Africa · Southern Africa · two oceans
South Africa
Capital · Pretoria
Table Mountain, the winelands and the rainbow nation.
The essentials
South Africa at a glance
- Capital
- Pretoria
- Region
- Southern Africa · two oceans
- Currency
- Rand (ZAR)
- Languages
- 12 official languages — isiZulu · isiXhosa · Afrikaans · English · Sesotho +
- Dialling code
- +27
- Status
- Sovereign African nation
Plan around it
National days & key dates in South Africa
The dates the diaspora marks abroad — independence, liberation and the festivals that fill a rented hall in Bangkok or Guangzhou every year.
Apr 27Freedom DayFirst democratic election, 1994
Jun 16Youth DaySoweto uprising, 1976
Sep 24Heritage Day
Across the ocean
Where South Africa people gather in Asia
These are the Asian hubs with the largest and longest-established African communities. Every one has a free country group and a live channel in the Hub.
🇹🇭ThailandBangkok — Sukhumvit Soi 3, the original Little Africa
🇨🇳ChinaGuangzhou & Yiwu — the trade corridor
🇯🇵JapanTokyo & Yokohama — students, athletes and engineers
🇮🇳IndiaDelhi, Bangalore & Pune — university towns
🇲🇾MalaysiaKuala Lumpur — study and business visas
🇦🇪United Arab EmiratesDubai — the aviation and re-export hub
Before you fly
Travelling on a South Africa passport
Asian entry rules are not uniform across Africa. Some destinations are visa-free or visa-on-arrival for this passport; others need an e-visa or a full embassy application with proof of funds and a return ticket.
Open the Passport Index →Never land alone
Find your people first
Post in the South Africa channel before you book. Someone from home is already in the city you are moving to — and they will tell you what the agent will not.
Open the South Africa channel →Keep exploring