🇿🇦
South Africa: key facts and figures
South Africa has 64.0 million people, 12 official languages, the South African Rand and 13 public holidays a year. It ranks 24th of 195 countries for total population.
64.0 millionpeople
ZARcurrency
Afrikaansofficial language
+27calling code
Leftdriving side
Every figure shows how South Africa differs
Population and Demographics
how many people live there, and how that is changing
64.0 millionPopulation
- Annual change+1.26%
- Fertility rate2.2 per woman#89
- Aged 65 and over6.69%#104
Economy
the size of the economy and how fast it is growing
$6,598Output per person
- Total economy$427.2 billion#39
- Real growth+1.1%#157
- Inflation3.2%#90
Human Development
health, schooling and income combined into one index
0.741Human Development Index
- Adjusted for inequality0.476#118
- Life expectancy66.1 years#158
- Mean schooling11.6 years#54
Currency
what money is used and its official code
South African RandCurrency
- ISO 4217 codeZAR
- SymbolZAR
- CapitalPretoria
Languages
which languages hold official status
12 official languagesOfficial languages
- Text directionLeft to right
Practical Country Info
plugs, voltage, driving side and dialling
Type C, Type M, Type NPlug types
- Mains voltage230 V
- Driving sideLeft
- Calling code+27
- Time zoneAfrica/Johannesburg
Public Holidays
official days off through the year
13Public holidays in 2026
- Jan 1New Year's Day
- Mar 21Human Rights Day
- Apr 3Good Friday
Digital Adoption
how many people are online and how digital the state is
78%Internet use
- E-government index0.862#40
- Global rank#40
- E-government groupVery High
Geography and Environment
terrain, climate and physical setting
Coastal countryPhysical setting
- Highest pointGreat Escarpment
- ClimateClimate ranges from arid and semi-arid conditions in the west and interior to wetter subtropical and temperate zones toward the east and south.
Education
how the school system is structured
13,596,869Learners
- Educators459,906
- Schools24,766
- Data coverage99.9%
Nearby in the index
Other country profiles alongside South Africa
About this profile
Every figure on this page is a summary of a fuller page, and each links to it. Sources, data years and methodology notes sit on those pages rather than here. Where a subject carries no published figure for South Africa, it is left off this profile rather than shown as empty.