AFRICA

ZA flag South Africa

Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution
Population 63.1 million
Advisory Level 2
GDP/Capita $6,267
Health Alerts 0
Last Updated Apr 24, 2026
ZA flag South Africa
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About South AfricaOverview, geography, and key facts
Flag of South Africa

South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. Its nine provinces are bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres of coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini; and it encloses Lesotho. Covering an area of 1,221,037 square kilometres, the country has a population of over 63 million people, making it the sixth-most populated country in Africa. Pretoria is the administrative capital, while Cape Town, as the seat of Parliament, is the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein is regarded as the judicial capital. The largest and most populous city is Johannesburg, followed by Cape Town and Durban.

Capital Pretoria
Population 63.1 million
Area 1,221,037 km²
Languages Afrikaans, English, Southern Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Currency South African rand (ZAR)
GDP/Capita $6,267
Source: U.S. Department of State, Wikipedia, REST Countries API
Travel AdvisoryU.S. Department of State
Gov Data
Level 2 — Exercise Increased Caution

Exercise increased caution due to heightened risks to safety and security.

Currency & Economy

Currency
South African rand (ZAR)
GDP
$401.1B
GDP per Capita
$6,267

Development

Life Expectancy
66.1 years
Geography & Practical Details
Region
Africa
Capital
Pretoria
Area
1,221,037 km²
Population
63,100,945
Timezone
UTC+02:00
Languages
Afrikaans, English, Southern Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Calling Code
+27
Drives On
Left
ISO Code
ZA