South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) of coastline stretching along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
To the north, it is bordered by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe. To the east and northeast, it shares borders with Mozambique and Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). South Africa also surrounds the enclaved country of Lesotho.
South Africa’s total surface area is 1,221,037 square kilometres. This makes it the 24th-largest country in the world and the ninth-biggest country in Africa, a region of 55 states. Furthermore, it’s the fifth-largest country lying entirely in the southern hemisphere.
Location of South Africa in its region.
It’s a dry country with no natural lakes, so the water area - dams and rivers - is only 4,620 square kilometres, just 0.38% of its total surface area.
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To put its size into perspective, South Africa is twice the size of France and five times as big as the UK.
South Africa Compared to Other Countries
Only six countries are the same size as South Africa, within 80,000 square kilometres. Chad, Niger, Angola and Mali - also in Africa - have a surface area equal to ours. Well over 170 countries of the world are smaller than South Africa, but some are within a sensible fraction of our size.
Ukraine and France are almost exactly half the size of South Africa. Iraq and Japan are a third. Poland and Italy are a quarter of the size. The United Kingdom and Romania are one-fifth the size of South Africa.
Elsewhere in the world, Australia is six times as big. India, the second-smallest nation in Brics, is three times South Africa’s size.
Country Size Comparison
Comparison with California (US)
California, officially the State of California, is a state in the western part of the United States. It is the third largest state by total area and the largest by population in the United States. Its largest cities are Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, and San Francisco. The capital is Sacramento.
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While a direct comparison to the entire United States wasn't provided, understanding the size of individual states can offer a clearer perspective.
Map of the USA with state names.
Size Comparisons at a Glance
Here's a table summarizing the size comparisons discussed:
| Country/Region | Comparison to South Africa |
|---|---|
| France | Half the size |
| United Kingdom | One-fifth the size |
| Australia | Six times as big |
| India | Three times South Africa’s size |
| Chad, Niger, Angola, Mali | Similar Size |
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