Where is South Africa?

Written and Fact-checked by , Reviewed by | Updated On: May 15, 2026

The given South Africa location map shows that South Africa is located in the southern part of Africa Continent. South Africa map also shows that it shares its international boundaries with Swaziland, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe in the north-east, Botswana in the north, Namibia in the north-west, and Lesotho entirely lies in the South Africa as enclave.

Location Map of South Africa

Where is South Africa?

South Africa is located at the southernmost region of Africa. South Africa is bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Eswatini. Besides, the Indian Ocean lies in the east and south-east and Atlantic Ocean lies in the west and south-west. The climate type of South Africa is temperate.

South Africa is more commonly known for the diversity of cultures, ethnicity, and languages. The capital city of South Africa is Pretoria (Administrative), Bloemfontein (judicial), and Cape Town (legislative). The government type of South Africa is a constitutional democracy in the form of a parliamentary republic. Under this system, the President of South Africa is both head of state and head of government; in the same fashion as the prime minister of other nations. The president is elected by the National Assembly. Besides, it is member of the African Union, the United Nations, NEPAD, the Commonwealth of Nations, World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund, G20 and G8+5, Antarctic Treaty System, Group of 77, South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone, and Southern African Customs Union.

Moreover, the economy of the country is of mixed type and hence depends upon the some of the significant sectors including agriculture, mining, industries, manufacturing, and services. The important minerals are diamond, chrome, manganese, platinum, vanadium, vermiculite, ilmenite, palladium, rutile and zirconium. Besides, tourism is also growing in the country.

Provinces of South Africa

ProvinceCapitalPopulationAreaLatitude and Longitude
Eastern CapeBhisho7.4 million (2024 est.)168,966 sq km (65,238 sq mi)32.2968° S, 26.4194° E
Free StateBloemfontein2.9 million (2024 est.)129,825 sq km (50,126 sq mi)28.4541° S, 26.7968° E
GautengJohannesburg16.5 million (2024 est.)18,178 sq km (7,019 sq mi)26.2708° S, 28.1123° E
KwaZulu-NatalPietermaritzburg12.1 million (2024 est.)94,361 sq km (36,433 sq mi)28.5305° S, 30.8958° E
LimpopoPolokwane6.2 million (2024 est.)125,755 sq km (48,554 sq mi)23.4013° S, 29.4179° E
MpumalangaMbombela5.1 million (2024 est.)76,495 sq km (29,535 sq mi)25.5653° S, 30.5279° E
North WestMahikeng4.2 million (2024 est.)104,882 sq km (40,495 sq mi)25.8652° S, 25.6442° E
Northern CapeKimberley1.4 million (2024 est.)372,889 sq km (143,973 sq mi)29.0467° S, 21.8569° E
Western CapeCape Town7.5 million (2024 est.)129,449 sq km (49,981 sq mi)33.2278° S, 21.8569° E

10 Largest Cities in South Africa

CityProvincePopulationLatitude and Longitude
JohannesburgGauteng5.9 million+26.2041° S, 28.0473° E
Cape TownWestern Cape4.9 million+33.9249° S, 18.4241° E
DurbanKwaZulu-Natal3.9 million+29.8587° S, 31.0218° E
PretoriaGauteng2.9 million+25.7479° S, 28.2293° E
Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)Eastern Cape1.3 million+33.9608° S, 25.6022° E
BloemfonteinFree State750,000+29.0852° S, 26.1596° E
East LondonEastern Cape600,000+33.0153° S, 27.9116° E
MbombelaMpumalanga500,000+25.4753° S, 30.9694° E
KimberleyNorthern Cape300,000+28.7282° S, 24.7499° E
PolokwaneLimpopo250,000+23.9045° S, 29.4689° E

Top Tourist Attractions and Famous Places to Visit in South Africa

  • Table Mountain - Cape Town
  • Kruger National Park - Limpopo and Mpumalanga
  • Robben Island (UNESCO World Heritage Site) - Cape Town
  • Garden Route - Western and Eastern Cape
  • Blyde River Canyon - Mpumalanga
  • Drakensberg Mountains - KwaZulu-Natal
  • Union Buildings - Pretoria
  • Sun City Resort - North West
  • Cape of Good Hope - Western Cape
  • Addo Elephant National Park - Eastern Cape
  • Soweto Township Tours - Johannesburg
  • uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park (UNESCO Site) - KwaZulu-Natal
  • Golden Gate Highlands National Park - Free State
  • Victoria and Alfred Waterfront - Cape Town
  • Cango Caves - Oudtshoorn
  • Pilanesberg National Park - North West

South Africa Facts

ContinentAfrica
CountrySouth Africa
CapitalPretoria (Executive), Cape Town (Legislative), Bloemfontein (Judicial)
Largest CityJohannesburg
Coordinates30.5595° S, 22.9375° E
Administrative Divisions9 Provinces
Official LanguagesZulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Tswana, Southern Sotho, Tsonga, Swati, Venda, and Ndebele
DemonymSouth African
GovernmentParliamentary Republic
Independence1910
Total Area1,221,037 sq km (471,445 sq mi)
Population63 million (2024 est.)
Population Density52 people per sq km
CurrencySouth African Rand (ZAR)
GDP NominalUS$400+ billion
EconomyDiversified upper-middle-income economy based on mining, finance, agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism
Postal Code Format0001-9999
Country Calling Code+27
Time ZoneSAST (UTC+2)
Internet TLD.za
ISO Country CodeZAF
Driving SideLeft
Major CitiesJohannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Gqeberha, Bloemfontein
Major AirportsO.R. Tambo International Airport, Cape Town International Airport, King Shaka International Airport
Highest PointMafadi
Longest RiverOrange River
ClimateMostly Semi-Arid and Subtropical
Average Summer Temperature20°C to 32°C
Average Winter Temperature5°C to 20°C
Famous ForSafari tourism, wildlife reserves, Table Mountain, beaches, gold and diamond mining, and cultural diversity
National AnimalSpringbok
National SportRugby Union
National DishBobotie
Official Websitewww.gov.za

Major Rivers in South Africa

  • Orange River
  • Limpopo River
  • Vaal River
  • Tugela River
  • Fish River
  • Komati River

South Africa Climate Facts

Climate TypeMostly Semi-Arid and Subtropical Climate
Summer Temperature20°C to 32°C
Winter Temperature5°C to 20°C
Average RainfallRainfall varies from dry western areas to wetter eastern coastal regions

Neighboring Countries of South Africa

  • Namibia - Northwest
  • Botswana - North
  • Zimbabwe - Northeast
  • Mozambique - Northeast
  • Eswatini - East
  • Lesotho - Enclave within South Africa

References