
- Lalini
- Lennox Estate
- Liefeldt
- Lillian Ngoyi Village
- Linge
- Lujiza
- Lushington
- Mabobosini
- Macleantown
- Majamanini
- Mamata
- Manyano
- Masela
- Masibambane
- Mbolompeni
- Mcotsho
- Mdantsane
- Mdantsane N
- Mdantsane Unit 5
- Mdantsane Unit 6
- Milner Estate
- Mkhukhu
- Mncotsho
- Mngoesha
- Mngqesha
- Morningside
- Mount Coke
- Mozana
- Msintsi
- Mthombeni
- Mtshonyaneni
- Nahoon
- Nahoon Mouth
- Nahoon Valley
- Nahoon Valley Park
- Ndevana
- Ndileka
- Newlands
- Ngcamgeni
- Ngqingeni
- Ngxwalane
- Nkqonkqweni
- Nofeliti
- Nohlazana
- Nompumelelo
- Nonibe
- North End
- Ntabozuko
- Ntilini
- Old Green River
- Orange Grove
- Panmure
- Park Ridge
- Parkside
- Peelton
- Pefferville
- Phakamisa
- Phakamisa South
- Phantsi-kweTrain
- Phumlani
- Pirie Mission
- Potsdam
- Punzana Location
- Qaga
- Qonce
- Quenera North
- Quigney
- Quzini
- Raxanga
- Reeston
- Reservoir Hill
- Rocklands
- Rosemount
- Rosper
- Sandile
- Saxilby
- Scenery Park
- Schornville
- Seavale
- Selborne
- Shwele-Shwele
- Silverdale
- Sisonke
- Sisulu Village
- Skobeni
- Southernwood
- Stirling
- Stonydrift
- Summer Pride
- Sunnyridge
- Sunrise
- Sunrise-on-Sea
- Sweetwaters
- Thorn Ridge
- Thubalethu
- Tolofiyeni
- Trastini
- Tshabo
- Tukayi
- Twezana
- Tyhusha
- Tyusha
- Tyutyu
- Velwano
- Vincent
- Vincent Heights
- West Bank
- Willow Park
- Wilsonia
- Windbreak
- Winterstrand
- Woodbrook
- Woodleigh
- Xamini
- Zhikova
- Zwelitsha
- eBhalasi
- eMxhaxho
- eRhamnyiba
- eSingeni
- eSixekweni
- uMzantsi

Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/); [© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), Geofabrik extract — named settlements](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright).

## Landscape and landmarks of Buffalo City District

Named natural and historic features inside Buffalo City District, from the GeoNames gazetteer.

### Water

46 rivers and streams; 6 reservoirs and tanks.

- Blind River
- Bridle Drift Dam
- Buffalo River
- Buffalo River
- Cwengcwe
- Dukani
- Duluca
- Echola
- Gabe
- Goda River
- Gqunube
- Gxulu
- Hickman’s River
- Hlozi
- Igojini
- Iseleni River
- Jagazi
- Keiskammarivier
- Kiwane
- Kwa Nkwcbu
- Kwaguela
- Kwelerana
- Laing Dam
- Lilyvale Creek

…and 28 more.

### Coast and islands

5 headlands; 4 beaches.

- Castle Point
- Danger Point
- Eastern Beach
- Gonubie Point
- Hood Point
- Igoda Mouth
- Kwelera Point
- Orient Beach
- Shelly Beach

### Hills and mountains

11 hills; 1 mountain; 1 mountain pass.

- Tamaha East · 510 m
- Berlin Kop · 475 m
- Ginsberg · 433 m
- Newton Hill · 329 m
- Mount Vale · 275 m
- Chalumna Hill · 125 m
- Iqulu · 100 m
- Sand Kop · 70 m
- Mount Leisure · 67 m
- Potter’s Pass · 63 m
- Sharp Peak · 59 m
- Signal Hill · 46 m
- Bisserton Hill · 9 m

### Forests and nature

4 forest reserves; 2 forests; 1 park.

- Cwencwe Forest
- Fort Pato Forest Reserve
- Mount Coke Forest Reserve
- Needs Camp Forest Reserve
- Pirie Hain Forest
- Pirie Main Forest Reserve
- Queens Park

### Getting around

10 railway stations; 3 airports; 2 airfields; 1 lighthouse.

- Arnoldton
- Bhisho
- Bhisho Airport
- Blaney
- Cambridge
- Chalumna River
- Chiselhurst
- Ciskei Aerodrome
- East London Airport
- Fort Jackson
- Hood Point Lighthouse
- Horseshoe
- King William’s Town
- Mdantsane
- Mtsotso
- Peelton

Source: [GeoNames (CC BY 4.0) — settlements, natural and historic features](https://www.geonames.org/).

Places of worship are not listed. Elevations are from the GeoNames terrain model and are approximate.

## Weather in Buffalo City District and the best time to visit

In Buffalo City District, the warmest month is Feb (average 22 °C) and the coolest is Jul (14 °C). About 1,002 mm of rain falls in a year; the wettest month is Jan (146 mm) and the driest Jun (27 mm). The most comfortable months for a visit are **February to October and December**.

- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec

Month Average °C Rain mm 

Jan 22 146 

Feb 22 115 

Mar 21 104 

Apr 19 83 

May 17 30 

Jun 14 27 

Jul 14 35 

Aug 15 56 

Sep 17 62 

Oct 18 101 

Nov 19 127 

Dec 21 117 

Source: [NASA POWER climatology, retrieved 2026-10-29](https://power.larc.nasa.gov/).

## Hospitals, banks and other services in Buffalo City District

Places mapped inside Buffalo City District in open map data, by type — each number opens the full list with locations.

- Hospitals64
- Banks112
- ATMs70
- Petrol pumps116
- Hotels229
- Shopping malls38
- Schools923
- Colleges and universities39
- Cinemas5
- Pharmacies65
- Restaurants382
- Police stations35
- Dental clinics23

Source: [Overture Maps places (CDLA-Permissive-2.0) and © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)](https://overturemaps.org/).

Coverage depends on what has been mapped; contact details are not shown.

## Quick answers

- Where is Buffalo City District?In Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- What is the population of Buffalo City District?760,840 (2020 estimate)
- What is the median age in Buffalo City District?About 30 years (2020 estimate)
- What is the population density of Buffalo City District?About 277 people per km²
- What borders Buffalo City District?Amathole District
- What is there to see in Buffalo City District?Amalinda Nature Reserve, Amathole Museum, Bat's Cave, Bridle Drift Dam Nature Reserve
- What time zone is Buffalo City District in?UTC+2
- What currency is used in Buffalo City District?Rand (ZAR)
- What language is spoken in Buffalo City District?Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans (main languages nationally)
- How many villages are in Buffalo City District?238 named settlements (GeoNames, OpenStreetMap)
- What is the elevation of Buffalo City District?Settlements lie between 12 m and 657 m
- How many reservoirs and tanks are in Buffalo City District?6 named in GeoNames
- What is the highest point in Buffalo City District?Tamaha East (510 m, GeoNames elevation model)
- What is the best time to visit Buffalo City District?February to October and December
- How many hospitals are in Buffalo City District?64 mapped
- How many banks are in Buffalo City District?112 mapped
- How many ATMs are in Buffalo City District?70 mapped
- How many petrol pumps are in Buffalo City District?116 mapped
- What is the P-code of Buffalo City District?ZA292 (OCHA common operational dataset)