Information on Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Richards Bay is a town in KwaZulu-Natal situated on the lagoon of the Mhlatuze River, which gives it one of the country's largest harbours.

The Richards Bay Coal Terminal is the largest coal export facility in the world. There are two aluminium smelters, Bayside Aluminum and Aluminium. Local exports include titanium, coal, aluminium, granite, ferrochrome, paper pulp, phosphoric acid and woodchips. It is a rapidly growing commercial centre that has been able to maintain its ecological diversity.

The Richards Bay area is situated on a coastal plain and is usually extremely flat. The terrain rises slightly towards the west. The suburbs are all no more than a few metres above sea level. The area is rich in coastal dune forest, most notably along the coastal dune belt and in the suburb of Meerensee.