South Africa

Country in Southern Africa

South Africa is a country in Southern Africa, with its capital in Pretoria. About 64.7 million people live there (2025), making it the 24th most populous of the 195 countries. At 1,221,037 km², it is the 24th largest country by area. It borders Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

South Africa at a glance

Capital: Pretoria
Population (2025): 64.7 million
Area: 1,221,037 km²
Density: 53 per km²
Official languages: Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Currency: South African rand
People: South African
Calling code: +27
Internet domain: .za
Coast: Has a coastline

Where is South Africa?

How South Africa compares

Population rank

24th of 195

6th of 54 in Africa

Size rank

24th of 195

9th of 54 in Africa

Crowding

53 per km²

More crowded than 32% of countries

Similar in size: Mali (1,240,192 km²).
Similar population: France (68.7 million).
The South African rand is also used in 4 other places: Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Namibia and Zimbabwe.
Afrikaans is also an official language in 1 other country: Namibia.
English is also an official language in 58 other countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana and 52 more.
Northern Sotho is not an official language anywhere else.
Southern Ndebele is not an official language anywhere else.

The flag of South Africa

The story of the flag of South Africa →·Play Guess the Flag →·Play Guess the Country →

South Africa Map Quiz →·Printable South Africa Map →

Would you recognise South Africa?

Its outline

In Country Shapes you name places from their outline alone.

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Its emoji clues

The four clues we use for South Africa in Guess the Country by Emoji.

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How players do with South Africa

Every answer in DodoThinks games is counted anonymously. This is how players have done with South Africa so far, from 431 answers up to November 2026.

On the map

73% right

148th hardest of 176 · 324 answers

Its flag

81% right

95th hardest of 145 · 107 answers

Players find South Africa on the map in 73% of tries, which makes it one of the easiest. The most common wrong answer is DR Congo.
Players recognise the flag of South Africa in 81% of tries. The most common wrong answer is the United Arab Emirates.

Find it on the map →·Guess the Flag →

Countries that border South Africa

South Africa borders 6 countries: Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Quick quiz: South Africa

3 questions. Tap an answer to check it.

1. Which is the flag of South Africa?
2. What is the capital of South Africa?
3. Which of these borders South Africa?

Guess the Flag Capitals quiz Find it on the map

Questions about South Africa

Is South Africa a country?

Yes. South Africa is an independent country and one of the 193 member states of the United Nations.

What is the capital of South Africa?

The capital of South Africa is Pretoria. South Africa has three capitals: Pretoria (executive), Cape Town (legislative) and Bloemfontein (judicial).

Which countries border South Africa?

South Africa borders 6 countries: Botswana, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

How many countries border South Africa?

6. South Africa shares a land border with 6 countries.

How big is South Africa?

South Africa covers 1,221,037 km², about the same size as Mali (1,240,192 km²).

Is South Africa hard to find on a map?

Not for most players. On DodoThinks map quizzes, players find South Africa in 73% of 324 tries, 148th hardest of 176 places with enough answers to count. The most common wrong answer is DR Congo.

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