🌍 Geography
Location: Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Area & Boundaries
Total Area
1,219,090 km²
Land Area
1,214,470 km²
Water Area
4,620 km²
World Rank by Area
#null
Land Boundaries
5,244 km
Coastline
2,798 km
Bordering Countries
Botswana 1 (N/A km)
969 km; Lesotho 1 (N/A km)
106 km; Mozambique (496 km)
005 km; Eswatini (438 km)
Terrain & Climate
Terrain: vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
Elevation
Highest Point
: N/Am
Lowest Point
: nullm
Mean Elevation
1,034m
Natural Resources
gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
👥 Demographics
Population Overview
Total Population (2024)
60,442,647
World Rank
#null
Growth Rate
1.07%
Urbanization
null%
Age & Life Expectancy
Median Age
30.4 years
Life Expectancy
null years
Birth Rate
17.7 per 1,000
Death Rate
6.9 per 1,000
Major Urban Areas
- Johannesburg: 10,316,000 people
Education
Literacy Rate: null% (Male: 91.5%, Female: 90.8%)
💼 Economy
<p>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</p>
GDP & Economic Indicators
GDP (PPP)
$870.42 billion
GDP (Official Rate)
$400.26 billion
GDP per Capita (PPP)
$13,600
World GDP Rank
#null
GDP Growth Rate
0.6%
Unemployment Rate
null%
Inflation Rate
4.4%
Public Debt (% of GDP)
null%
GDP Composition by Sector
Agriculture
2.9%
Industry
24.4%
Services
62.7%
Major Industries
mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textiles, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair
Trade
Exports
N/A
Imports
N/A
Foreign Exchange Reserves
N/A
Currency
(null)
🏛️ Government
Government Type
parliamentary republic
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive Branch
Chief of State:
Head of Government:
Legislative Branch
National Holiday
Freedom Day, 27 April (1994)
📈 Social Indicators
Physicians
0.79 per 1,000
Health Expenditure
8.3% of GDP
Education Expenditure
6% of GDP
🎨 Cultural Heritage
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
12
Notable Sites
- Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa
- iSimangaliso Wetland Park
- Robben Island
- Maloti-Drakensberg Park
- Mapungubwe Cultural Landscape
- Cape Floral Region Protected Areas
- Vredefort Dome
- Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape
- Khomani Cultural Landscape
- Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains