Port Elizabeth, set along the shores of Algoa Bay, is located on the south eastern coast of Africa, and is a major tourist destination better known as the Friendly City. Port Elizabeth is a major seaport on the south eastern coast of Africa, midway between the ports of Durban (384 nautical miles N.E.) and Cape Town (423 nautical miles W), and a 9hr drive from Johannesburg.

Port Elizabeth was incorporated into the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality in 2001. With its Neighbouring towns of Uitenhage and Despatch as well as the surrounding areas the Metropolitan Municipality can now add an agricultural sector to their "basket of goodies". The metro has a population of 1.5 million, , making it South Africa's fifth largest city in terms of population and the second largest in terms of area, and is one of five metropolitan areas in SA. The legislative capital of the region is Bisho, 240 km away; Port Elizabeth, however, is considered the economic capital of the region.

The city is an important centre for the automobile industry and is a major transport hub; its well equipped airport, harbour and port linking Southern Africa with other national and international destinations.

The actual founding of Port Elizabeth dates back to the arrival by sea of 4 000 British Settlers in 1820 to become the first permanent British residents in the country. On 6 June 1820, Sir Rufane Donkin, Acting Governor of the Cape Colony at the time, named the city after his late wife, Elizabeth.

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