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Home/Countries/South Africa
The flag of South Africa is composed of two equal horizontal bands of red and blue, with a yellow-edged black isosceles triangle superimposed on the hoist side of the field. This triangle has its base centered on the hoist end, spans about two-fifth the width and two-third the height of the field, and is enclosed on its sides by the arms of a white-edged green horizontally oriented Y-shaped band which extends along the boundary of the red and blue bands to the fly end of the field.
Coat of arms of South Africa
🇿🇦

South Africa

Republic of South Africa

Pretoria
Africa
Southern Africa
View on Google Maps

Population

63.10M

Area

1,221,037 km²

Region

Southern Africa

Timezone

UTC+02:00

Currency

South African rand (R)

Languages

Afrikaans, English, Southern Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu

Capital

Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town

UN Member

Yes

About South Africa

Republic of South Africa, commonly known as South Africa, is a sovereign country located in Southern Africa, Africa. The capital and seat of government is Pretoria. Situated on the continent of Africa, South Africa covers a total area of 1,221,037 km², making it a large country by global standards, ranking 26th in the world by area. South Africa is an independent nation and a member state of the United Nations.

The population of South Africa is approximately 63,100,945 people. With a population density of 51.7 people per square kilometer, South Africa is moderately populated with a balanced distribution. The people of South Africa are known as South Africans. South Africa ranks 24th in global population.

South Africa is located at approximately -29.0° latitude and 24.0° longitude. It shares land borders with Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, giving it 6 neighboring countries. The country operates on the UTC+02:00 time zone.

The official languages of South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Southern Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu. The international dialing code for South Africa is +27. The country's internet top-level domain is .za.

The official currency of South Africa is the South African rand (R, ZAR).

Population of South Africa

Total Population

63,100,945

Population Density

51.7 people/km²

Demonym

South African (male) / South African (female)

Geography of South Africa

Total Area

1,221,037 km² (471,445 sq mi)

Region / Subregion

Africa / Southern Africa

Coordinates

-29°, 24°

Continents

Africa

Landlocked

No

Timezones

UTC+02:00

Bordering Countries

🇧🇼Botswana🇸🇿Eswatini🇱🇸Lesotho🇲🇿Mozambique🇳🇦Namibia🇿🇼Zimbabwe

Economy of South Africa

Currencies

R South African rand (ZAR)

Government of South Africa

Capital

Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town

UN Member

Yes

Status

officially-assigned

Independent

Yes

Languages Spoken in South Africa

AfrikaansEnglishSouthern NdebeleNorthern SothoSouthern SothoSwaziTswanaTsongaVendaXhosaZulu

Additional Information

Top-Level Domain

.za

Calling Code

+27

Driving Side

N/A

FIFA Code

N/A

ISO Codes

ZA / ZAF

Frequently Asked Questions About South Africa

What is the population of South Africa?

The population of South Africa is approximately 63,100,945 people. With a total area of 1,221,037 km², the population density is about 51.7 people per square kilometer. South Africa ranks 24th in global population.

Where is South Africa located?

South Africa is located in Southern Africa, on the continent of Africa. Its geographic coordinates are approximately -29.0° latitude and 24.0° longitude. South Africa shares borders with Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.

What is the capital of South Africa?

The capital city of South Africa is Pretoria. As the political and administrative center, Pretoria is the seat of the national government of Republic of South Africa.

How big is South Africa?

South Africa covers a total area of 1,221,037 km² (471,445 square miles). This makes South Africa a large country by global standards, ranking 26th in the world by area.

What languages are spoken in South Africa?

The official languages of South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Southern Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu. The people of South Africa are referred to as South Africans.

What currency does South Africa use?

South Africa uses the South African rand (R, ZAR) as its official currency.

Is South Africa a member of the United Nations?

Yes, South Africa is a recognized member state of the United Nations. It is an internationally recognized sovereign nation with full UN membership rights.

What countries border South Africa?

South Africa shares land borders with 6 countries: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. These neighboring nations are also located in the Africa region.

What time zone is South Africa in?

South Africa operates in the UTC+02:00 time zone.

What are the key facts about South Africa?

South Africa (officially Republic of South Africa) is a sovereign country in Southern Africa. It has a population of 63,100,945, covers 1,221,037 km², and its capital is Pretoria. The official languages are Afrikaans, English, Southern Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu. The currency is South African rand.

Compare South Africa with Other Countries

See how South Africa compares in population, area, and other key metrics.

South Africa vs United StatesSouth Africa vs ChinaSouth Africa vs IndiaSouth Africa vs GermanySouth Africa vs United Kingdom

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