Pretoria (administrative capital); Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital)
Population
60,442,647
Sub-Zones
9
General Information
Basic details about South Africa
Population:
60,442,647
Area:
1,219,090 sq km
Currency:
rand
Languages:
isiZulu or Zulu, isiXhosa or Xhosa, Afrikaans, Sepedi or Pedi, Setswana or Tswana, English, Sesotho or Sotho, Xitsonga or Tsonga, siSwati or Swati, Tshivenda or Venda
Economic Overview
Key economic indicators for South Africa
GDP:
$865.402 billion
GDP per Capita:
$13,700
GDP Growth:
0.7%
Inflation:
6.07%
Unemployment:
27.99%
Public Debt:
76.24% of GDP
Credit Rating:
BB- (2020)
Political System
Governance structure of South Africa
Government Type:
parliamentary republic
Head of State:
President Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (since 19 June 2024)
Head of Government:
President Matamela Cyril RAMAPHOSA (since 19 June 2024)
Judiciary:
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)
Administrative Divisions:
9 provinces; Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape
Major Political Parties
Not specified
International Relations
Global position and alliances
UN Member:
Yes
EU Member:
No
Diplomatic Presence:
3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Major Alliances and Organizations
AUBRICS
Economic Sectors & Trade
Detailed economic breakdown
Major Economic Sectors
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
Trade Volume
Exports:
$124.671 billion
Imports:
$123.454 billion
Major Trading Partners
China 19
USA 8
Germany 7
India 7
UK 6
Economic Outlook
South Africa has a 0.7% GDP growth rate with 6.07% inflation. The economy is characterized by a strong agriculture sector.