Richards Bay is a town in the province of KwaZulu-Natal on the northeastern coast of South Africa. The town’s deepwater harbor handles more freight than any other port in South Africa. The main export is coal, which arrives from coal fields in KwaZulu-Natal and the province of Mpumalanga. Richards Bay is one of the largest coal terminals in the world. It exports millions of tons of coal a year. The port was named in honor of Rear Admiral Sir Frederick William Richards, commodore of the Cape of Good Hope Station of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy. The port opened in 1976. A lagoon at Richards Bay serves as a natural area for pelicans, flamingoes, herons, and other water birds.
During the 1980’s, the population of Richards Bay more than doubled. In 2000, Richards Bay became part of the uMhlathuze local municipality. The municipality includes the communities of Empangeni, eSikhawini, and Ngwelezana, and other nearby communities and rural areas. The municipality has a population of 412,075.
