Back Robbeneiland Afrikaans جزيرة روبن Arabic Islla Robben AST Robben Ewala AVK Robben Island Catalan Robben Island CEB Robben Island Czech Ynys Robben Welsh Robben Island Danish Robben Island German
Robben Island
Robbeneiland | |
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.jpg) Robben Island viewed from above | |
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  Robben Island  Robben Island | |
| Coordinates: 33°48′18″S 18°22′12″E / 33.80500°S 18.37000°E | |
| Country | South Africa |
| Province | Western Cape |
| Municipality | City of Cape Town |
| Area | |
• Total | 5.18 km2 (2.00 sq mi) |
| Population (2011)[1] | |
• Total | 116 |
| • Density | 22/km2 (58/sq mi) |
| Racial makeup (2011) | |
| • Black African | 60.3% |
| • Coloured | 23.3% |
| • White | 13.8% |
| • Other | 2.6% |
| First languages (2011) | |
| • Xhosa | 37.9% |
| • Afrikaans | 35.3% |
| • Zulu | 15.5% |
| • English | 7.8% |
| • Other | 3.4% |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (SAST) |
| PO box | 7400 |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | III, VI |
| Designated | 1999 (23rd session) |
| Reference no. | 916 |
| Region | Africa |
Robben Island (Afrikaans: Robbeneiland) is an island in Table Bay, 6.9 kilometres (4.3 mi) west of the coast of Bloubergstrand, north of Cape Town, South Africa. It takes its name from the Dutch word for seals (robben), hence the Dutch/Afrikaans name Robbeneiland, which translates to Seal(s) Island.
Robben Island is roughly oval in shape, 3.3 kilometres (2 miles) long north–south, and 1.9 km (1+1⁄8 mi) wide, with an area of 5.08 km2 (1+31⁄32 sq mi).[2] It is flat and only a few metres above sea level, as a result of an ancient erosion event. It was fortified and used as a prison from the late-seventeenth century until 1996, after the end of apartheid.
Political activist and lawyer Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on the island for 18 of the 27 years of his imprisonment before the fall of apartheid and introduction of full, multi-racial democracy. He was later awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and was elected in 1994 as President of South Africa, becoming the country's first black president and serving one term from 1994 to 1999. In addition, the majority of prisoners were detained here for political reasons. Two other former inmates of Robben Island, in addition to Mandela, have been elected to the presidency since the late-1990s: Kgalema Motlanthe (2008–2009)[3] and Jacob Zuma (2009–2018).
Robben Island is a South African National Heritage Site as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[4][5]
- ^ a b c d "Main Place Robben Island". Census 2011.
- ^ "Avian Demography Unit: Robben Island". Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town.
- ^ "New S. Africa president sworn in". BBC News. 25 September 2008. Retrieved 22 November 2008.
- ^ "9/2/018/0004 - Robben Island, Table Bay". South African Heritage Resources Agency. Archived from the original on 22 April 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
- ^ "Robben Island". UNESCO. Retrieved 2 June 2011.