Land covered by forest
14.0%% of land area
#147 of 2132023
44% of world average
SERIAL · 710Africa
South Africa
CapitalBloemfontein
CurrencyZAR · rand
LanguageZulu, Xhosa, English, Afrikaans, Venda, Tswana, Northern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Sesotho, Southern Ndebele, South African Sign Language
Area1.2M km²
Since1910
ISOZAF · ZA
Population
64.7Mas of 2025
Watermark portrait: Nelson Mandela
— THE COUNTRY —
Country in Southern Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. Its nine provinces are bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres of coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic, and Indian Ocean; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe to the east and northeast by Mozambique, and Eswatini, and it encloses Lesotho. Covering an area of 1,221,037 square kilometres, the country has a population of over 63 million people, making it the sixth-most populated country in Africa.
Text: Wikipedia — South AfricaCC BY-SA 4.0 · revised 2026-07-27
— FACTS —
- Motto
- Unity in Diversity
- Capital
- Bloemfontein
- Currency
- rand (ZAR)
- Official language
- Zulu, Xhosa, English, Afrikaans, Venda, Tswana, Northern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Sesotho, Southern Ndebele, South African Sign Language
- Drives on the
- Left
- Calling code
- +27
- Licence plate code
- ZA
- Top-level domain
- .za
- Independence / founding
- 31 May 1910
- Highest point
- Mafadi (3,450 m)
- Lowest point
- Indian Ocean (0 m)
- Anthem
- national anthem of Mzansi
— LAND —
Forest area
169,409km²
#39 of 2132023
89% of world average
Agricultural land
79.4%% of land area
#6 of 2092023
214% of world average
Farmable (arable) land
9.9%% of land area
#104 of 2062023
71% of world average
Land area
1.2Mkm²
#24 of 2152023
186% of world average
— PEOPLE —
Population
64.7Mpeople
#24 of 2162025
171% of world average
Population growth
1.1%% per year
#93 of 2162025
116% of world average
Population density
52people per km²
#150 of 2152023
11% of world average
People living in cities
63.8%% of population
#111 of 2162025
101% of world average
Urban population growth
1.3%% per year
#104 of 2162025
88% of world average
People living rurally
36.2%% of population
#106 of 2162025
99% of world average
Population aged 0-14
25.7%% of population
#91 of 2162025
102% of world average
Population aged 15-64
67.4%% of population
#56 of 2162025
105% of world average
Population aged 65+
6.9%% of population
#125 of 2162025
64% of world average
▸ ISSUE 7 MORE
Age dependency ratio
48.4%% of working-age population
#161 of 2162025
84% of world average
Female population
51.3%% of population
#46 of 2162025
103% of world average
Births per woman
2births per woman
#94 of 2162024
94% of world average
Birth rate
18.5 /1,000per 1,000 people
#83 of 2162024
107% of world average
Death rate
9.2 /1,000per 1,000 people
#56 of 2162024
120% of world average
Net migration
146,370people (5-year total)
#9 of 2162025
132929% of world average
Migrants living in the country
4.1%% of population
#123 of 2152024
31% of world average
— MONEY —
GDP
$427.18Bcurrent US$
#40 of 2112025
77% of world average
GDP, purchasing power parity
$1.03Tcurrent int'l $
#32 of 1992025
99% of world average
GDP per person
$6,598current US$
#125 of 2112025
27% of world average
GDP per person, purchasing power parity
$15,906current int'l $
#120 of 1992025
48% of world average
GDP growth
1.1%% per year
#168 of 2102025
33% of world average
GDP per person growth
-0.0%% per year
#176 of 2102025
-2% of world average
Gross national income
$418.99Bcurrent US$
#39 of 2042025
73% of world average
Gross national income per person
$6,270current US$
#117 of 2032025
31% of world average
Gross national income per person, PPP
$15,600current int'l $
#117 of 1972025
49% of world average
▸ ISSUE 30 MORE
Inflation
3.2%% per year
#98 of 1902025
37% of world average
Inflation (GDP deflator)
2.8%% per year
#84 of 2092025
39% of world average
Real interest rate
7.7%%
#35 of 1342025
186% of world average
Lending interest rate
10.7%%
#53 of 1342025
95% of world average
Government debt
82.8%% of GDP
#51 of 632024
139% of world average
Government revenue
29.4%% of GDP
#54 of 1492024
112% of world average
Government spending
33.4%% of GDP
#43 of 1492022
121% of world average
Government consumption
18.9%% of GDP
#65 of 1812025
108% of world average
Household consumption
65.8%% of GDP
#80 of 1812025
102% of world average
Investment (gross capital formation)
13.9%% of GDP
#162 of 1782025
60% of world average
Fixed investment
13.9%% of GDP
#156 of 1732025
62% of world average
Gross savings
12.9%% of GDP
#139 of 1682025
59% of world average
Foreign investment inflows
-$2.16Bcurrent US$
#192 of 2012025
-26% of world average
Foreign investment inflows
-0.5%% of GDP
#179 of 1982025
no comparison
Foreign investment outflows
-0.9%% of GDP
#169 of 1792025
-44% of world average
Current account balance
-0.4%% of GDP
#83 of 1912025
no comparison
Foreign reserves
$76.02Bcurrent US$
#36 of 1772025
76% of world average
External debt
$175.90Bcurrent US$
#110 of 1212024
227% of world average
Income inequality (Gini)
540-100
#145 of 1472022
152% of world average
People below the poverty line
17.4%% of population
#111 of 1472022
136% of world average
Income share held by richest 10%
42.1%%
#145 of 1472022
151% of world average
Income share held by poorest 10%
1.4%%
#141 of 1472022
50% of world average
Stock market value
327.2%% of GDP
#2 of 882025
431% of world average
Money sent home by workers abroad
$1.00Bcurrent US$
#94 of 1862025
19% of world average
Foreign aid received
0.4%% of GNI
#109 of 1372023
7% of world average
Exchange rate
18local currency per US$
#98 of 2112025
1% of world average
Agriculture's share of the economy
2.8%% of GDP
#131 of 1992025
28% of world average
Industry's share of the economy
24.1%% of GDP
#96 of 2022025
98% of world average
Manufacturing's share of the economy
12.3%% of GDP
#77 of 1952025
112% of world average
Services' share of the economy
63.1%% of GDP
#68 of 2022025
109% of world average
— TRADE —
Exports
31.4%% of GDP
#112 of 1872025
73% of world average
Imports
29.5%% of GDP
#138 of 1872025
59% of world average
Trade balance
1.9%% of GDP
#63 of 1872025
no comparison
Total trade (openness)
57.2%% of GDP
#93 of 2052025
89% of world average
Goods exported
$116.40Bcurrent US$
#37 of 2072025
94% of world average
Goods imported
$128.08Bcurrent US$
#37 of 2072025
102% of world average
Services exported
$18.05Bcurrent US$
#56 of 1912025
37% of world average
Services imported
$21.77Bcurrent US$
#51 of 1912025
49% of world average
Goods and services exported
$134.49Bcurrent US$
#40 of 1912025
77% of world average
▸ ISSUE 3 MORE
Goods and services imported
$126.24Bcurrent US$
#43 of 1912025
75% of world average
High-tech share of exports
5.7%% of manufactured exports
#93 of 1792024
47% of world average
Terms of trade
117index
#54 of 2062024
111% of world average
— HEALTH —
Life expectancy
66.3 yrsyears
#182 of 2162024
90% of world average
Life expectancy, women
69.8 yrsyears
#176 of 2162024
91% of world average
Life expectancy, men
62.8 yrsyears
#188 of 2162024
88% of world average
Infant deaths
24.2 /1,000per 1,000 live births
#139 of 1962024
131% of world average
Deaths under age 5
35.1 /1,000per 1,000 live births
#144 of 1962024
145% of world average
Maternal deaths
118per 100,000 live births
#134 of 1942023
102% of world average
Health spending
8.9%% of GDP
#47 of 1932023
130% of world average
Health spending per person
$537current US$
#85 of 1932023
37% of world average
Physicians
0.8 /1,000per 1,000 people
#119 of 1872022
38% of world average
▸ ISSUE 10 MORE
Nurses and midwives
6.4 /1,000per 1,000 people
#56 of 1962022
136% of world average
Hospital beds
2.3 /1,000per 1,000 people
not enough data to rank2010
76% of world average
Access to clean drinking water
90.2%% of population
#153 of 2142024
99% of world average
Access to basic sanitation
77.4%% of population
#152 of 2132024
96% of world average
Suicide rate
22per 100,000 people
#180 of 1852021
261% of world average
Adults who smoke
23.7%% of adults
#111 of 1662024
120% of world average
HIV prevalence
17.2%% aged 15-49
#152 of 1532024
1252% of world average
Tuberculosis cases
389per 100,000 people
#197 of 2082024
392% of world average
Undernourishment
10.0%% of population
#111 of 1682023
99% of world average
Children vaccinated against measles
76.0%% of children 12-23 months
#155 of 1932024
89% of world average
— LEARNING —
Education spending
6.0%% of GDP
#26 of 1902024
139% of world average
Education spending
19.1%% of government spending
#26 of 1892025
141% of world average
Adult literacy
91.2%% aged 15+
#61 of 1192024
109% of world average
Youth literacy
97.2%% aged 15-24
#64 of 1262024
107% of world average
Primary school enrolment
101.8%% gross
#83 of 2002023
101% of world average
Secondary school enrolment
104.1%% gross
#46 of 1882023
120% of world average
University enrolment
23.5%% gross
#121 of 1672023
47% of world average
Primary school completion
95.3%% of relevant age group
#83 of 1802023
106% of world average
Pupils per teacher, primary school
30pupils per teacher
not enough data to rank2015
137% of world average
▸ ISSUE 1 MORE
Years of compulsory education
9.0 yrsyears
#148 of 1972025
90% of world average
— WORK —
Unemployment
32.4%% of labour force
#185 of 1862025
469% of world average
Youth unemployment
59.9%% of labour force aged 15-24
#185 of 1862025
382% of world average
Labour force participation
55.6%% aged 15+
#136 of 1862025
92% of world average
Women in the labour force
49.9%% of women aged 15+
#119 of 1862025
98% of world average
Men in the labour force
61.7%% of men aged 15+
#158 of 1862025
88% of world average
Labour force
26.7Mpeople
#26 of 1862025
132% of world average
Working in agriculture
5.4%% of employment
#130 of 1862025
25% of world average
Working in industry
20.8%% of employment
#73 of 1862025
106% of world average
Working in services
73.8%% of employment
#42 of 1862025
126% of world average
▸ ISSUE 3 MORE
Self-employed
17.3%% of employment
#134 of 1862025
45% of world average
Labour force with advanced education
80.8%% of labour force
#53 of 1712024
106% of world average
Employed
37.6%% aged 15+
#170 of 1862025
66% of world average
— CONNECTED —
People online
78.4%% of population
#113 of 2072024
110% of world average
Mobile phone subscriptions
179per 100 people
#11 of 2102024
155% of world average
Fixed broadband subscriptions
5per 100 people
#137 of 2082024
29% of world average
Fixed telephone lines
2per 100 people
#163 of 2132024
11% of world average
Access to electricity
90.2%% of population
#160 of 2142024
102% of world average
Access to clean cooking fuel
89.8%% of population
#99 of 1892023
129% of world average
Electricity used per person
3,247kWh per person
#65 of 1492023
77% of world average
Energy used per person
1,939kg oil equivalent per person
#58 of 1492023
86% of world average
Air passengers carried
15.5Mpassengers
#42 of 1652023
60% of world average
▸ ISSUE 9 MORE
Air freight
60million tonne-km
#68 of 1632023
5% of world average
Rail network
20,953route-km
#9 of 842021
201% of world average
Rail passengers
3,502million passenger-km
#35 of 782020
13% of world average
Container port traffic
4.3MTEU
#35 of 1672024
79% of world average
Research and development spending
0.6%% of GDP
#60 of 1272022
63% of world average
Patent applications by residents
1,804count
#21 of 1422021
11% of world average
Scientific journal articles published
14,949count
#33 of 1972023
91% of world average
Tourists arriving
3.9Mcount
#45 of 1942020
76% of world average
Money earned from tourism
$2.72Bcurrent US$
#43 of 1752020
73% of world average
— NATURE —
Carbon emissions per person
7tonnes per person
#168 of 2032024
153% of world average
Carbon emissions
440Mt CO2
#189 of 2032024
235% of world average
Greenhouse gas emissions
570Mt CO2-equivalent
#187 of 2032024
225% of world average
Protected land
9.6%% of land area
#155 of 2132025
51% of world average
Protected coastal waters
15.4%% of territorial waters
#39 of 1742025
149% of world average
Freshwater withdrawn
47.1%% of internal resources
#146 of 1772022
37% of world average
Renewable water available per person
718m³ per person
#145 of 1832022
5% of world average
Renewable energy use
9.7%% of final energy consumption
#146 of 2122021
33% of world average
Electricity from renewables
6.4%% of total
#155 of 2062021
19% of world average
▸ ISSUE 3 MORE
Electricity from fossil fuels
85.1%% of total
#141 of 2092023
143% of world average
Electricity from nuclear power
3.7%% of total
#26 of 2082023
104% of world average
Energy imported (net)
-12.5%% of energy use
#105 of 1432023
no comparison
— STATE —
Military spending
0.7%% of GDP
#137 of 1562024
31% of world average
Military spending
$2.84Bcurrent US$
#56 of 1602024
17% of world average
Military spending
2.1%% of government spending
#135 of 1532024
28% of world average
Armed forces personnel
89,000people
#54 of 1702020
56% of world average
Armed forces
0.4%% of labour force
#131 of 1682020
32% of world average
Tax revenue
25.9%% of GDP
#10 of 1492024
154% of world average
Homicides
44per 100,000 people
#153 of 1582022
560% of world average
— TRADE PARTNERS —
Loading trade partner map…
— TRADE —
No trade data available for South Africa.
— EXTRAS —
Anthem
national anthem of MzansiAudio: Wikimedia Commons
Capital time
--:--:--Bloemfontein · approx. UTC+2
Landmarks
Robben IslandImage: Wikimedia Commons 
iSimangaliso Wetland ParkImage: Wikimedia Commons 
Vredefort craterImage: Wikimedia Commons 
Khomani Cultural LandscapeImage: Wikimedia Commons 
The Emergence of Modern Humans: The Pleistocene occupation sites of South AfricaImage: Wikimedia Commons 
Human Rights, Liberation and Reconciliation: Nelson Mandela Legacy SitesImage: Wikimedia Commons 
Cradle of HumankindImage: Wikimedia Commons 
Mapungubwe Cultural LandscapeImage: Wikimedia Commons 
RichtersveldImage: Wikimedia Commons 
Cape Floristic KingdomImage: Wikimedia Commons 
Maloti-Drakensberg ParkImage: Wikimedia Commons
People
Nelson MandelaPresident of South Africa and anti-apartheid activist (1918–2013)
Elon MuskAmerican businessman (born 1971)
Nadine GordimerSouth African writer (1923–2014)
Desmond TutuSouth African churchman, politician, archbishop, Nobel Prize winner (1931–2021)
Charlize TheronSouth African and American actress (born 1975)
J. M. CoetzeeSouth African and Australian writer and scholar (born 1940)
Thabo MbekiPresident of South Africa from 1999 to 2008
Jacob Zuma4th President of South Africa (2009–2018)
Cyril RamaphosaPresident of South Africa since 2018
Miriam MakebaSouth African singer and civil rights activist (1932–2008)
F. W. de Klerk7th state president of South Africa from 1989 to 1994
Steve BikoSouth African anti-apartheid activist (1946–1977)
History
31 May 1910South Africa — founding / independence (Wikidata)
Size, side by side
Loading size comparison…
1960 → now
2026
Population64.7M2025
GDP$427.18B2025
GDP per person$6,5982025