South Africa
Republic of South Africa
People: South African
South Africa has three capital cities and is known as the Rainbow Nation for its cultural diversity and 12 official languages. South Africa is located in Southern Africa and has a population of around 63.1 million. Its capital city is Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town, and the most widely spoken official language is Zulu.
By the numbers, South Africa is the 24th most populous of the 196 countries covered on this site, home to 0.79% of the world's population. By land area it ranks 24th out of 196, with a population density of roughly 52 people per km².
Facts last checked 31 August 2026.
South Africa — key facts at a glance
| Official Name | Republic of South Africa |
|---|---|
| Capital City | Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town |
| Continent | Africa |
| Region | Southern Africa |
| Population | 63,100,945 |
| Area | 1,221,037 km² |
| Currency | South African rand (ZAR) R |
| Official Languages | Zulu, Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa |
| Dialling Code | +27 |
| Internet TLD | .za |
| Timezone | UTC+02:00 |
| Drives on the | Left side |
| Emergency Number | 10111 (police) / 10177 (ambulance) |
| ISO Code | ZA / ZAF |
| Borders | Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, Zimbabwe |
Travelling to South Africa?
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Getting to and around South Africa
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Planning a trip to South Africa?
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Frequently Asked Questions about South Africa
What is the capital and currency of South Africa?
The capital of South Africa is Pretoria and the currency is the South African rand (ZAR), symbol R.
What is the capital of South Africa?
The capital of South Africa is Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town.
What currency does South Africa use?
South Africa uses the South African rand (ZAR, symbol: R).
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages of South Africa are Afrikaans and English and Northern Sotho and Southern Ndebele and Southern Sotho and Swazi and Tsonga and Tswana and Venda and Xhosa and Zulu.
What is the dialling code for South Africa?
The international dialling code for South Africa is +27.
What side of the road does South Africa drive on?
South Africa drives on the left-hand side of the road.
Botswana
Lesotho
Mozambique
Namibia
Eswatini
ZimbabweThis page contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
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