Approximately 4 million people live in Cape Town, South Africa’s second most-populated city.
2, 461 km²
1 068 572
294 km
South Africa has 11 official languages, though most people can speak English. Afrikaans and Xhosa are also widely spoken in Cape Town and the Western Cape
Cape Town has a climate similar to that of California and the Mediterranean. Winter starts in June and ends in September and is generally a wet and windy season. Temperatures are cool and tend to range between 7°C (45°F) and 17°C (63°F). Summer lasts from November to March and temperatures range between 19°C (66°F) and 35°C (95°F). The summer season is usually hot and sunny. It can be windy, but it doesn’t bring much rain
ZAR 445 billion (2017)
Increased from R49 billion in 2013 to R82 billion in 2017
ZAR 106 839 (2017)
21.3%
The currency is the Rand (ZAR). The South African exchange rate is favourable to most currencies, including the pound, euro and dollar. Most restaurants, shops and hotels accept international credit cards. Value added tax, or VAT, is 14% and is included in the price of all items, but can be claimed by foreign visitors when leaving the country
The City of Cape Town is the legislative capital of South Africa
South Africa’s Parliament sits in Cape Town
The city was home to the Khoi and San people thousands of years ago, and later became the centre of European colonisation. In 1652, Jan van Riebeeck of the Dutch East India Company, based in The Netherlands, arrived to set up a halfway point for ships travelling to the East. Portuguese explorers arrived in the Cape in the 15th Century. Cape Town has has endured colonisation, slavery, naval battles around its shores, survived Apartheid and eventually, became a massive part in the birth of South Africa’s young democracy.
Visa requirements depend on nationality, but all foreign visitors are required to hold a valid passport. South Africa requires a valid yellow fever certificate from all foreign visitors and citizens over one year of age travelling from an infected area or having been in transit through infected areas. For visa requirements, please contact your nearest South African diplomatic mission
International: 1.2 million
Domestic: 4 million
Cape Town lies in the GMT +2 time zone and does not have daylight saving time
More than 3 350 (over 190 endemic and 450 threatened/red list)
Country code: 0027 and City code: 021
