How far am I from the South African border?
South Africa shares land borders with Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana and Kingdom of eSwatini. Use your location to measure the straight-line distance from where you are to the nearest point of South Africa, or see below how far major cities on both sides of the border are.
How far are you from South Africa?
On a phone this uses GPS. The calculator opens with South Africa already selected and measures from your exact spot.
South Africa's neighbours
South Africa is shown in green, and the 6 countries it shares a land border with in blue.
- South Africa
- Land neighbours
Which countries border South Africa? See every neighbour and the countries two borders away
How far major cities are from South Africa
| City | Country | To South Africa |
|---|---|---|
| Maputsoe | Lesotho | 0.4 km (0.3 miles) |
| Maseru | Lesotho | 1.1 km (0.7 miles) |
| Gaborone | Botswana | 10 km (6.2 miles) |
| Mbabane | Kingdom of eSwatini | 18 km (11 miles) |
| Matola | Mozambique | 48 km (30 miles) |
| Manzini | Kingdom of eSwatini | 49 km (31 miles) |
| Maputo | Mozambique | 61 km (38 miles) |
| Francistown | Botswana | 178 km (110 miles) |
| Bulawayo | Zimbabwe | 234 km (145 miles) |
| Windhoek | Namibia | 385 km (239 miles) |
| Harare | Zimbabwe | 495 km (307 miles) |
| Rundu | Namibia | 758 km (471 miles) |
How far South Africa's cities are from its borders
| City | Nearest neighbour | To that border |
|---|---|---|
| Durban | Lesotho | 162 km (101 miles) |
| Johannesburg | Botswana | 238 km (148 miles) |
| Cape Town | Namibia | 553 km (344 miles) |
Straight-line distance from each city centre to the nearest point of the other country, measured October 8, 2026.
Questions
How far am I from the South African border?
Tap "Use my location" on this page. On a phone it uses GPS, and the calculator measures the straight-line distance from where you are to the nearest point of South Africa, in miles and kilometers.
Which countries border South Africa?
South Africa shares land borders with Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana and Kingdom of eSwatini.
Is this the distance to a border crossing?
No. It is the straight-line distance to the nearest point on the border line itself. The nearest official crossing can be much farther away by road.
Does it measure across water?
Yes. It measures to the nearest point of South Africa's territory. From most places that is the land border, but from somewhere across a sea or a lake it can be South Africa's coast.
Which big city is closest to South Africa?
Of the cities measured here, Maputsoe in Lesotho is the closest: 0.4 km (0.3 miles) from South Africa in a straight line.