Regions of Africa

Southern Africa: countries, map and key data

All 5 countries of Southern Africa, their capitals and how they compare, from official IMF, World Bank and UN figures.

Countries: 5
Population, 2025: 72.3 million (4.9% of Africa)
Projected population, 2030: 76.9 million
GDP, 2025: $470 billion (14.8% of Africa)
GDP per person, 2025: $6,499
Area: 2,673,348 sq km
Most people: South Africa
Largest economy: South Africa
Life expectancy, population-weighted: 66.2 years
Deaths under age five per 1,000 births, population-weighted: 36

The 5 countries of Southern Africa

BotswanaCapital: Gaborone2.55 million people · $7,802 per personEconomy Resources Government
EswatiniCapital: Mbabane (administrative capital); Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)1.26 million people · $4,148 per personEconomy Government
LesothoCapital: Maseru2.36 million people · $1,170 per personEconomy Resources Government
NamibiaCapital: Windhoek3.06 million people · $4,924 per personEconomy Resources Government
South AfricaCapital: Pretoria (administrative capital); Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital)63.1 million people · $6,769 per personEconomy Resources Government

Map of Southern AfricaHover over a country for its figures and where it ranks in the region, or click it for the full country page.

Southern Africa (5)
Other regions

Southern Africa at a glance, 2025

Countries
5
Population, millions
72.3
4.9% of Africa
GDP, US$ billion
470
14.8% of Africa
GDP per person, US$
6,499

Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook database, October 2026 (DataMapper indicators NGDPDPC, NGDPD and LP), October 2026. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Population of Southern Africa

South Africa has the most people in Southern AfricaPopulation, millions, 2025.

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Item	Value
South Africa	63.1
Namibia	3.1
Botswana	2.5
Lesotho	2.4
Eswatini	1.3

Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook database, October 2026 (DataMapper indicators NGDPDPC, NGDPD and LP), October 2026. Last checked 24 October 2026.

How Southern Africa's populations are growingPopulation, millions: 2015 and IMF projection for 2030.

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Item	2015	2030	Change
South Africa	55.7	67.0	+11.3
Namibia	2.3	3.4	+1.1
Botswana	2.2	2.7	+0.5
Lesotho	2.1	2.5	+0.4
Eswatini	1.1	1.3	+0.2

Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook database, October 2026 (DataMapper indicators NGDPDPC, NGDPD and LP), October 2026. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Economy of Southern Africa

South Africa is Southern Africa's largest economyGDP, billions of US dollars, 2025.

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Item	Value
South Africa	427.1
Botswana	19.9
Namibia	15.1
Eswatini	5.2
Lesotho	2.8

Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook database, October 2026 (DataMapper indicators NGDPDPC, NGDPD and LP), October 2026. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Botswana has the highest GDP per person in Southern AfricaGDP per person, US dollars, 2025.

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Item	Value
Botswana	7,802
South Africa	6,769
Namibia	4,924
Eswatini	4,148
Lesotho	1,170

Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook database, October 2026 (DataMapper indicators NGDPDPC, NGDPD and LP), October 2026. Last checked 24 October 2026.

GDP per person in Southern Africa's largest economies, 2015 to 2030US dollars per person. Figures from 2026 on are IMF projections.

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Period	South Africa	Botswana	Namibia	Eswatini	Lesotho
2015	6,223	6,141	4,888	3,418	1,046
2016	5,721	6,749	4,455	3,237	1,036
2017	6,647	7,105	5,211	3,857	1,124
2018	6,956	7,408	5,381	3,973	1,132
2019	6,583	7,159	4,798	3,913	1,052
2020	5,631	6,311	3,938	3,468	936
2021	6,924	7,808	4,477	3,984	1,080
2022	6,640	8,329	4,407	3,894	995
2023	6,133	7,826	4,274	3,755	963
2024	6,365	7,693	4,549	3,907	1,075
2025	6,769	7,802	4,924	4,148	1,170
2026	7,659	8,563	5,742	4,775	1,298
2027	8,009	9,050	6,127	5,009	1,332
2028	8,213	9,459	6,308	5,191	1,373
2029	8,408	10,269	6,514	5,371	1,417
2030	8,619	11,167	6,713	5,572	1,463

Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook database, October 2026 (DataMapper indicators NGDPDPC, NGDPD and LP), October 2026. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Health in Southern Africa

Botswana has the longest life expectancy in Southern AfricaLife expectancy at birth, years, latest year (2024 for most).

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Item	Value
Botswana	69.3
Namibia	67.5
South Africa	66.3
Eswatini	64.3
Lesotho	57.8

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Child deaths are highest in LesothoDeaths before age five per 1,000 live births, latest year. Lower is better.

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Item	Value
Lesotho	60
Eswatini	45
Namibia	40
South Africa	35
Botswana	33

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Natural resources in Southern Africa

South Africa depends most on natural resources in Southern AfricaNatural resource rents, % of GDP, latest year. The label shows the main resource.

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Item	Detail	Value
South Africa	minerals	7.3
Lesotho	forests and timber	4.3
Namibia	minerals	4.0
Eswatini	forests and timber	3.0
Botswana	coal	1.0

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Southern Africa compared

How Southern Africa compares with Africa's other regionsPopulation-weighted where marked. Click a region to open its page.


Southern Africa	5	72.3	470	6,499	66.2
West Africa	16	467.0	735	1,574	58.7
East Africa	18	474.2	630	1,328	65.8
North Africa	6	263.3	972	3,690	72.4
Central Africa	9	210.8	370	1,758	62.3

Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook database, October 2026 (DataMapper indicators NGDPDPC, NGDPD and LP), October 2026. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Every country in Southern Africa, comparedClick a heading to sort, or a country to open its page.

Showing 5 of 5

Rank
3	Botswana	Gaborone	2.5	19.9	7,802	69.3	33	1.0	2
5	Eswatini	Mbabane (administrative capital); Lobamba (royal and legislative capital)	1.3	5.2	4,148	64.3	45	3.0	2
4	Lesotho	Maseru	2.4	2.8	1,170	57.8	60	4.3	2
2	Namibia	Windhoek	3.1	15.1	4,924	67.5	40	4.0	2
1	South Africa	Pretoria (administrative capital); Cape Town (legislative capital); Bloemfontein (judicial capital)	63.1	427.1	6,769	66.3	35	7.3	2

Source: International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook database, October 2026 (DataMapper indicators NGDPDPC, NGDPD and LP), October 2026. Last checked 24 October 2026.

Regional blocs in Southern Africa

The UN regions are a statistical grouping. Trade and political blocs have their own membership, and some countries belong to more than one.

Southern African Development Community (SADC): 16 members

Angola (Central Africa)
Botswana
Comoros (East Africa)
Democratic Republic of the Congo (Central Africa)
Eswatini
Lesotho
Madagascar (East Africa)
Malawi (East Africa)
Mauritius (East Africa)
Mozambique (East Africa)
Namibia
Seychelles (East Africa)
South Africa
Tanzania (East Africa)
Zambia (East Africa)
Zimbabwe (East Africa)

Source: SADC member list, checked 24 October 2026.

Africa's other regions

West Africa16 countries · 467 million people · largest economy Nigeria
East Africa18 countries · 474.2 million people · largest economy Kenya
North Africa6 countries · 263.3 million people · largest economy Egypt
Central Africa9 countries · 210.8 million people · largest economy Angola
All regions of AfricaMap and comparison of every region

Method and sources

Countries are grouped by the United Nations M49 standard, where Southern Africa is "Southern Africa". Population, GDP and GDP per person are from the International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook database, October 2026 (DataMapper indicators NGDPDPC, NGDPD and LP) (October 2026); figures from 2026 on are IMF projections. Life expectancy, child mortality and natural resource rents are from the World Bank's World Development Indicators. Regional averages are weighted by population. We do not estimate or fill gaps. Figures checked 24 October 2026.

More: all Africa rankings, richest countries in Africa, African countries by population, life expectancy in Africa, natural resources in Africa, debt in Africa, coups in Africa, human development, literacy, internet use. Compare Southern Africa's largest countries side by side.

Frequently asked questions

How many countries are in Southern Africa?

5: Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa. This follows the United Nations' M49 grouping, where the region is called Southern Africa. Regional blocs such as SADC draw the line differently.

Which country in Southern Africa has the largest population?

South Africa, with 63.1 million people in 2025 according to the IMF, 87.2% of the region.

What is the largest economy in Southern Africa?

South Africa, with GDP of $427 billion in 2025, 90.9% of the region's total.

Which is the richest country in Southern Africa?

Measured by GDP per person, Botswana: $7,802 in 2025. The poorest by the same measure is Lesotho, at $1,170.

What is the population of Southern Africa?

72.3 million in 2025, 4.9% of Africa's population. The IMF projects 76.9 million by 2030.

Which countries are in SADC?

Southern African Development Community (SADC) has 16 members: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.