Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa.
Some of the earliest human remains in the fossil record were found in South Africa. By about A.D. 500, Bantu-speaking groups began settling into what ...
Longitude: 24
Your Location
Latitude: 39.04372
Longitude: -77.48749
Home country: United States
Distance to South Africa:
12,914.922 km
Terrain:
Vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain.
Natural Resources:
Gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas.
Industries:
Mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair.
Population: 60,442,647
The population concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west.
Area: 1,221,037 km2
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Eswatini.
| Code | Language |
|---|---|
| afr | Afrikaans |
| eng | English |
| nbl | Southern Ndebele |
| nso | Northern Sotho |
| sot | Southern Sotho |
| ssw | Swazi |
| tsn | Tswana |
| tso | Tsonga |
| ven | Venda |
| xho | Xhosa |
| zul | Zulu |
isiZulu or Zulu (official) 25.3%, isiXhosa or Xhosa (official) 14.8%, Afrikaans (official) 12.2%, Sepedi or Pedi (official) 10.1%, Setswana or Tswana (official) 9.1%, English (official) 8.1%, Sesotho or Sotho (official) 7.9%, Xitsonga or Tsonga (official) 3.6%, siSwati or Swati (official) 2.8%, Tshivenda or Venda (official) 2.5%, isiNdebele or Ndebele (official) 1.6%, other (includes South African sign language (official) and Khoi or Khoisan or Khoe languages) 2% (2018 est.)
| Code | Currency | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| ZAR | South African rand | R |
Capital City: Pretoria
Local time: Thursday, December 11 at 5:41 pm (GMT+02:00)
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.
Bordering Countries
South Africa is a member of the United Nations.
Visiting South Africa
You're in for a treat! South Africa is a fascinating place to explore, especially from May to September. Here's what you could encounter:
- Diverse wildlife and national parks.
- Stunning landscapes from beaches to mountains.
- Rich cultural heritage and history.
- High crime rates in urban areas.
- Risk of political instability and protests.
- Health risks including HIV/AIDS.
- 3.4MEDIUM RISK
Travel is usually safe, some areas are risky
- South African cuisine features dishes like bobotie, biltong, and braai (barbecue).
- Diverse influences from indigenous, Dutch, and Indian cuisines.
- Rich use of meats, spices, and fresh produce.
- Go on a safari in Kruger National Park.
- Visit Table Mountain in Cape Town.
- Explore the Garden Route.
Rain