South Africa

 

Travel information for South Africa

Country facts

Official name

Republic of South Africa (formerly Union of South Africa)

Capital city

The only nation in the world with three capital cities : Cape Town, Pretoria & Bloemfontein

Population

43,997,838

Time Zone

GMT +2 hours.

Phone Code

+27

Electrical

220/230 Voltage, 50 Frequency, M Plug

Language

There are 11 official languages; Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Sepedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu.

Religion

Zion Christian 11.1%, Pentecostal/Charismatic 8.2%, Catholic 7.1%, Methodist 6.8%, Dutch Reformed 6.7%, Anglican 3.8%, Muslim 1.5%, other Christian 36%, other 2.3% unspecified 1.4%, none 15.1%

Weather

Mostly semiarid; subtropical along the east coast, sunny days, cool nights

Geography

Located in Southern Africa, at the southern tip of the continent, South Africa is bordering the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, Namibia (967km), Botswana (1840km), Zimbabwe (225km), Mozambique (419km), Swaziland (430km) and Lesotho (909lm).
Total 1,219,912 square km
Land 1,219,912 square km
Water 0 square km.
(Slightly less than twice the size of Texas)
Coastline - 2,798 km

Visa information

The following information on entry requirements has been confirmed with the South African authorities. However, these requirements are subject to change at any time. It is the traveller’s responsibility to check with the High Commission of the Republic of South Africa and its consulates for up-to-date information.

A valid Canadian passport is required for Canadians intending to visit South Africa. The passport must be valid for a period of at least 6 months beyond the date of your expected departure from South Africa and must have at least two blank pages in the passport.  Canadian Citizens do not require a Visa to enter South Africa.

Health information

Health requirements can change at any time The Public Health Agency of Canada strongly recommends that your travel plans include contacting a travel medicine clinic or physician six to eight weeks before departure. Based on your individual risk assessment, a health care professional can determine your need for immunizations and/or preventive medication and advise you on precautions to avoid disease. Travelers are reminded to ensure that their routine (childhood) immunizations (e.g., tetanus, diphtheria, polio, and measles) are up to date. 

As of 1 October 2011, all travellers arriving from yellow fever risk countries are required to show proof of yellow fever vaccination (unless in possession of a valid waiver certificate).

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