South Africa: capital, population, area and flag
South Africa is a country in Southern Africa (Africa). It has more than one capital: Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein. The population is about 64.7M (#24 of 193) and the area is about 1,219,602 km² (#24 of 193).
Key facts
- Capitals
- Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein
- Region
- Africa / Southern Africa
- Population
- 64,747,319 (2025) #24 of 193
- Total area
- 1,219,602 km² (2024) #24 of 193
- Population density
- 52.8 people/km² (2024) #132 of 193
- GDP (total)
- $427B (2025) #39 of 189
- GDP per capita
- $6,598 (2025) #105 of 189
- Life expectancy
- 66.3 years (2024) #159 of 193
- Distance from Japan
- 13,503 km #40 of 192
- Largest city
- Johannesburg
- Area compared with Japan
- about 3.2 times that of Japan
- Population compared with Japan
- about 0.5 times that of Japan
- Main languages
- Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, English
- Currency
- South African Rand (ZAR)
- Calling code
- +27
- Time zone (capital)
- UTC+2
- Time difference from Japan (standard time)
- 7 h behind Japan
- Driving side
- Left
- Capital location
- 25.75°S 28.19°E
Population of South Africa, 1950–2100 (Japanese)
See past estimates, future projections and the population pyramid in the World Population Time Machine.
Map of South Africa
Capital: Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein
South Africa: in the world’s top 10 for food & farming
South Africa ranks among the world’s top 10 for these crops, animals, seafood and farm products (latest FAO data).
Neighbors by land
Top rankings
South Africa is in the top 10 for:
South Africa in world rankings
How South Africa compares with other countries, indicator by indicator. Click an indicator to see the full ranking.
Questions about South Africa
What is the capital of South Africa?
South Africa has more than one capital: Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein. The first one listed is the main capital.
What is the population of South Africa?
South Africa has a population of about 64.7M (2025), #24 of 193 among countries.
How big is South Africa?
South Africa covers about 1,219,602 km², #24 of 193 among countries.
Which continent is South Africa in?
South Africa is in Africa, in the region of Southern Africa.
What currency and languages are used in South Africa?
The currency is the South African Rand. Main languages: Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, English.
How does South Africa compare with Japan in size and population?
The area of South Africa is about 3.2 times that of Japan, and its population is about 0.5 times that of Japan.
How far is South Africa from Japan?
The capital, Pretoria, is about 13,503 km from Tokyo, the capital of Japan, in a straight line.
What is the time difference between South Africa and Japan?
The capital, Pretoria, is on UTC+2 in standard time: 7 h behind Japan.
What is the largest city in South Africa?
The largest city in South Africa is Johannesburg. The capital is Pretoria, Cape Town, Bloemfontein.
More countries in Southern Africa
Play with South Africa
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