Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, the capital of Kwazulu/Natal Province. It lies in the foothills of the Drakensberg range, some 40 miles (64 km) inland from Durban and the Indian Ocean. Prominent among Pietermaritzburg's industries are those producing furniture, rubber, processed foods, and aluminum. Part of the University of Natal is here. Museums in the city include Tatham Art Gallery and the Natal Museum, featuring extensive exhibits of African wildlife and ethnology.
Pietermaritzburg was founded in 1838 and was named for a pair of Boer leaders: Pieter Relief and Gert Maritz. It was made capital of the short-lived Republic of Natalia (1839-43).
Population: 508,259.
