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Maclear, South Africa

Coordinates: 31°04′12″S 28°21′0″E / 31.07000°S 28.35000°E / -31.07000; 28.35000
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(Redirected from Maclear, Eastern Cape)
Maclear
Nqanqarhu
Main street in Maclear
Main street in Maclear
Maclear is located in Eastern Cape
Maclear
Maclear
Maclear is located in South Africa
Maclear
Maclear
Maclear is located in Africa
Maclear
Maclear
Coordinates: 31°04′12″S 28°21′0″E / 31.07000°S 28.35000°E / -31.07000; 28.35000
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceEastern Cape
DistrictJoe Gqabi
MunicipalityElundini
Area
 • Total9.2 km2 (3.6 sq mi)
Elevation
1,272 m (4,173 ft)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total10,521
 • Density1,100/km2 (3,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African93.1%
 • Coloured4.3%
 • Indian/Asian0.2%
 • White2.0%
 • Other0.4%
First languages (2011)
 • Xhosa88.3%
 • Afrikaans5.1%
 • English2.7%
 • Sotho2.1%
 • Other1.8%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
5480
PO box
5480
Area code045
Websitehttp://www.maclear.co.za/

Maclear, officially Nqanqarhu,[2] is a small town situated in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, near the Mooi River (a tributary of the Tsitsa River), 172 km (107 mi) north of East London and 80 km (50 mi) northeast of Elliot.

It lies just north-east of Ugie. The land to the east and south was part of the former homeland of Transkei.

History

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It was founded in 1876 as a military camp, called Nqanqaru Drift and developed rapidly, reaching municipal status in 1916. It is named after Sir Thomas Maclear (1794-1879), a famous astronomer who laid the foundation for a trigonometrical survey of the Cape Colony.[citation needed]

In 2021, the town was renamed Nqanqarhu.[3]

Tourism

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Maclear is a trout-fishing resort.[4]

Geographic location

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Maclear lies between Mount Fletcher and Ugie, in the foothills of the Drakensberg mountains, and at the intersection between the R56 and R396 roads.[5][6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Sum of the Main Places Sonwabile and Maclear from Census 2011.
  2. ^ "Two SA airports – and Port Elizabeth – just got official new names". BusinessInsider. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  3. ^ "Port Elizabeth is now Gqeberha – and other name changes for towns and airports in South Africa". Business Tech. 24 February 2021.
  4. ^ PE Raper. Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. Human Science Research Council. p. 289.
  5. ^ saexplorer - travel distances from Maclear
  6. ^ "Maclear, Eastern Cape". pathfinda.com. Retrieved 2021-02-24.