George Local Municipality covers the Garden Route’s largest urban centre and the Outeniqua mountain foothills, in the Western Cape’s Garden Route District. The 2022 census counted 294,929 people across 5,191 km², up from 193,672 in 2011. George is the seat.
Founded in 1811 and named for King George III, George grew from a timber and forestry town into the Garden Route’s main administrative, retail and transport hub.
Towns and Villages in George
George, the seat, is the Garden Route’s biggest city and its administrative and commercial hub. Wilderness lies on the coast to the east; Uniondale sits well inland, over the Outeniqua mountains toward the Little Karoo.
| Town | Note | Population |
|---|---|---|
| George | Municipal seat | 188,580 |
| Wilderness | Coastal resort town | 7,385 |
| Uniondale | Inland Little Karoo town | 5,421 |
| Haarlem | Farming settlement | 2,846 |
| Herolds Bay | Coastal village | 1,268 |
Other named places in the municipality:
- Avontuur
- Barandas
- Bergplaas
- Blanco
- Bo-Kouga
- Buffelsdrif
- Camfer
- Conville
- Die Vlug
- Duiwerivier
- Edmonton
- Eseljag
- Hoekwil
- Kleinplaat
- Pacaltsdorp
- Rooiloop
- Sheepwalk
- Thembalethu
- Woodville
Geography
The municipality spans the Outeniqua mountains and the coastal plain around George, reaching inland to Uniondale in the Little Karoo. It borders Mossel Bay to the west, Oudtshoorn to the northwest, Dr Beyers Naudé to the northeast, Kou-Kamma to the east, and Bitou and Knysna to the southeast.
The Wilderness section of the Garden Route National Park, on the coast east of George, protects a chain of lakes and estuaries between the mountains and the sea.
Demographics
Population rose from 193,672 in the 2011 census to 294,929 in 2022, a 52% increase, the largest gain of any Garden Route municipality and among the fastest in the Western Cape, concentrated overwhelmingly in George city itself.
Afrikaans, Xhosa and English are all widely spoken across the municipality’s urban and rural communities.
The city’s rapid growth reflects its status as the Garden Route’s economic and administrative anchor, drawing both semigrants from other provinces and rural migrants from the wider Eastern Cape.
Economy and Local Life
George functions as the Garden Route’s administrative and retail centre, with forestry and agriculture in the surrounding Outeniqua foothills and tourism along the Wilderness coast. Uniondale, isolated in the Little Karoo, relies on small-scale farming.
George’s timber and furniture-manufacturing industry, dating back to its founding as a forestry town, remains a significant local employer alongside retail and public services.
As the Garden Route’s largest city, George also hosts the region’s main hospitals, courts and provincial government offices, extending its role well beyond its own municipal boundary.
Wilderness’s lakes and beaches support a steady tourism trade of their own, separate from George city, while Uniondale’s isolation in the Little Karoo keeps its economy anchored to sheep and goat farming.
Getting There
The N2 runs through George along the Garden Route; the N9 crosses the Outeniqua Pass toward Uniondale and Oudtshoorn. George Airport, within the municipality, offers scheduled flights to Cape Town and Johannesburg.
FAQ
What is the seat of George Local Municipality? George.
How many people live in George? 294,929 at the 2022 census, up from 193,672 in 2011.
Which district is George in? The Garden Route District Municipality.
What towns are in George? George, Wilderness, Uniondale and Haarlem among others.
How big is George? 5,191 km².
Does George have an airport? Yes, George Airport, with scheduled flights to major South African cities.
What is Uniondale known for? A small inland Little Karoo town over the Outeniqua Pass from George.
Is Wilderness part of George? Yes, it is a coastal resort town within George Local Municipality.
How far is George from Cape Town? Roughly 430 km, about a four-and-a-half-hour drive along the N2.
What is George’s biggest town? George itself, the municipal seat, with 188,580 residents.