What is a country calling code?

A country calling code is the numeric prefix you dial before a national phone number to route a call to a specific country. For example, +1 reaches the United States and Canada, +44 reaches the United Kingdom, and +91 reaches India. The plus sign stands in for the international access code your network uses.

How do I dial an international number correctly?

Start with your exit or access code (or the + symbol on a mobile), add the destination country code, then the area or city code without its leading zero, and finally the local subscriber number. So a London line looks like +44 20 7946 0000.

What does the plus (+) sign mean in a phone number?

The + is a universal placeholder for the international dialing prefix. Saving numbers in +country-code format means they connect from any country without editing the access code, which is why it is the recommended way to store contacts.

Why do the United States and Canada share the country code +1?

Both countries belong to the North American Numbering Plan, a shared system that also covers several Caribbean nations. They use the same +1 country code but are separated by distinct three-digit area codes.

Do I need to remove the leading zero from a phone number when calling internationally?

Usually yes. Many countries print a trunk prefix, often a 0, for domestic calls. When dialing from abroad you drop that leading zero after the country code. For example, a UK mobile written as 07700 900000 becomes +44 7700 900000.

How do I call Johannesburg or Cape Town from the United States?

From the US, dial 011 + 27 + the local number without its leading 0. For example, to reach a Johannesburg number: 011 27 11 123 4567. On a mobile, use + instead of 011 — so +27 11 123 4567 works from any country. letsdial dials South Africa with one click, no exit codes needed.

What is load shedding and how does it affect calls to South Africa?

Load shedding is South Africa's scheduled power rationing — Eskom rotates outages across regions, typically 2–4 hours at a time. During outages, fixed-line networks and some mobile towers drop. WhatsApp messages queue and deliver when connectivity resumes, making it more reliable than a live voice call. letsdial's app continues working on mobile data and Wi-Fi even when landlines fail.

When is the best time to call South African businesses from the UK?

South Africa runs on SAST (UTC+2) year-round — no daylight saving. The UK is UTC+0 in winter and UTC+1 in summer. South African office hours (8 AM–5 PM SAST) align with 6 AM–3 PM GMT in winter and 7 AM–4 PM BST in summer. Morning UK time is the sweet spot — early enough to catch a full South African workday.

Why is WhatsApp more reliable than a standard voice call for South African contacts?

WhatsApp is the dominant business communication channel across South Africa — used by over 90% of smartphone owners. More practically, WhatsApp messages are asynchronous and buffer during load shedding outages, while voice calls drop immediately. Many South African businesses also use WhatsApp Business, making it their primary inbound contact channel.

Can I get a Johannesburg virtual number (+27 11) through letsdial without a South African address?

Yes. letsdial issues real South African virtual numbers — including Johannesburg (+27 11), Cape Town (+27 21), and Durban (+27 31) — with no physical office or local address required. Your outbound caller ID shows a recognisable South African number, which is critical for credibility in the Johannesburg financial district and Cape Town's tech corridor.

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South Africa

+27

Country code

International prefix

South Africa's country code +27 connects Africa's most developed economy and the continent's financial centre. Johannesburg's financial district, Cape Town's tech hub, and Durban's port city make South Africa the primary entry point for any African market strategy.

Best hours:8 AM – 5 PM SAST

Language:Zulu / Xhosa / Afrikaans / English

Capital:Pretoria

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🇿🇦

South Africa

ZA · Africa

+27

dial code

Capital

Pretoria

Currency

ZAR (R)

Language

Zulu / Xhosa / Afrikaans / English

Population

60 million

Best calling window

8 AM – 5 PM SAST

12 AM

12 PM

11 PM

South Africa Standard Time (SAST) · UTC+2

Country

South Africa

2 Digit ISO

Country Calling Code

+27

ISO Alpha-3

ZAZ

Loading map…

Pretoria

Capital

Live

Pretoria

--:--:-- --

Time Zone

South Africa Standard Time (SAST)

Quick Facts

CurrencyZAR (R)

LanguageZulu / Xhosa / Afrikaans / English

Population60 million

GMT OffsetUTC+2

Best Hours8 AM – 5 PM SAST

Step by step

How to call South Africa from abroad

International dialing is a four-step process.
Use + on mobile to skip the exit code entirely.

Step 01

Exit code

Dial from US/Canada (or use +)

Step 02

+27

Country code

South Africa international prefix

Step 03

Area / city code

Local routing prefix

Step 04

123 4567

Local number

Subscriber number

dialing-example.txt

International format

00—27—11—123 4567

Shorthand (works from any device): +27 11 123 4567

Calling Guide

Best time to call South Africa · South Africa Standard Time (SAST)

View guide

Why letsdial

Benefits of calling South Africa
with letsdial

Start free trial

Get a local +27 number

A Johannesburg +27 11 or Cape Town +27 21 caller ID shows South African contacts a local business — not an anonymous overseas number.

South Africa and 50+ countries, one plan

Call South Africa and 50+ global markets from one subscription. No per-city charges for Johannesburg, Cape Town, or Durban.

Full call analytics

Track every South Africa call across SAST — monitor answer rates, peak windows, and team performance in one dashboard.

Works on any device

Mobile app, desktop, or IP phone — your +27 number stays active on mobile data even during load shedding power outages.

Unified Communications

One platform. Every call, message and team — connected.

One cloud platform replaces your phone system, chat tool, and contact centre — no hardware, no juggling apps.
Reach South Africa and 50+ countries from one dashboard.

50+

Countries covered

99.9%

Uptime SLA

2 min

Setup time

Hardware needed

Voice & Video Calls

Crystal-clear HD calls to South Africa and 50+ countries from one number.

Team Messaging

Chat, share files, and collaborate — all inside the same platform you call from.

Real-Time Analytics

Live dashboards for call volumes, answer rates, and agent performance.

Global Number Coverage

Local +27 numbers plus 50+ country codes — managed from one dashboard.

Format reference

South Africa& neighbouring countries

South Africa's +27 format is simple — drop the leading 0 from the area code and add the country code. Compare with key African markets and international trade partners below.

CountryLocal formatInternational format

South Africacurrent123 4567+27 11 123 4567

Nigeria234 5678+234 1 234 5678

India1234 5678+91 11 1234 5678

United Kingdom7123 4567+44 20 7123 4567

Australia9123 4567+61 2 9123 4567

Germany1234 5678+49 30 1234 5678

Good to know

Tips for calling South Africa

4 things to check before you dial internationally

Plan around load shedding

Eskom's scheduled power cuts can drop voice calls mid-conversation. Check the day's load shedding schedule before booking a call, and follow up via WhatsApp — messages queue and deliver once connectivity resumes.

Lead with WhatsApp

WhatsApp is South Africa's dominant communication platform across all industries and income levels. Send a message before calling — it warms the contact and is more likely to be seen than a missed call from an international number.

Show a local +27 caller ID

Calls from unknown international numbers are often declined or ignored. A local +27 11 (Johannesburg) or +27 21 (Cape Town) caller ID signals legitimacy and significantly improves answer rates.

SAST is UTC+2 — no daylight saving

South Africa Standard Time stays at UTC+2 year-round. Standard office hours are 8 AM–5 PM SAST. From the UK, that maps to 6 AM–3 PM GMT in winter and 7 AM–4 PM BST in summer.

Market data

South Africa communication insights

70%

Internet penetration

Around 70% of South Africans are online, with strong urban growth and expanding rural coverage

90%

Mobile penetration

90%+ mobile penetration — among Africa's highest, driven by widespread prepaid SIM adoption

66%

WhatsApp reach

WhatsApp is the dominant communication platform — widely used for both personal and business contact

78%

Digitally active businesses

From JSE-listed multinationals to fast-growing fintech startups, South African businesses operate digitally

Global directory

List of Country Codes

50+ countries listed with their international dial prefix and ISO code.

Filter by letter or search to find any country code instantly.

South Africa calling FAQs

Frequently asked about South Africa

South Africa's country code is +27. Domestically, numbers have a leading 0 that is dropped when dialling internationally — so the Johannesburg number (011) 123 4567 becomes +27 11 123 4567 from abroad. Area codes are 2 digits: 11 for Johannesburg, 21 for Cape Town, 31 for Durban, and 12 for Pretoria.

Get a local South Africa number

Get a local South Africa number in minutes.

Build trust with South Africa customers using a local +27 virtual phone number — from the same letsdial dashboard your whole team already uses.

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Looking up US area codes? Browse all US area codes →

South Africa

South Africa

How to call South Africa from abroad

Benefits of calling South Africawith letsdial

Get a local +27 number

South Africa and 50+ countries, one plan

Full call analytics

Works on any device

One platform. Every call, message and team — connected.

South Africa& neighbouring countries

Tips for calling South Africa

Plan around load shedding

Lead with WhatsApp

Show a local +27 caller ID

SAST is UTC+2 — no daylight saving

South Africa communication insights

List of Country Codes

Frequently asked about South Africa

Get a local South Africa number in minutes.

Benefits of calling South Africa
with letsdial