Africa

South Africa: flag, map, capital and facts

Everything about South Africa: its flag, its map and its facts.

Capital: Pretoria
Population: 64.7 million
Area: 1,221,037 km²
Currency: South African Rand

#24 by population · #24 by area · #39 economy in the world · #133 by population density

Population and society

Population of za, 1960–2025. From 16.4 million in 1960 to 64.7 million in 2025.

Population density: 53 per km² (rank 133 of 194)
Urban population: 63.8% (2025)
Under 15: 25.7% (2025)
Over 65: 6.9% (2025)
Children per woman: 2.21 (2024)
Internet users: 78.4% (2024)

Economy and nature

GDP: $427.2B (rank 39 of 194)
Unemployment: 32.4% (2025)
Inflation: 3.2% (2025)
Forests: 18.8% (of its land · 2024)
CO₂ per person: 6.9 t (a year · 2024)
Lowest point: 0 m (sea level)

Figures: World Bank, latest year with data. Lowest point: reviewed by hand.

Symbols

Anthem: national anthem of Mzansi
Official name: Republiek van Suid-Afrika · Republic of South Africa · IRiphabliki yeSewula Afrika
Motto: ǃke e: ǀxarra ǁke

Coat of arms and anthem: Wikimedia Commons. Authors, where the licence asks for it: Coat of arms (CC BY-SA 4.0, Echando una mano).

Practical facts

Official languages: Afrikaans, English, South Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swati, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu
Calling code: +27
Internet domain: .za
Driving side: On the left
Time zone: UTC+2
Demonym: South African

Geography

Continent: Africa
Neighbouring countries: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe
Highest point: Mafadi (3,450 m)
Largest city: Johannesburg
Access to the sea: Yes

History and politics

Form of government: Parliamentary republic

Economy and life

GDP per person: $6,598 (2025)
Life expectancy: 66.3 years (2024)
Human Development Index: 0.741 (rank 106 of 193)

Provinces in figures

Name	Capital	Population	Area (km²)
Eastern Cape	Bhisho	7,230,204 (2022)	168,966
Free State	Bloemfontein	2,964,412 (2022)	129,825
Gauteng	Johannesburg	15,099,422 (2022)	18,178
KwaZulu-Natal	Pietermaritzburg	12,423,907 (2022)	94,361
Limpopo	Polokwane	6,572,720 (2022)	125,754
Mpumalanga	Mbombela	5,143,324 (2022)	76,495
North West	Mahikeng	3,804,548 (2022)	104,882
Northern Cape	Kimberley	1,355,946 (2022)	372,889
Western Cape	Cape Town	7,113,776 (2021)	129,462

Capitals, population and area: Wikidata. The year of each population is in brackets.

Flags: Wikimedia Commons. Authors, where the licence asks for it: Eastern Cape (CC BY-SA 3.0, AlexR.L.), Free State (CC BY-SA 3.0, AlexR.L.), North West (CC BY-SA 3.0, AlexR.L.), Northern Cape (CC BY-SA 3.0, AlexR.L.), Western Cape (CC BY-SA 3.0, AlexR.L.).