Geography of South Africa
| Location: | Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent of Africa |
| Geographic coordinates: | 29 00 S, 24 00 E |
| Map references: | Africa |
| Area: | total: 1,219,912 sq km land: 1,219,912 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes Prince Edward Islands (Marion Island and Prince Edward Island) |
| Area - comparative: | slightly less than twice the size of Texas |
| Land boundaries: | total: 4,862 km border countries: Botswana 1,840 km, Lesotho 909 km, Mozambique 491 km, Namibia 967 km, Swaziland 430 km, Zimbabwe 225 km |
| Coastline: | 2,798 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin |
| Climate: | mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days, cool nights |
| Terrain: | vast interior plateau rimmed by rugged hills and narrow coastal plain |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m |
| Natural resources: | gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas |
| Land use: | arable land: 12.1% permanent crops: 0.79% other: 87.11% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 14,980 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | prolonged droughts |
| Environment - current issues: | 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 |
| Environment - international agreements: | 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 |
| Geography - note: | South Africa completely surrounds Lesotho and almost completely surrounds Swaziland |