Quick facts
East London overview
East London (orange) and the other large cities of South Africa
East London lies in Eastern Cape in South Africa at 33.02°S, 27.91°E, about 48 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Johannesburg (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a district seat.
It is smaller than Thembisa (511,655) and larger than Vereeniging (474,681). The largest city in South Africa is Johannesburg with 9,418,183 people; the capital, Pretoria, has 2,112,693.
The national capital, Pretoria, is about 809 km away; the nearest large city is Mdantsane, 16 km from East London.
South Africa as a whole has a live population of 65,656,172 (+1.1% a year) and ranks #24 of 238 countries — see the South Africa population page for the full statistics and the South Africa atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near East London
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Mdantsane Eastern Cape | 16 km | 205,504 |
| Bhisho Eastern Cape | 48 km | 137,287 |
| Queenstown Eastern Cape | 158 km | 118,599 |
| Mthatha Eastern Cape | 179 km | 164,848 |
Largest cities in South Africa
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johannesburg | Gauteng | 9,418,183 |
| 2 | Cape Town | Western Cape | 4,772,846 |
| 3 | Durban | KwaZulu-Natal | 3,338,026 |
| 4 | PretoriaCapital | Gauteng | 2,112,693 |
| 5 | Soweto | Gauteng | 1,695,047 |
| 6 | Gqeberha | Eastern Cape | 1,050,078 |
| 7 | Soshanguve | Gauteng | 872,309 |
| 8 | Pietermaritzburg | KwaZulu-Natal | 839,327 |
| 9 | Evaton | Gauteng | 725,468 |
| 10 | Benoni | Gauteng | 605,344 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of East London?
East London has about 478,676 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is East London the capital of South Africa?
No. The capital of South Africa is Pretoria (2,112,693 people), about 809 km away. East London is the 13th largest city of the country and a district seat.
How big is East London compared with the rest of South Africa?
Its 478,676 residents are 0.7% of the 65,656,172 people living in South Africa today. Johannesburg is larger with 9,418,183 people.
Where is East London?
In Eastern Cape, South Africa, at latitude -33.02 and longitude 27.91, 48 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Mdantsane (16 km), Bhisho (48 km), Queenstown (158 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). East London Population 2026 — South Africa. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/south-africa/east-london/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/south-africa/east-london/">East London Population 2026 — South Africa</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.