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The World’s Coasts: Online pp 1195–1205Cite as

South Africa

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14.1 14.1 South Africa

Compiled by: Gerry Garland (University of Natal, Durban) (Introduction) and Eric Bird, based on a chapter published by A. E. F. Heydorn and B. W. Flemming in The World’s Coastline (1985: 653–667). A new version is in preparation.

Last revised: March 2003

©Geostudies Pty Ltd.

14.1.1 Introduction

The South African coast is some 3,000 km long, including the coasts of the two independent states, Transkei, between latitudes 31° 04′ S and 32° 40′ S (250 km), and Ciskei, between 32° 40′ S and 33° 30′ S (150 km). About 1,700 km of the coastline consists of sandy beaches, the rest being either rocky or a mixture of rocks and sand (Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism 1998). Two-thirds of the 343 estuaries are on the east coast between Cape Padrone and Mtunzini. Numerous reports have been published by CSIR (Stellenbosch) describing individual estuary and lagoon systems. On the east coast especially sediment yields from the main rivers are high, sustaining sandy...

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Authors
  1. Eric C. F. Bird
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Eric C. F. Bird

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© 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Bird, E.C.F. (2003). South Africa. In: Bird, E.C.F. (eds) The World’s Coasts: Online. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48369-6_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48369-6_15

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-306-48369-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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