Quick answerPretoria is the capital of South Africa, with 4,040,315 people inside the city limits in 2022. The wider metropolitan area had about 2.6 million people in 2022. It is best known for the Union Buildings and the Jacaranda trees. Its official languages include Afrikaans, English and 10 others, and its currency is the South African rand.
Pretoria is the executive capital of South Africa, where the president and cabinet sit. The City of Tshwane metropolitan municipality, which includes Pretoria, had about 4 million people in the 2022 census, while the built-up city itself had about 2.6 million.
Key facts
| Country | South Africa |
|---|---|
| Population (city) | 4,040,315 (2022) |
| Population (metro) | 2,566,000 (2022) · Pretoria urban agglomeration (UN World Urbanization Prospects, 2020) |
| Elevation | 1339 m above sea level |
| Time zone | Africa/Johannesburg |
| Language | Afrikaans, English, Southern Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu, South African Sign Language |
| Currency | South African rand (ZAR, R) |
| Coordinates | 25.7461° S, 28.1881° E |
Overview
Pretoria is the executive capital of South Africa, home to the president, the cabinet and the Union Buildings, the seat of government. The city was founded in 1855 and named after Andries Pretorius, a leader of the Voortrekkers. It sits at 1,339 metres above sea level on the Highveld, about 50 kilometres north of Johannesburg.
The population figures need care: the City of Tshwane metropolitan municipality, which includes Pretoria and its surrounding towns, had 4,040,315 residents in the 2022 census. The built-up urban area of Pretoria itself is smaller, about 2,566,000 people in the United Nations estimate for 2020. Together with Johannesburg, Pretoria forms the economic heart of Gauteng, South Africa's smallest but richest province.
Pretoria is known as the Jacaranda City for the purple jacaranda trees that flower across its streets each spring. The Union Buildings, designed by Herbert Baker and completed in 1913, stand on Meintjeskop hill above the city, and the Voortrekker Monument and Freedom Park recall the country's divided history. The city also hosts the National Zoological Gardens and several universities.
What Pretoria is known for
- Union Buildings
- Jacaranda trees
- Executive capital of South Africa
- Voortrekker Monument
- National Zoological Gardens
- Church Square
Landmarks
- Union Buildings
- Voortrekker Monument
- Church Square
- National Zoological Gardens of South Africa
- Freedom Park
- Pretoria National Botanical Garden
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Pretoria?
The City of Tshwane metropolitan municipality, which includes Pretoria, had 4,040,315 people in the 2022 census, according to Statistics South Africa. The built-up urban area of Pretoria itself is smaller, about 2,566,000 people in the United Nations estimate for 2020. The two figures count different areas.
What is Pretoria famous for?
Pretoria is famous as South Africa's executive capital and the home of the Union Buildings, the seat of government. It is also known as the Jacaranda City for the purple jacaranda trees that flower across its streets each spring, and for the Voortrekker Monument and Freedom Park.
Where is Pretoria located?
Pretoria is in north-eastern South Africa, in Gauteng province, about 50 kilometres north of Johannesburg. It is the executive capital of South Africa and the seat of the City of Tshwane. Its coordinates are 25.75° S, 28.19° E, and its time zone is South African Standard Time.
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Keep exploring
- South Africa — the country Pretoria is in
- Johannesburg — another city in South Africa
- Cape Town — another city in South Africa
- Durban — another city in South Africa
- All cities in South Africa
- All countries — the full list
Sources & last updated
- Wikipedia — Pretoria
- City Population (Thomas Brinkhoff), citing Statistics South Africa 2022 census
- UN World Urbanization Prospects, via Wikipedia — Urban areas in Africa by population
Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.