South Africa

Some of the earliest human remains in the fossil record were found in South Africa. By about A.D. 500, Bantu-speaking groups began settling into what is now northeastern South Africa, displacing Khoisan-speaking groups to the southwest. Dutch traders landed at the southern tip of present-day South Africa in 1652 and established a stopover point on the spice route between the Netherlands and the Far East, founding the city of Cape Town. After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in 1806, many settlers of Dutch descent — known then as “Boers,” or farmers, but later called Afrikaners — trekked north to found their own republics, Transvaal and Orange Free State. In the 1820s, several decades of wars began as the Zulus expanded their territory, moving out of what is today southeastern South Africa and clashing with other indigenous peoples and the growing European settlements. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) spurred mass immigration, predominantly from Europe.

The Zulu kingdom’s territory was incorporated into the British Empire after the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879, and the Afrikaner republics were incorporated after their defeat in the Second South African War (1899-1902). Beginning in 1910, the British and the Afrikaners ruled together under the Union of South Africa, which left the British Commonwealth to become a fully self-governing republic in 1961 after a Whites-only referendum. In 1948, the National Party was voted into power and instituted a policy of apartheid -– billed as “separate development” of the races — which favored the White minority and suppressed the Black majority and other non-White groups. The African National Congress (ANC) led the resistance to apartheid, and many top ANC leaders such as Nelson MANDELA spent decades in South Africa’s prisons. Internal protests and insurgency, as well as boycotts from some Western nations and institutions, led to the regime’s eventual willingness to unban the ANC and negotiate a peaceful transition to majority rule.

The first multi-racial elections in 1994 ushered in majority rule under an ANC-led government. South Africa has since struggled to address apartheid-era imbalances in wealth, housing, education, and health care under successive administrations. President Cyril RAMAPHOSA, who was reelected as the ANC leader in 2022, has made some progress in reigning in corruption. TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes

Geography

Location

Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa

Geographic coordinates

29 00 S, 24 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total : 1,219,090 sq km

land: 1,214,470 sq km

water: 4,620 sq km

note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)

comparison ranking: total 26

Area – comparative

slightly less than twice the size of Texas

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 5,244 km

border countries (6): Botswana 1,969 km; Lesotho 1,106 km; Mozambique 496 km; Namibia 1,005 km; Eswatini 438 km; Zimbabwe 230 km

Coastline

2,798 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm

contiguous zone: 24 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin

Climate

mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights

Terrain

vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain

Elevation

highest point: Ntheledi (Mafadi) 3,450 m

lowest point: Atlantic/Indian Oceans 0 m

mean elevation: 1,034 m

Natural resources

gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas

note: South Africa was the World’s leading chromite ore producer in 2022 with an output of 18,000 mt

Land use

agricultural land: 79.4% (2022 est.)

arable land: 9.9% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 0.3% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 69.2% (2022 est.)

forest: 14% (2022 est.)

other: 6.6% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

16,700 sq km (2012)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Orange (shared with Lesotho [s], and Namibia [m]) – 2,092 km; Limpoporivier (Limpopo) river source (shared with Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique [m]) – 1,800 km; Vaal [s] – 1,210 km

note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Orange (941,351 sq km)

Major aquifers

Karoo Basin, Lower Kalahari-Stampriet Basin

Population distribution

the population is concentrated along the southern and southeastern coast, and inland around Pretoria; the eastern half of the country is more densely populated than the west, as shown in this population distribution map

Natural hazards

prolonged droughts

volcanism: the volcano forming Marion Island in the Prince Edward Islands, which last erupted in 2004, is South Africa’s only active volcano

Geography – note

note 1: South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Eswatini

note 2: sometimes mistaken for the southernmost point of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope is more accurately described as the southwestern-most point of the African continent; Cape Agulhas, the meeting point of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, is the southernmost point of the African continent

People and Society

Population

total: 60,442,647 (2024 est.)

male: 29,664,388

female: 30,778,259

comparison rankings: total 25; female 25; male 24

Nationality

noun: South African(s)

adjective: South African

Ethnic groups

Black African 80.9%, Colored 8.8%, White 7.8%, Indian/Asian 2.6% (2021 est.)

note: Colored is a term used in South Africa, including on the national census, for persons of mixed race ancestry who developed a distinct cultural identity over several hundred years

Languages

isiZulu or Zulu (official) 25.3%, isiXhosa or Xhosa (official) 14.8%, Afrikaans (official) 12.2%, Sepedi or Pedi (official) 10.1%, Setswana or Tswana (official) 9.1%, English (official) 8.1%, Sesotho or Sotho (official) 7.9%, Xitsonga or Tsonga (official) 3.6%, siSwati or Swati (official) 2.8%, Tshivenda or Venda (official) 2.5%, isiNdebele or Ndebele (official) 1.6%, other (includes South African sign language (official) and Khoi or Khoisan or Khoe languages) 2% (2018 est.)

major-language sample(s):
Die Wereld Feite Boek, n’ onontbeerlike bron vir basiese informasie. (Afrikaans)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

note: data represent language spoken most often at home

Religions

Christian 86%, ancestral, tribal, animist, or other traditional African religions 5.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other 1.5%, nothing in particular 5.2% (2015 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 27.2% (male 8,227,690/female 8,194,392)

15-64 years: 65.3% (male 19,524,873/female 19,947,839)

65 years and over: 7.5% (2024 est.) (male 1,911,825/female 2,636,028)

2024 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 53.1 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 41.6 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 11.5 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 8.7 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 30.4 years (2024 est.)

male: 30.1 years

female: 30.6 years

comparison ranking: total 136

Population growth rate

1.07% (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 90

Birth rate

17.7 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 82

Death rate

6.9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 124

Net migration rate

-0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 104

Population distribution

Urbanization

urban population: 68.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas – population

10.316 million Johannesburg (includes Ekurhuleni), 4.890 million Cape Town (legislative capital), 3.228 million Durban, 2.818 million PRETORIA (administrative capital), 1.296 million Port Elizabeth, 934,000 West Rand (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female

total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

127 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

comparison ranking: 59

Infant mortality rate

total: 21.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 23.9 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 20 deaths/1,000 live births

comparison ranking: total 71

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 71.9 years (2024 est.)

male: 70.3 years

female: 73.5 years

comparison ranking: total population 166

Total fertility rate

2.27 children born/woman (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 78

Gross reproduction rate

1.12 (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

54.6% (2016)

Drinking water source

improved:

urban: 99.7% of population

rural: 90.3% of population

total: 96.7% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0.3% of population

rural: 9.7% of population

total: 3.3% of population (2020 est.)

Health expenditure

8.3% of GDP (2021)

16.9% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

0.79 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Sanitation facility access

improved:

urban: 96.6% of population

rural: 86.4% of population

total: 93.2% of population

unimproved:

urban: 3.4% of population

rural: 13.6% of population

total: 6.8% of population (2020 est.)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

28.3% (2016)

comparison ranking: 30

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 7.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 3.99 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 1.21 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 1.31 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.7 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

comparison ranking: total 58

Tobacco use

total: 20.1% (2025 est.)

male: 35.3% (2025 est.)

female: 6% (2025 est.)

comparison ranking: total 69

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

4.9% (2017)

comparison ranking: 66

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

36.9% (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 0.9% (2016)

women married by age 18: 3.6% (2016)

men married by age 18: 0.6% (2016)

Education expenditure

6.7% of GDP (2024 est.)

18.6% national budget (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 18

Literacy

total population: 90% (2021 est.)

male: 91% (2021 est.)

female: 89% (2021 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years

male: 13 years

female: 14 years (2020)

Environment

Environment – current issues

limited freshwater resources due to lack of major rivers or lakes; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban waste; air pollution resulting in acid rain; deforestation; soil erosion; land degradation; desertification; solid waste pollution; significant floral extinctions

Environment – international agreements

party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Climate

mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights

Land use

Urbanization

urban population: 68.8% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 1.72% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 19.75 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 476.64 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 55.89 megatons (2020 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 18,457,232 tons (2011 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 5,168,025 tons (2011 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 28% (2011 est.)

Major rivers (by length in km)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Orange (941,351 sq km)

Major aquifers

Karoo Basin, Lower Kalahari-Stampriet Basin

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 3.11 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 4.09 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 11.99 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources

51.35 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of South Africa

conventional short form: South Africa

former: Union of South Africa

abbreviation: RSA

etymology: self-descriptive name from the country’s location on the continent; “Africa” is derived from the Roman designation of the area corresponding to present-day Tunisia “Africa terra,” which meant “Land of the Afri” (the tribe resident in that area), but which eventually came to mean the entire continent

Government type

parliamentary republic

Capital

name: Pretoria (administrative capital); Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital)

geographic coordinates: 25 42 S, 28 13 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: Pretoria was named in honor of Boer statesman Andries PRETORIUS in 1855; Cape Town’s name refers to its location on the Cape of Good Hope; Bloemfontein was named after the farm on which it was built in 1846, whose name combined the Dutch words bloem (flower) and fontein (fountain)

Administrative divisions

9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape

Legal system

mixed system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and customary law

Constitution

history: several previous; latest drafted 8 May 1996, approved by the Constitutional Court 4 December 1996, effective 4 February 1997

amendment process: proposed by the National Assembly of Parliament; passage of amendments affecting constitutional sections on human rights and freedoms, non-racism and non-sexism, supremacy of the constitution, suffrage, the multi-party system of democratic government, and amendment procedures requires at least 75% majority vote of the Assembly, approval by at least six of the nine provinces represented in the National Council of Provinces, and assent of the president of the republic; passage of amendments affecting the Bill of Rights, and those related to provincial boundaries, powers, and authorities requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly, approval by at least six of the nine provinces represented in the National Council, and assent of the president

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of South Africa

dual citizenship recognized: yes, but requires prior permission of the government

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 year

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state: President Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (since 19 June 2024)

head of government: President Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (since 19 June 2024)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

election/appointment process: president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)

most recent election date: 29 May 2024

election results:
2024: Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (ANC) elected president by the National Assembly unopposed

2019: Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (ANC) elected president by the National Assembly unopposed

expected date of next election: May 2029

note: the president is both chief of state and head of government

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament

legislative structure: bicameral

Legislative branch – lower chamber

chamber name: National Assembly

number of seats: 400 (all directly elected)

electoral system: proportional representation

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 5/29/2024

percentage of women in chamber: 44.5%

expected date of next election: May 2029

Legislative branch – upper chamber

chamber name: National Council of Provinces

number of seats: 90 (all appointed)

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 6/15/2024

percentage of women in chamber: 44.4%

expected date of next election: June 2029

note: the Council has special powers to protect regional interests, including safeguarding cultural and linguistic traditions among ethnic minorities

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Appeals (consists of the court president, deputy president, and 21 judges); Constitutional Court (consists of the chief and deputy chief justices and 9 judges)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court of Appeals president and vice president appointed by the national president after consultation with the Judicial Services Commission (JSC), a 23-member body chaired by the chief justice; other Supreme Court judges appointed by the national president on the advice of the JSC and hold office until discharged from active service by an Act of Parliament; Constitutional Court chief and deputy chief justices appointed by the president of South Africa after consultation with the JSC and with heads of the National Assembly; other Constitutional Court judges appointed by the national president after consultation with the chief justice and leaders of the National Assembly; Constitutional Court judges serve 12-year nonrenewable terms or until age 70

subordinate courts: High Courts; Magistrates’ Courts; labor courts; land claims courts

Political parties

African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP
African Independent Congress or AIC
African National Congress or ANC
African People’s Convention or APC
Agang SA
Congress of the People or COPE
Democratic Alliance or DA
Economic Freedom Fighters or EFF
Freedom Front Plus or FF+
GOOD
Inkatha Freedom Party or IFP
National Freedom Party or NFP
Pan-Africanist Congress of Azania or PAC
United Christian Democratic Party or UCDP
United Democratic Movement or UDM

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Ismail ESAU (since 18 March 2025)

chancery: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (240) 937-5760

FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://www.saembassy.org/

consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires David J. GREENE (since March 2025)

embassy: 877 Pretorius Street, Arcadia, Pretoria

mailing address: 9300 Pretoria Place, Washington DC 20521-9300

telephone: [27] (12) 431-4000

FAX: [27] (12) 342-2299

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://za.usembassy.gov/

consulate(s) general: Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AIIB, AU, BIS, BRICS, C, CD, FAO, FATF, G-20, G-24, G-5, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MONUSCO, NAM, NSG, OECD (enhanced engagement), OPCW, Paris Club (associate), PCA, SACU, SADC, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNITAR, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Independence

31 May 1910 (Union of South Africa formed from four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and Orange Free State); 22 August 1934 (Status of the Union Act); 31 May 1961 (republic declared); 27 April 1994 (majority rule)

National holiday

Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)

Flag description

two equal-width horizontal bands of red (top) and blue separated by a central green band that splits into a horizontal Y; a black isosceles triangle is in the Y, with narrow yellow bands around it; the red and blue bands are bordered by narrow white stripes; the colors have no official meaning, but the Y stands for “the convergence of diverse elements within South African society, taking the road ahead in unity”

note: South Africa has one of two national flags that display six colors as part of the primary design — the other is South Sudan’s

National symbol(s)

springbok (antelope), king protea flower

National color(s)

red, green, blue, yellow, black, white

National anthem

name: “National Anthem of South Africa”

lyrics/music: Enoch SONTONGA and Cornelius Jacob LANGENHOVEN/Enoch SONTONGA and Marthinus LOURENS de Villiers

note: adopted 1994; a combination of “N’kosi Sikelel’ iAfrica” (God Bless Africa) and “Die Stem van Suid Afrika” (The Call of South Africa), which were respectively the anthems of the non-white and white communities under apartheid; official lyrics contain a mixture of Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans, and English (i.e., the five most widely spoken of South Africa’s 11 official languages); music incorporates the melody used in the Tanzanian and Zambian anthems

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 12 (7 cultural, 4 natural, 1 mixed)

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa (c); iSimangaliso Wetland Park (n); Robben Island (c); Maloti-Drakensberg Park (m); Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape (c); Cape Floral Region Protected Areas (n); Vredefort Dome (n); Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape (c); Khomani Cultural Landscape (c); Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains (n); Human Rights, Liberation and Reconciliation: Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites (c); The Emergence of Modern Human Behaviour: The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa (c)

Economy

Economic overview

upper-middle-income, largest southern African economy; Government of National Unity facing slow growth, fiscal gaps, and structural challenges; high income inequality, unemployment, and poverty; reforms to address electricity generation, transport, and logistics; leading producer and exporter of critical minerals

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$865.402 billion (2023 est.)
$859.399 billion (2022 est.)
$843.28 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 33

Real GDP growth rate

0.7% (2023 est.)
1.91% (2022 est.)
4.7% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 177

Real GDP per capita

$13,700 (2023 est.)
$13,800 (2022 est.)
$13,700 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 128

GDP (official exchange rate)

$380.699 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.4% (2024 est.)
6.1% (2023 est.)
7% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

comparison ranking: 140

GDP – composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 2.6% (2023 est.)

industry: 24.6% (2023 est.)

services: 62.6% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

comparison rankings: services 70; industry 98; agriculture 146

GDP – composition, by end use

household consumption: 64.4% (2023 est.)

government consumption: 19.3% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 14.9% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories: 0.6% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services: 32.8% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services: -32.4% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agricultural products

sugarcane, maize, milk, soybeans, potatoes, wheat, grapes, chicken, oranges, apples (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

mining (world’s largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair

Industrial production growth rate

-0.4% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 153

Labor force

27.766 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

comparison ranking: 25

Unemployment rate

33.2% (2024 est.)
32.1% (2023 est.)
33.3% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

comparison ranking: 201

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 60.9% (2024 est.)

male: 57.1% (2024 est.)

female: 65.5% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

comparison ranking: total 2

Population below poverty line

55.5% (2014 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income

63 (2014 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

comparison ranking: 1

Average household expenditures

on food: 16.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 4.1% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 0.9% (2014 est.)

highest 10%: 50.5% (2014 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Remittances

0.21% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.21% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.22% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Budget

revenues: $123.264 billion (2022 est.)

expenditures: $136.236 billion (2022 est.)

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Public debt

76.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 43

Taxes and other revenues

26% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 37

Current account balance

-$6.143 billion (2023 est.)
-$1.878 billion (2022 est.)
$15.701 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

comparison ranking: 185

Exports

$124.671 billion (2023 est.)
$136.01 billion (2022 est.)
$131.09 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 42

Exports – partners

China 19%, USA 8%, Germany 7%, India 7%, UK 6% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports – commodities

gold, platinum, coal, cars, iron ore (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

$123.454 billion (2023 est.)
$127.669 billion (2022 est.)
$104.881 billion (2021 est.)

note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 42

Imports – partners

China 21%, India 7%, USA 7%, Germany 6%, UAE 4% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports – commodities

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold, cars, broadcasting equipment (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$54.912 billion (2024 est.)
$62.492 billion (2023 est.)
$60.553 billion (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

comparison ranking: 39

Debt – external

$93.879 billion (2023 est.)

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

comparison ranking: 10

Exchange rates

rand (ZAR) per US dollar –

Exchange rates:
18.329 (2024 est.)
18.45 (2023 est.)
16.356 (2022 est.)
14.779 (2021 est.)
16.459 (2020 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification – total population: 86.5% (2022 est.)

electrification – urban areas: 87.1%

electrification – rural areas: 93.4%

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 65.989 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 194.978 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports: 12.629 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports: 10.837 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 22.838 billion kWh (2023 est.)

comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 190; imports 23; exports 20; consumption 23; installed generating capacity 21

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 87.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear: 3.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind: 5.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity: 0.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Nuclear energy

Number of operational nuclear reactors: 2 (2025)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 1.85GW (2025 est.)

Percent of total electricity production: 4.4% (2023 est.)

Coal

production: 239.712 million metric tons (2023 est.)

consumption: 176.095 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports: 66.918 million metric tons (2023 est.)

imports: 3.301 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves: 9.893 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 88,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 609,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 15 million barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas

production: 66.094 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

consumption: 3.834 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports: 3.768 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

446.704 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 365.269 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 73.913 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 7.522 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total emissions 12

Energy consumption per capita

86.197 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 61

Communications

Telephones – fixed lines

total subscriptions: 1.353 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 2 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 60

Telephones – mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 108 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 167 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 16

Broadcast media

the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) operates 6 free-to-air TV stations; 1 private TV station; multiple subscription TV services with mix of local and international channels; mix of public and private radio stations at the national, regional, and local levels; state-owned SABC radio network has 18 stations, including one for each of the 11 official languages, 4 community stations, and 3 commercial stations; over 100 community stations with rural coverage

Internet country code

.za

Internet users

percent of population: 76% (2023 est.)

Broadband – fixed subscriptions

total: 2.15 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total 58

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

573 (2025)

comparison ranking: 13

Heliports

49 (2025)

comparison ranking: 40

Railways

total: 30,400 km (2021)

standard gauge: 80 km (2021) 1.435-m gauge (80 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 19,756 km (2014) 1.065-m gauge (8,271 km electrified)

Merchant marine

total: 110 (2023)

by type: bulk carrier 3, general cargo 1, oil tanker 7, other 99

comparison ranking: total 86

Ports

total ports: 8 (2024)

large: 2

medium: 4

small: 1

very small: 1

ports with oil terminals: 7

key ports: Cape Town, Durban, Mossel Bay, Port Elizabeth, Richards Bay, Saldanha Bay

Military and Security

Military and security forces

South African National Defense Force (SANDF): South African Army (includes Reserve Force), South African Navy (SAN), South African Air Force (SAAF), South African Military Health Services

Ministry of Police: South African Police Service (2025)

Military expenditures

0.7% of GDP (2024 est.)
0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)
0.8% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.1% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 65-70,000 active-duty National Defense Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the SANDF’s inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced and foreign-supplied equipment; South Africa’s domestic defense industry produced most of the Army’s major weapons systems (some were jointly produced with foreign companies), while the Air Force and Navy inventories include a mix of aging European-, Israeli-, and US-origin weapons and equipment; South Africa has one of Africa’s leading defense industries (2024)

Military service age and obligation

18-22 (18-26 for college graduates) years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 2-year service obligation (2023)

note: in 2023, women comprised nearly 30% of the military

Military deployments

approximately 1,100 Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) (2025)

Military – note

the SANDF’s primary responsibilities include territorial and maritime defense, supporting the Police Service, protecting key infrastructure, and participating in international peacekeeping missions; the SANDF historically has been one of Africa’s most capable militaries, but in recent years its operational readiness and modernization programs have been widely viewed as hampered by funding shortfalls

the SANDF participates regularly in African and UN peacekeeping missions and is a member of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Standby Force; in 2021, it sent about 1,500 troops to Mozambique as part of a multinational SADC force to help combat an insurgency, and South African forces have been a key component of the UN’s Force Intervention Brigade in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; in recent years, the SANDF has been deployed internally to assist the Police Service with quelling unrest and assisting with border security

the SANDF was created in 1994 to replace the South African Defense Force (SADF); the SANDF was opened to all South Africans who met military requirements, while the SADF was a mostly white force (only whites were subject to conscription) with non-whites only allowed to join in a voluntary capacity; the SANDF also absorbed members of the guerrilla and militia forces of the various anti-apartheid opposition groups, including the African National Congress, the Pan Africanist Congress, and the Inkatha Freedom Party, as well as the security forces of the formerly independent Bantustan homelands (2024)

Space

Space agency/agencies

South African National Space Agency (SANSA; established 2010); South Africa Council for Space Affairs (SACSA; statutory body established 1995); South African Radio Telescope Observatory (SARAO) (2024)

Space launch site(s)

Arniston launch facility (Western Cape) used to support space launch vehicle and ballistic missile program (1980s-1990s); it is now a weapons testing facility called the Denel Overberg Test Range (2024)

Space program overview

the largest producer of satellites (particularly nanosatellites) in Africa; areas of focus for development include remote sensing (RS) capabilities, such as optical instruments and synthetic aperture radar systems, space engineering, ground support to space operations (tracking, telemetry, etc.), and space science, particularly astronomy; SANSA is responsible for aggregating RS data for southern African countries; has a sounding rocket program for carrying experimental payloads for research purposes; cooperates with foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, France, India, Russia, and the US; participates in international programs such as the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) Project, an international effort to build the world’s largest radio telescope by 2030; has a substantial number of state- and privately-owned aerospace companies, as well as academic and research institutions involved in space-related activities (2024)

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Terrorism

Terrorist group(s)

Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 22,388 (Somalia), 15,240 (Ethiopia) (mid-year 2022); 42,132 (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2024)

IDPs: 5,000 (2020)