Alexandria is one of the most important chicory producing areas in South Africa and is also known for pineapple production and dairy farming. The area also includes the Alexandria State Forest, known as Langebos to the locals, which is a narrow stretch of pristine indigenous forest bordering the Alexandria dune field, one of the largest active dune fields in the world. The Woody Cape Nature Reserve, which stretches from the Sundays River mouth to the Bushman’s River mouth and includes the dune field and the indigenous forest, has been incorporated into the Addo Elephant National Park.

Alexandria is a small farming town in the Eastern Cape and is situated 110 km’s North East of Port Elizabeth on the way to Bushman’s River Mouth, Kenton-on-Sea and Port Alfred. Originally Olifantshoek, the name was changed in 1873 to Alexandria, after Alexander Smith, a Scottish minister of the Dutch Reformed Church in Uitenhage.

The Alexandria area also includes Woody Cape, which is a narrow stretch of pristine indigenous forest bordering the Alexandria dune field. Mammals that occur within the area include bushpig, bushbuck, Cape Grysbok, steenbok, common duiker, Vervet monkey, and large and small grey mongoose. The bird diversity is considerable and includes the westernmost population of the trumpeter hornbill, there are also crowned hornbills, crowned eagle, Stanley’s bustard, narina trogon and Damara tern – The Damara tern is a species of small tern in the family Laridae which breeds in the southern summer in southern Africa and migrates to tropical African coasts in winter.

Chicory SA (Pty) Ltd. The company owns the factory in Alexandria and also produces chicory in the area.

The Bega River a tributary of the Bushmans River, rising north-west of Alexandria and flowing eastwards along the border between the Alexandria and Bathurst districts. Bird Island is some 64 km east of Port Elizabeth and 8 km from Cape Woody, in the Alexandria district. So called because many seagulls inhabit it and the surrounding islands.

The town is on the Sunshine Coast route that explores the spectacular strip of coastline between Port
Elizabeth and East London where you travel via coastal towns and hamlets like Colchester, Alexandria, Kenton on Sea, Port Alfred and Kids Beach.

Alexandria is part of the Ndlambe Local Municipality which is a Category B municipality situated within the Sarah Baartman District Municipality in the Eastern Cape Province. It is bordered by Makana to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the south, Ngqushwa to the east and Sundays River Valley to the west. It is the smallest of the seven municipalities in the district, making up only 3% of its geographical area.

The Ndlambe municipal area forms part of the Eastern Coastal Zone, which can be described as having a pristine coastal area, well-preserved river mouths and inter-tidal areas, diverse vegetation, relatively low density development along the coast, and major tourism potential.

Cities/Towns: Alexandria, Bathurst, Boknes/Cannon Rocks, Bushmans River, Kenton-on-Sea, Port Alfred, Seafield

Key Statistics 2011

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