Location:
Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa
Geographic coordinates:
29 00 S, 24 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area: Area - comparative: Land boundaries: Coastline: Maritime claims: Climate: Terrain: Elevation: Natural resources: Land use: Irrigated land: Natural hazards: Environment - current issues: Environment - international agreements: Geography - note:
total: 1,219,090 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 1,214,470 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 4,620 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island)
country comparison to the world: 25
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Area comparison map: slightly less than twice the size of Texas
total: 5,244 km
border countries (6): Botswana 1,969 km, Lesotho 1,106 km, Mozambique 496 km, Namibia 1,005 km, Swaziland 438 km, Zimbabwe 230 km
[see also: Land boundaries country ranks ]
2,798 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights
vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain
mean elevation: 1,034 m
[see also: Mean Elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, rare earth elements, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas
agricultural land: 79.4%
arable land 9.9%; permanent crops 0.3%; permanent pasture 69.2%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 7.6%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 13% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]
16,700 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]
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
lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification
party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland