South Africa

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
  - Flora and fauna
  - Conservation
People
- Ethnic groups
- Languages
- Religion
- Settlement patterns
  - Rural settlement
  - Urban settlement
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Finance
- Trade
- Services
- Labor and taxation
- Transportation and telecommunications
  - Railways and roads
  - Air transport and shipping
  - Telecommunications
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
  - Constitutions through the 1980s
  - The 1996 constitution
- Local government
  - Provincial government
  - Municipal government
- Justice
- Political process
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Housing
- Education
  - Primary and secondary schools
  - Higher education
Cultural life
- Daily life and social customs
- The arts
  - Music
  - Art
  - Literature
    - Black literature
    - Afrikaans literature
    - Anglophone literature
    - Multicultural literature
  - Theater
  - Film
- Cultural institutions
- Sports and recreation
- Media and publishing
History
- Prehistory
  - The Early Stone Age
  - The Middle Stone Age
  - The Late Stone Age
  - Pastoralism and early agriculture
- The Iron Age
  - Iron Age sites
  - First urban centers
  - Europeans in South Africa
- Settlement of the Cape Colony
- Growth of the colonial economy
- Increased European presence (c. 1810–35)
  - British occupation of the Cape
  - The Delagoa Bay slave trade
  - Emergence of the eastern states
- The expansion of European colonialism (c. 1835–70)
  - The Great Trek
  - The British in Natal
  - Attempts at Boer consolidation
  - The Cape economy
  - Disputes in the north and east
  - The Zulu after Shaka
  - The decline of the African states
- Diamonds, gold, and imperialist intervention (1870–1902)
  - Diamonds and confederation
  - Afrikaner and African politics in the Cape
  - Gold mining
  - The road to war
  - The South African War (1899–1902)
- Reconstruction, union, and segregation (1902–29)
  - Milner and reconstruction
  - Convention and union
  - Black, Coloured, and Indian political responses
  - Union and disunity
  - Afrikaner rebellion and nationalism
  - Segregation
  - The Pact years (1924–33)
- The apartheid years
  - The intensification of apartheid in the 1930s
  - World War II
  - The National Party and apartheid
  - Resistance to apartheid
  - The unraveling of apartheid
- Postapartheid South Africa
  - The Mandela presidency
    - Transition to majority rule
    - The Truth and Reconciliation Commission
  - The Mbeki presidency
    - Corruption charges against deputy president Zuma
    - Mbeki steps down
  - The Zuma presidency
    - The 2009 national election
    - Economic problems, social discontent, Nkandla scandal, and the death of Mandela
    - The 2014 national election
    - University fees protests
    - Controversy: the Gupta family, Nkandla, and corruption charges revisited
    - Zuma’s resignation
  - The Ramaphosa presidency
    - Accomplishments and challenges
    - The 2019 national election
    - COVID-19
    - “Farmgate” controversy and investigations
    - The 2024 national election

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images, Videos & Interactives

Drakensberg mountains

A hippopotamus at Kruger National Park in South Africa

For Students

default image

South Africa summary

South Africa: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Dec 21, 2025

News •

Multiple gunmen open fire at a South African pub, killing 9 and wounding 10 • Dec. 21, 2025, 1:19 PM ET (AP)

Ryan Gerard flew across two oceans to play in Mauritius. It paid off with a Masters invitation • Dec. 21, 2025, 8:48 AM ET (AP)

South African authorities raid a US refugee processing center and Washington protests • Dec. 17, 2025, 9:19 AM ET (AP)

Mass shooting at a South African bar leaves 12 dead, including 3 children • Dec. 6, 2025, 3:57 PM ET (AP)

Mexico optimistic about World Cup chances after group-stage draw • Dec. 5, 2025, 6:34 PM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Union of South Africa • Republic of South Africa
Head Of State And Government	President: Cyril Ramaphosa
Capitals (De Facto)	Pretoria² (executive); Bloemfontein³ (judicial); Cape Town (legislative)
Capitals (De Facto)	Pretoria² (executive); Bloemfontein³ (judicial); Cape Town (legislative)
Population	(2026 est.) 63,419,000
Currency Exchange Rate	1 USD equals 16.760 South African rand
Form Of Government	multiparty republic with two legislative houses (National Council of Provinces [90]; National Assembly [400])
Official Languages	See footnote 1.
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Republic of South Africa¹
Total Area (Sq Km)	1,220,813
Total Area (Sq Mi)	471,356
Monetary Unit	rand (R)
Population Rank	(2025) 24
Population Projection 2030	61,592,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2026) 134.5
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2026) 51.9
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2020) 67.4% • Rural: (2020) 32.6%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2024) 63.6 years • Female: (2024) 69.2 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: not available • Female: not available
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2023) 409,784
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2023) 6,480
¹South Africa has 12 official languages; the country’s official name in each language is provided in parentheses: Afrikaans (Republiek van Suid-Afrika); English (Republic of South Africa); Ndebele (IRiphabliki yeSewula Afrika); Pedi (Rephaboliki ya Afrika-Borwa); Sotho (Rephaboliki ya Afrika Borwa); Swati (IRiphabhulikhi yeNingizimu Afrika); Tsonga (Riphabliki ra Afrika Dzonga); Tswana (Rephaboliki ya Aforika Borwa); Venda (Riphabuliki ya Afurika Tshipembe); Xhosa (IRiphabliki yaseMzantsi Afrika); Zulu (IRiphabliki yaseNingizimu Afrika); South African Sign Language.²Name of larger municipality including Pretoria is Tshwane. ³Name of larger municipality including Bloemfontein is Mangaung.

Did You Know?

South Africa is the only country that has dismantled its nuclear weapons program voluntarily.
The first successful human heart transplant was perfomed in Cape Town, South Africa.
An app developed in South Africa calculates the number of cows to pay for a bride's dowry.
South Africa's Bloukrans Bridge hosts the highest natural bungee jump in the world.

Photos and Videos

Drakensberg mountains

A hippopotamus at Kruger National Park in South Africa

Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park

Are there too many elephants in Kruger National Park?

Behold South Africa's Drakensberg mountain range and learn about its varied culture and history

History of diamond mining in South Africa

The ancient kingdom hidden in Mapungubwe National Park

Video thumbnail image shows Black South African schoolchildren standing behind a fence.

National anthem of South Africa

See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

Britannica Remembers Nelson Mandela list of cities and towns in South Africa World War II League of Nations nation-state Commonwealth BRICS Allied powers World War II: The horror of war in pictures Anglo-American Chain of Command in Western Europe, June 1944 United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Jacob Zuma

Jacob Zuma

president of South Africa

default image

P. W. Botha

state president of South Africa

Cyril Ramaphosa

Cyril Ramaphosa

president of South Africa

Jan Smuts.

Jan Smuts

South African statesman

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela

president of South Africa

Julius Malema

Julius Malema

South African politician

default image

Mangosuthu Buthelezi

South African politician

Louis Botha

Louis Botha

prime minister of Union of South Africa

Thabo Mbeki

Thabo Mbeki

president of South Africa

default image

Daniel F. Malan

South African politician

John Vorster

John Vorster

prime minister of South Africa

John Steenhuisen

John Steenhuisen

South African politician

Desmond Tutu

Desmond Tutu

South African archbishop

default image

J.B.M. Hertzog

prime minister of South Africa

F.W. de Klerk

F.W. de Klerk

president of South Africa

Steve Biko

Steve Biko

South African political leader

Sir Hercules Robinson

Sir Hercules Robinson

British colonial governor

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

South African leader

default image

Abbie Park Ferguson

American educator

Kgalema Motlanthe

Kgalema Motlanthe

president of South Africa

Limpopo

Limpopo

province, South Africa

A map of the continent of Africa, including its countries, boundaries, and capital cities. It also shows parts of Europe and Asia and surrounding bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean.

Africa

continent

Namib desert

Southern Africa

region, Africa

Johannesburg, South Africa

Johannesburg

South Africa

Cape Town

Cape Town

national legislative capital, South Africa

Southern Africa, c. 1902

Transvaal

historical province, South Africa

KwaZulu-Natal

KwaZulu-Natal

province, South Africa

Western Cape

Western Cape

province, South Africa

Durban, South Africa

Durban

South Africa

Northern Cape

Northern Cape

province, South Africa

Eastern Cape

Eastern Cape

province, South Africa

Free State

Free State

province, South Africa

Mpumalanga

Mpumalanga

province, South Africa

Gauteng

Gauteng

province, South Africa

Mossel Bay, South Africa

Mossel Bay

South Africa

Flags of all countries of the world. Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

The Country Quiz

Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Countries of the World

Actual continental drift of plates. Thematic map.

Geography Fun Facts

Church of Saint George (Bet Giyorgis), Lalibela, Ethiopia. UNESCO World Heritage site.

Geography of Africa Quiz

10:087 Ocean: The World of Water, two globes showing eastern and western hemispheres

You Name It!

Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Countries & Their Features

Mount Kenya in Mount Kenya National Park is the highest mountain in Africa. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Giant Lobelia in foreground. (Mt. Kenya; Mt. Kenya National Park; mountains; rugged mountain; African geography, African landscape, stratovolcano)

Africa’s Physical Features

Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz

Opened passport with visas, stamps, seals, world map. (travel, tourism)

Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz

Flags of all nations of the world. Grouping of various country flags on a world map.

Which Country Is Larger? Quiz

Flags of the world against blue sky. Countries, International. Globalization, global relations, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Poland, Palestine, Japan. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society

Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz

7:023 Geography: Think of Something Big, globe showing Africa, Europe, and Eurasia

Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz