Cultural Production in
Present Day
South Africa
South Africa
South Africa ranks 39th in number of biographies on Pantheon, behind Iran, Ireland, and Israel. Memorable people born in present day South Africa include J. R. R. Tolkien, Nelson Mandela, and Elon Musk. Memorable people who died in South Africa include Nelson Mandela, Bartolomeu Dias, and Cecil Rhodes. South Africa has been the birth place of many athletes, and soccer players and the death place of many politicians, and writers.
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. Its nine provinces are bounded to the south by 2,798 kilometres of coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean; to the north by the neighbouring countries of Namibia, Botswana, and Zimbabwe; to the east and northeast by Mozambique and Eswatini; and it encloses Lesotho. Covering an area of 1,221,037 square kilometres, the country has a population of over 64 million people. Pretoria is the administrative capital, while Cape Town, as the seat of Parliament, is the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein is regarded as the judicial capital. The largest, most populous city is Johannesburg, followed by Cape Town and Durban. Read more on Wikipedia
People
Between 0 and 2005, present day South Africa was the birth place of 597 globally memorable people, including J. R. R. Tolkien, Nelson Mandela, and Elon Musk. Additionaly, 203 globally memorable people have passed away in present day South Africa including Nelson Mandela, Bartolomeu Dias, and Cecil Rhodes.
People Born in Present Day South Africa
Go to all RankingsJ. R. R. Tolkien
WRITER
1892 - 1973
HPI: 90.69
Rank: 62
Nelson Mandela
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1918 - 2013
HPI: 90.45
Rank: 55
Elon Musk
INVENTOR
1971 - Present
HPI: 86.81
Rank: 297
Allan MacLeod Cormack
PHYSICIST
1924 - 1998
HPI: 76.80
Rank: 580
J. M. Coetzee
WRITER
1940 - Present
HPI: 75.60
Rank: 502
Nadine Gordimer
WRITER
1923 - 2014
HPI: 75.27
Rank: 87
Sarah Baartman
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1788 - 1815
HPI: 74.82
Rank: 581
F. W. de Klerk
POLITICIAN
1936 - 2021
HPI: 73.73
Rank: 555
Desmond Tutu
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1931 - 2021
HPI: 73.44
Rank: 22
Miriam Makeba
SINGER
1932 - 2008
HPI: 73.35
Rank: 83
Shaka
POLITICIAN
1787 - 1828
HPI: 73.31
Rank: 84
Christiaan Barnard
PHYSICIAN
1922 - 2001
HPI: 73.02
Rank: 429
People Deceased in Present Day South Africa
Go to all RankingsNelson Mandela
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1918 - 2013
HPI: 90.45
Rank: 134
Bartolomeu Dias
EXPLORER
1450 - 1500
HPI: 84.66
Rank: 18
Cecil Rhodes
BUSINESSPERSON
1853 - 1902
HPI: 82.74
Rank: 43
Albert Lutuli
POLITICIAN
1898 - 1967
HPI: 77.77
Rank: 47
Eddie Jordan
BUSINESSPERSON
1948 - 2025
HPI: 75.29
Rank: 191
Nadine Gordimer
WRITER
1923 - 2014
HPI: 75.27
Rank: 166
Reza Shah
POLITICIAN
1878 - 1944
HPI: 74.69
Rank: 38
Napoléon, Prince Imperial
POLITICIAN
1856 - 1879
HPI: 74.58
Rank: 53
F. W. de Klerk
POLITICIAN
1936 - 2021
HPI: 73.73
Rank: 24
Desmond Tutu
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1931 - 2021
HPI: 73.44
Rank: 95
Shaka
POLITICIAN
1787 - 1828
HPI: 73.31
Rank: 163
John Vorster
POLITICIAN
1915 - 1983
HPI: 72.87
Rank: 71
Occupations
Most individuals born in present day South Africa were athletes (132), soccer players (81), politicians (63), actors (39), and tennis players (28), while most who died were politicians (60), writers (17), racing drivers (17), athletes (16), and social activists (14).
Occupational Trends
Over the past 100 years, athletes have been the top profession of globally memorable people born in present day South Africa, including Oscar Pistorius, Daphne Hasenjäger, and Lillian Board. Whereas, throughout history, athletes have been the profession with the most memorable people born in present day South Africa, including Reggie Walker, Sid Atkinson, and Esther Brand.
Places
Overlapping Lives
Below is a visual represetation of the lifespans of the top 25 globally memorable people born in present day South Africa since 1700.