This article guides you on the question “How powerful is the South African passport?”. Let’s explore:

The South African passport is relatively powerful, ranking around 44th to 52nd in the world, depending on the ranking index used. This means that South African passport holders can travel to a good number of countries without needing a visa beforehand.

Here’s a breakdown of the South African passport’s power:

• Visa-free access to: 61 countries (as of October 2023)
• Visa on arrival: 46 countries
• eTA: 5 countries
• Visa required: 86 countries

So, with a South African passport, you can potentially visit over 100 countries without needing to go through the hassle of applying for visas in advance. This makes it quite a powerful passport, especially within Africa, where it ranks among the top 3.

Of course, the specific countries you can visit without a visa will depend on your circumstances, such as your nationality, profession, and travel history. It’s always best to check the latest visa requirements with the embassy or consulate of the country you want to visit.

The Republic of South Africa is a former British colony. It is located in Southern Africa and it consists of nine provinces. It borders Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini and Lesotho. The most important provinces are Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape. South Africa is the 9th largest country in Africa with a surface area of 1,221,037 square kilometers. This makes it one of the larger countries in Africa. Its terrain is characterized by a vast interior plateau surrounded by hills and coastal plains. The climate is semiarid with subtropical parts alongside the eastern coast.

The overall population is 59.6 million people. The capital of the country is Pretoria. The most populous city with around 5.6 million inhabitants is however Johannesburg. Other important cities of the country are Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Durban. The largest airport is O. R. Tambo International Airport (JNB). It has an approximate yearly passenger traffic of 21 million people. It connects the country to destinations across the entire world.

South Africa gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1931. Its culture is dominated by a mix of tribal traditions and colonial and European heritage. There majority of the population is 86% Christian. The nation has 11 official languages including English and Tribal dialects. The legal system is a mix between, civil, common and customary law. The government form is a parliamentary republic with President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa as elected chief of state and head of government. Elections take place every 5 years.

The official currency of the country is the South African Rand (ZAR) with the current exchange rate being ZAR 17.01 to the USD. South Africa has an open economy, generating a GDP of approximately $711 billion. This makes it the 3rd largest economy in Africa. It has a per capita income of $11,911. The main GDP contributing sectors are services and agriculture. South Africa’s economy relies heavily on mining. It is one of the most mineral rich countries in the world and the largest producer of platinum, gold and chromium.

The Republic of South Africa is an exciting destination offering several attractions. It is known for its vast wildlife and safari tours in various national parks. Some of the major destinations are the Kruger National Park, Cape Town, the Garden Route, Stellenbosch, Drakensberg and Robben Island. The majority of the 16.4 million yearly tourism visitors is originating from the neighboring African countries, the United States and Europe