Quick facts
Botshabelo overview
Botshabelo (orange) and the other large cities of South Africa
Botshabelo lies in Free State in South Africa at 29.27°S, 26.73°E, about 1,448 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Johannesburg (UTC+2).
It is smaller than Roodepoort (326,416) and larger than Brakpan (305,692). The largest city in South Africa is Johannesburg with 9,418,183 people; the capital, Pretoria, has 2,112,693.
The national capital, Pretoria, is about 417 km away; the nearest large city is Bloemfontein, 52 km from Botshabelo.
South Africa as a whole has a live population of 65,656,172 (+1.1% a year) and ranks #24 of 238 countries — see the South Africa population page for the full statistics and the South Africa atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Botshabelo
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Bloemfontein Free State | 52 km | 556,637 |
| Virginia Free State | 130 km | 122,502 |
| Welkom Free State | 143 km | 431,944 |
| Kroonstad Free State | 187 km | 117,152 |
Largest cities in South Africa
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johannesburg | Gauteng | 9,418,183 |
| 2 | Cape Town | Western Cape | 4,772,846 |
| 3 | Durban | KwaZulu-Natal | 3,338,026 |
| 4 | PretoriaCapital | Gauteng | 2,112,693 |
| 5 | Soweto | Gauteng | 1,695,047 |
| 6 | Gqeberha | Eastern Cape | 1,050,078 |
| 7 | Soshanguve | Gauteng | 872,309 |
| 8 | Pietermaritzburg | KwaZulu-Natal | 839,327 |
| 9 | Evaton | Gauteng | 725,468 |
| 10 | Benoni | Gauteng | 605,344 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Botshabelo?
Botshabelo has about 309,714 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Botshabelo the capital of South Africa?
No. The capital of South Africa is Pretoria (2,112,693 people), about 417 km away. Botshabelo is the 23rd largest city of the country.
How big is Botshabelo compared with the rest of South Africa?
Its 309,714 residents are 0.5% of the 65,656,172 people living in South Africa today. Johannesburg is larger with 9,418,183 people.
Where is Botshabelo?
In Free State, South Africa, at latitude -29.27 and longitude 26.73, 1,448 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Bloemfontein (52 km), Virginia (130 km), Welkom (143 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Botshabelo Population 2026 — South Africa. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/south-africa/botshabelo/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/south-africa/botshabelo/">Botshabelo Population 2026 — South Africa</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.