Where is South Africa located?South Africa is located on the southern tip of Africa and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the Indian Ocean on the south and east. Its neighbouring countries are Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Swaziland. The Kingdom of Lesotho is situated in the eastern central plain of the country. |
How big is the area of South Africa?South Africa's total land area is 1 219 912 sq km (471,011 sq mi). The country is five times larger than Great Britain and three times the size of Texas.
Cape Town - 2,499 square kilometresJohannesburg - 1,644 square kilometres Durban - 2,292 square kilometres Kruger National Park - 18,989 square kilometres |
What are the different areas of South Africa?South Africa is divided into 9 provinces: Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West and Mpumalanga. Major cities include Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Bloemfontein. |
What is the Capital City of South Africa?South Africa boasts 3 capital cities. These are:
Bloemfontein: The location of the Supreme Court of Appeal, the highest court in non-constitutional matters. The Constitutional Court in Johannesburg is the highest court in constitutional matters.
Cape Town: The legislative capital of South Africa and home to the seat of Parliament.
Pretoria: The administrative capital of South Africa. |
How big is the Population?South Africa is a diverse country filled with a myriad of traditional origins, languages and beliefs, and is home to over 47 million people from all walks of life. The population of South Africa is divided into four ethnic groups, black Africans, whites, coloureds and Asians.
The Black Africans make up the majority of the population, which accounts for 76% of the entire countries population. Whites account for 13%, coloureds (mixed White and Black descent) make up for 9% and Asian account for 3%. |
What type of Government does South Africa have?Officially the Republic of South Africa, this country is a constitutional democracy with a government and independent judiciary, all operating under a parliamentary system. The national, provincial and local levels of government all have legislative and executive authority in their own regions. Advisory bodies operate at both national and provincial levels and are drawn from traditional leaders of South Africa.
The South African government is undertaken by three inter-connected arms of government, namely Legislative, executive and judiciary. The Legislature consists of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, the Executive consists of the President, who is Head of State and Head of Government, and the Judiciary, the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court of Appeal and the High Court.
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What time zone is South Africa?South Africa is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GTM), one hour ahead of Central European WinterTime, 8 hours behind Australian Eastern Standard Time and 7 hours ahead of Eastern Standard WinterTime. There is no daylight saving and no time-zone changes between South Africa and its neighbouring countries, or between the 9 provinces of South Africa. |
When is the best time to visit for my holiday to South Africa?South Africa is a year round holiday destination, but it all depends on what kind of experience you are looking for. Different activities are better suited to different seasons.
For the best game watching, visit during a South African spring (August – October), Whale watching from mid June to the end of October and for diving and surfing, April to September. The beaches of Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban are great and best visited in the peak of summer (November – February), but are often overcrowded. |
What currency do I need for my South Africa holiday?The unit of currency is the South African Rand, denoted by the symbol R. One hundred cents makes up one Rand (R1). Coins are available in denominations of 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, R1, R2 and R5, and notes in denominations of R10, R20, R50, R100 and R200.
The Rand is weaker than the Pound and Dollar, making a visit to South Africa highly affordable by international standards. Accommodation, eating out and shopping in South Africa offers great value for money to the international traveller.
Your foreign currency can be exchanged at most local banks and Bureaux de Change. There are many banks and ATM’s all around South Africa, including airports, petrol stations and malls.
Please Note: In South Africa you cannot purchase fuel (petrol) with a credit card. Many locals possess a special ‘petrol card’ that can only be used at filling stations. You can, however, pay toll with MasterCard or Visa. |
What are the Bank Opening Hours?Operating hours for banks are 09:00am – 15:30pm on Mondays to Fridays, and 08:30am – 11:00am on Saturdays. Banks are closed on Sundays and public holidays. Credit cards are widely accepted, including American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa. |
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