South Africa, officially called the Republic of South Africa, is the southern most country of continental Africa, bordered in the north-west by Namibia; in the north by Botswana and Zimbabwe; in the north-east by Mozambique and Swaziland; in the east and south by the Indian Ocean; and in the west by the Atlantic Ocean.

The independent country of Lesotho forms an enclave in the eastern part of the country. South Africa has an area of 1,219,090 sq km (470,693 sq mi). The administrative capital of South Africa is Pretoria, the legislative capital is Cape Town, and the judicial capital is Bloemfontein.