Blank map of South Africa by province
All 9 provinces of South Africa, ready to print on A4, Letter, A3 or Tabloid, or to download as PNG and SVG. Free, no sign-up.
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Mapsfera · data Natural Earth
South Africa on the map
South Africa is divided into 9 provinces, covering about 1,220,000 km² (472,000 sq mi) as measured on the map. The largest is Northern Cape (373,000 km² (144,000 sq mi)) and the smallest, Gauteng (18,200 km² (7,050 sq mi)): Northern Cape is about 20 times bigger.
The capital is Bloemfontein, in Free State; Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Cape Town also serve as a capital. The capitals version marks the capital of each province.
A few remote islands of Western Cape are left out so the rest of the map isn’t tiny.
What each province borders
Free State borders the most provinces: 6 (Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and North West).
South Africa borders Lesotho, Mozambique, Botswana, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, and Namibia. 3 provinces border Lesotho: Eastern Cape, Free State, and KwaZulu-Natal. 3 provinces border Mozambique: KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga. 3 provinces border Botswana: Limpopo, North West, and Northern Cape. 2 provinces border Eswatini: KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.
4 provinces have a coastline and 5 don’t: Free State, Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North West.
Number key
Numbers follow alphabetical order, from 1 (Eastern Cape) to 9 (Western Cape). Areas are measured on the map and approximate; “Borders” counts neighboring provinces.
| No. | Province | Capital | Area (approx.) | Borders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Cape | Bhisho | 169,000 km² | 4 |
| 2 | Free State | Bloemfontein | 130,000 km² | 6 |
| 3 | Gauteng | Johannesburg | 18,200 km² | 4 |
| 4 | KwaZulu-Natal | Pietermaritzburg | 94,100 km² | 3 |
| 5 | Limpopo | Polokwane | 126,000 km² | 3 |
| 6 | Mpumalanga | Mbombela | 75,700 km² | 4 |
| 7 | North West | Mahikeng | 105,000 km² | 4 |
| 8 | Northern Cape | Kimberley | 373,000 km² | 4 |
| 9 | Western Cape | Cape Town | 130,000 km² | 2 |
More blank maps
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Frequently asked questions
How many provinces does South Africa have?
9: 9 provinces.
What is the largest province in South Africa?
Northern Cape, at about 373,000 km² (144,000 sq mi). The smallest is Gauteng, at about 18,200 km² (7,050 sq mi).
What is the capital of South Africa?
Bloemfontein, in Free State. Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Cape Town also serve as a capital.
Which countries border South Africa?
Lesotho, Mozambique, Botswana, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, according to Natural Earth borders.
Can I use it in class?
Yes, it’s free. Print it, copy it and hand it out as many times as you like. If you post it on a blog or a class website, credit “Mapsfera · data Natural Earth”.
How do I print it on US Letter paper?
Choose Letter in “Paper size” and click “Download PDF”. In the print window, pick Letter paper and 100% scale (“Actual size”). For a bigger map, choose Tabloid (11 × 17 in) or A3.
What order are the numbers in?
Alphabetical, from 1 to the last one. That makes the key easy to follow when you grade, and it’s the same key the worksheet’s answer page uses.
Sources
- Province boundaries: Natural Earth, 1:10m, Admin 1 (public domain)
- Capitals: Natural Earth, Populated Places (public domain); missing ones from OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
- Areas, neighbors and coastlines: calculated from those boundaries (approximate)