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.

South Africa

Republic of South Africa

People: South African

🏛️CapitalPretoria
💰CurrencySouth African rand (R)
🗣️LanguageAfrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
📞Dialling Code+27
🌍RegionSouthern Africa
👥Population63,100,945

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 Afrikaans.

South Africa — key facts at a glance

Official NameRepublic of South Africa
Capital CityPretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town
ContinentAfrica
RegionSouthern Africa
Population63,100,945
Area1,221,037 km²
CurrencySouth African rand (ZAR) R
Official LanguagesAfrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Dialling Code+27
Internet TLD.za
TimezoneUTC+02:00
Drives on theLeft side
Emergency Number10111 (police) / 10177 (ambulance)
ISO CodeZA / ZAF
BordersBotswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Eswatini, Zimbabwe

Travelling to South Africa?

Driving side: Left
Emergency number: 10111 (police) / 10177 (ambulance)
Calling from abroad: +27 then the local number

Packing for South Africa? Grab a ready-made South Africa packing list so nothing gets left behind. You can also check clothing and shoe sizes in South Africa before you shop, and look up popular foods from South Africa if you want to know what's on the menu.

Frequently Asked Questions about South Africa

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.

Countries bordering South Africa

Planning a trip to South Africa?

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Related countries in Southern Africa

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