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What is the capital of South Africa?

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The capital of South Africa is Pretoria (South Africa has multiple capitals: Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town)

Pretoria lies in Gauteng province, in a sheltered valley between the Highveld and the Bushveld, about 56 kilometres north of Johannesburg.

Pretoria is the capital and seat of government of South Africa, a role it has held since 1910. South Africa itself has an estimated population of 64,747,319 (2025).

Pretoria is not the largest city in South Africa. That is Johannesburg, which makes South Africa one of the countries whose capital is not their biggest city.

Pretoria at a glance

City population741,651 (2011 census)
Metropolitan area4,040,000 (2024, Tshwane metro)
Country🇿🇦 South Africa
Founded1855
Capital since1910
Largest city in South AfricaJohannesburg
Time zoneUTC+02:00 (SAST)
CurrencySouth African rand (ZAR)

About Pretoria

Pretoria was founded in 1855 by the Voortrekker leader Marthinus Pretorius, who named it after his father Andries Pretorius.

Pretoria has been the capital of South Africa since 1910, when Pretoria became the administrative capital of the newly unified Union of South Africa.

South Africa has three capitals: Pretoria is the executive (administrative) capital and seat of the president, Cape Town is the legislative capital and home of Parliament, and Bloemfontein is the judicial capital.

Pretoria is not South Africa's largest city; Johannesburg, about 56 kilometres to the southwest, is much bigger, and the two form part of one large urban region.

City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Pretoria.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of South Africa?
The capital of South Africa is Pretoria. South Africa has more than one capital: Pretoria, Bloemfontein, Cape Town.
Is Pretoria the largest city in South Africa?
No. The capital of South Africa is Pretoria, Bloemfontein and Cape Town, but the largest city is Johannesburg. South Africa spreads its capital functions across three cities: Pretoria (executive), Bloemfontein (judicial) and Cape Town (legislative). None of the three is the largest city.
What is the population of Pretoria?
Pretoria has a population of about 741,651 (2011 census), while its wider metropolitan area is home to around 4,040,000.
Where is Pretoria located?
Pretoria lies in Gauteng province, in a sheltered valley between the Highveld and the Bushveld, about 56 kilometres north of Johannesburg.
When did Pretoria become the capital of South Africa?
Pretoria has been the capital of South Africa since 1910, when Pretoria became the administrative capital of the newly unified Union of South Africa.
What time zone is Pretoria in?
Pretoria uses UTC+02:00 (SAST).
What currency is used in Pretoria?
Pretoria, like the rest of South Africa, uses the South African rand (ZAR, symbol R).

Capitals of neighbouring countries

Capital of BotswanaCapital of EswatiniCapital of LesothoCapital of MozambiqueCapital of NamibiaCapital of Zimbabwe

See the full profile of South Africa on its country page, or browse every capital city.

Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.