South Africa

Official nameRepublic of South Africa
Name in local languageRepubliek van Suid-Afrika (af) ; iRiphabhuliki yaseNingizimu Afrika (zu)
ContinentAfrica
SubcontinentSouthern Africa
Population (ranking: 25e)57,725,606 inhabitants (2018)
Population growth2.13 % / year
Area1,219,912 km²
Density47.32 inhabitants / km²
GDP (ranking: 35e)366.298 billions $USD (2018)
GDP/capita (ranking)6,340 $USD (2018)
GDP growth0.60 % / year (2018)
Life expectancy (ranking)63.90 years (2018)
Birth rate21.30 ‰ (2017)
Fertility rate2.41 children / woman (2017)
Death rate (ranking)9.00 ‰ (2017)
Infant mortality rate (ranking)32.80 ‰ (2017)
Literacy rate99.03 % (2015)
Official languagesZulu, Afrikaans, English (11 languages)
CurrencyRand (ZAR)
HDI (ranking: 149e)0.705 / 1 (2018)
EPI (ranking)44.73 (2018)
GovernmentUnitary parliamentary constitutional republic
Head of StatePresident Cyril Ramaphosa
National Day27 April (first multiracial elections in 1994)
ISO CodesZA, ZAF
DemonymSouth African
Tourists (ranking)10,285,000 people (2017)
South Africa – small

South Africa is a country located on the southern tip of the African continent. It is bordered to the north with Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, and to the north-east with Mozambique and Swaziland. Lesotho is a landlocked state in South Africa.

Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town, South Africa. Source: Wildlife Archives
Bourke's Luck Potholes, Mpumalanga, South Africa
Bourke’s Luck Potholes, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Source: Wildlife Archives
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Urban areas (2016)
Urban areasPopulation
Gauteng (Johannesburg-Pretoria)14,717,040 inhabitants
Johannesburg4,949,347 inhabitants
Le Cap (capitale législative)4,004,793 inhabitants
eThekwini (Durban)3,661,911 inhabitants
Ekurhuleni3,379,104 inhabitants
Tshwane (Prétoria - capitale administrative)3,275,152 inhabitants
Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth)1,263,051 inhabitants
Buffalo City (East London)810,528 inhabitants
Mangaung (Bloemfontein - capitale judiciaire)759,693 inhabitants
Emfuleni (Vereeniging)733,445 inhabitants
Polokwane (Pietersburg)702,190 inhabitants
Msunduzi (Pietermaritzburg)679,766 inhabitants
Thulamela657,982 inhabitants
Rustenburg626,522 inhabitants
Mbombela (Nelspruit)622,158 inhabitants
Bushbuckridge548,760 inhabitants
Makhado542,416 inhabitants
Madibeng537,516 inhabitants
King Sabata Dalindyebo490,207 inhabitants
Emalahleni (Witbank)455,228 inhabitants
Matjhabeng (Welkom)428,843 inhabitants
Matlosana417,282 inhabitants
Tzaneen416,488 inhabitants
Nkomazi410,907 inhabitants
Tubatse (Burgersfort)393,713 inhabitants
See all urban areas
Administrative divisions
ProvincesPopulationArea
Eastern Cape6,522,734 inhabitants169,580 km²
Free State2,954,348 inhabitants129,480 km²
Gauteng14,717,040 inhabitants17,010 km²
KwaZulu-Natal11,384,722 inhabitants92,100 km²
Limpopo5,797,275 inhabitants123,900 km²
Mpumalanga4,523,874 inhabitants79,490 km²
North West3,978,955 inhabitants116,320 km²
Northern Cape1,225,555 inhabitants361,830 km²
Western Cape6,621,103 inhabitants129,370 km²
See all administrative divisions
See also