Amsterdam, South Africa

Amsterdam
eMvelo
Amsterdam is located in Mpumalanga
Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is located in South Africa
Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Coordinates: 26°37′01″S 30°40′01″E / 26.617°S 30.667°E / -26.617; 30.667
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceMpumalanga
DistrictGert Sibande
MunicipalityMkhondo
Area
[1]
 • Total
8.13 km2 (3.14 sq mi)
Elevation
1,230 m (4,040 ft)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total
6,769
 • Density830/km2 (2,200/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[1]
 • Black African90.4%
 • Coloured0.8%
 • Indian/Asian0.4%
 • White7.4%
 • Other0.9%
First languages (2011)
[1]
 • Zulu78.6%
 • Afrikaans8.0%
 • Swazi6.2%
 • English2.1%
 • Other5.1%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
2375
PO box
n/a
Area code017

Amsterdam,[2] is a small town located in Mkhondo Local Municipality, Mpumalanga South Africa. Amsterdam encompasses a large Swazi population as a result of its proximity to the Eswatini border which is relatively close to the area. The town is located some 77 km east of Ermelo. There are large plantations of gum, pine and wattle trees in the area. The town also boasts of a peaceful community with rich culture and heritage.

History

Amsterdam, Mpumalanga Airport, sometimes used as a drag racing track

Part of a Scottish settlement established by Alexander McCorkindale in 1868, it was proclaimed a town in June 1881.[3] At first called Roburnia, in honour of Scottish Poet Robert Burns, the name was changed on 5 July 1882 to Amsterdam, after the Dutch city where the State Secretary, Eduard Bok, was born, and out of gratitude for Dutch sympathy during the First Anglo-Boer War (1880-1881).[3] In 2019 the name of the town was changed again to eMvelo, a Swazi word meaning "In Nature" [4][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Main Place Amsterdam". Census 2011.
  2. ^ https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201912/42912gon1662.pdf. Retrieved 1 January 2022. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ^ a b Raper, Peter E.; Moller, Lucie A.; du Plessis, Theodorus L. (2014). Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. Jonathan Ball Publishers. p. 1412. ISBN 9781868425501.
  4. ^ https://countrytravel.co.za/mpumalanga/amsterdam/
  5. ^ https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/all-major-cities-that-have-changed-names-in-south-africa-11-december-2023-breaking/
  • Carleton Jones High School year book 1992


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