Country quiz · Africa
South Africa quiz
We ask about South Africa in 7 quizzes: 7 Explorer photos, outline, 6 trivia questions, 4 numbers, flag and the Africa map. Capital: Pretoria.
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8 questions about South Africa only, mixed from every pack it appears in. Scored on the spot.
South Africa at a glance
| Capital | Pretoria |
|---|---|
| Continent | Africa |
| Location | Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa |
| Population | 61 million (2025 estimate), 24th of 196 |
| Area | 1,219,090 km², 22nd of 196 |
| People per km² | 50 |
| Land borders | Botswana (1,969 km), Lesotho (1,106 km), Namibia (1,005 km), Mozambique (496 km), Eswatini (438 km), Zimbabwe (230 km) |
| Coastline | 2,798 km |
| Highest point | Ntheledi, 3,450 m |
| Currency | rand |
| Flag colours | red, blue, green, black, yellow and white |
| Calling code | +27 |
| Largest cities | Johannesburg (includes Ekurhuleni) (10 million), Cape Town (legislative capital) (4.9 million), Durban (3.2 million), Pretoria (administrative capital) (2.8 million) |
| Terrain | Vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain |
| Climate | Mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights |
| Where the name comes from | Self-descriptive name from the country's location on the continent; "Africa" is derived from the Roman designation of the area corresponding to present-day Tunisia "Africa terra," which meant "Land of the Afri" (the tribe resident in that area), but which eventually came to mean the entire continent |
| In our quizzes | 7 packs |
Of 6 land neighbours, Botswana shares the longest border with South Africa (1,969 km) and Zimbabwe the shortest (230 km); there are also 2,798 km of coast. By area South Africa is 22nd of 196 countries, just behind Mali and ahead of Colombia.
Facts from the CIA World Factbook and Wikidata; questions from our quiz packs. Updated .
Where it is
Places to find
7 in Explorer
The flat-topped massif rising above a city and two oceans.
Photo: Dietmar Rabich / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons licence
The island prison where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years in jail.
Photo: South African Tourism from South Africa / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons licence
South Africa's largest city, built on the world's richest gold reef.
Photo: Evan Bench / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons licence
A mountain desert of quiver trees and half-human succulents on the Namibian border.
Photo: South African Tourism from South Africa / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons licence
South Africa's judicial capital, the 'City of Roses' on the Free State plains.
Photo: South African Tourism from South Africa / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons licence
South Africa's 'Friendly City' on Algoa Bay, formerly Port Elizabeth.
Photo: Leo za1 / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons licenceQuestions we ask
10| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What currency does South Africa use? | Rand |
| Which country is completely surrounded by South Africa? | Lesotho |
| Which is the longest river in South Africa? | Orange |
| Which mountain range lies along the border of South Africa and Lesotho? | Drakensberg |
| Which country has three capital cities? | South Africa |
| How many official languages does South Africa have? | 12 |
| What is the population of South Africa? (millions) | 63 million |
| In what year did South Africa become a republic? | 1961 |
| In what year did Namibia gain independence from South Africa? | 1990 |
| What is the area of South Africa? (in thousand km²) | 1,221 thousand km² |
Facts from our quizzes
Where South Africa trips people up
South Africa is shown with Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia for the flag. For the outline, the other choices are Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Zimbabwe and Mozambique are on both lists.
One trivia question is “What currency does South Africa use?” (Rand). Then: “Which country is completely surrounded by South Africa?” (Lesotho). In numbers we hold a population of 63 million, the year 1961 (South Africa become a republic), independence in 1990 and an area of 1,221 thousand square kilometres. Table Mountain and Robben Island, two of 7 South Africa photos, are marked easy; Gqeberha is marked hard.
Every South Africa question, with streaks and a leaderboard, is in the app.
PlayQuestions and answers
What is the capital of South Africa?
The capital of South Africa is Pretoria.
Which continent is South Africa in?
South Africa is in Africa.
What is the population of South Africa?
About 61 million (2025 estimate).
Which countries border South Africa?
South Africa borders Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Mozambique, Eswatini and Zimbabwe.
What is the highest point in South Africa?
Ntheledi, at 3,450 m.