Union of South Africa

The **Union of South Africa** is the country that came before the current Republic of South Africa. It was formed on May 31st, 1910 when the British Cape Colony and the Natal Colony unified with the defeated Boer republics of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State. The provinces of the union were called, respectively, as the Cape Province, the Natal Province, the Transvaal Province, and the Orange Free State Province. After World War I, the former German colony of German South West Africa was put under administration of the Union of South Africa as a League of Nations mandate and was treated like another province. It was a Commonwealth realm, which means that it was a constitutional monarchy with the British monarch (king or queen) as the head of state.

The Union of South Africa ended on 31 May 1961, when a new constitution came into effect, transforming the Union of South Africa into a republic, under the name "Republic of South Africa". The South Africa's membership of the Commonwealth of Nations also ended, when it became a republic.

## Infobox (former country)

- **native name**: Union of South Africa
_Unie van Suid-Afrika_
_Unie van Zuid-Afrika_
- **common name**: South Africa
- **continent**: Africa
- **region**: Southern Africa
- **year start**: 1910
- **date start**: 31 May
- **event start**: South Africa Act 1909, Union
- **year end**: 1961
- **date end**: 31 May
- **event end**: South African republic referendum, 1960, Republic
- **event1**: Statute of Westminster (1931), Statute of Westminster
- **date event1**: 11 December 1931
- **p1**: British Cape Colony
- **p2**: Colony of Natal
- **p3**: Orange River Colony
- **p4**: Transvaal Colony
- **flag p1**: Flag of the Cape Colony 1876-1910.svg
- **flag p2**: Flag of the Natal Colony 1875-1910.svg
- **flag p3**: Flag of Orange River Colony.svg
- **flag p4**: Flag of the Transvaal Colony 1904–1910.svg
- **s1**: South Africa
- **flag s1**: Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg
- **image flag**: Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg
- **image coat**: Coat of Arms of South Africa (1932-2000).svg
- **image coat caption**: Coat of arms 1932-2000
- **image map**: Union of South Africa in its region.svg
- **image map caption**: Location of the Union of South Africa. South West Africa shown as disputed area (administered as 5th province of the Union).
- **national motto**: Ex Unitate Vires
<small>(Latin language, Latin: From Unity, Strength)</small>
- **national anthem**: _Die Stem van Suid-Afrika_
<small>"The Call of South Africa"</small>
- **national anthem**: _God Save the Queen_
- **capital**: Cape Town <small>(legislative)</small>
Pretoria <small>(administrative)</small>
Bloemfontein <small>(judicial)</small>
Pietermaritzburg <small>(archival)</small>
- **common languages**: Dutch language, Dutch, English language, English, Afrikaans (after 1925)
- **government type**: Constitutional monarchy
- **title leader**: Monarchy of South Africa, Monarch
- **leader1**: George V of the United Kingdom, George V
- **leader2**: Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, Edward VIII
- **leader3**: George VI
- **leader4**: Elizabeth II
- **year leader1**: 1910-1936
- **year leader2**: 1936
- **year leader3**: 1936-1952
- **year leader4**: 1952-1961
- **title representative**: Governor-General (South Africa), Governor-General
- **representative1**: Herbert Gladstone, 1st Viscount Gladstone, The Viscount Gladstone
- **representative2**: Charles Robberts Swart
- **year representative1**: 1910-1914
- **year representative2**: 1959-1961
- **title deputy**: Prime Minister (South Africa), Prime Minister
- **deputy1**: Louis Botha
- **deputy2**: Jan Smuts
- **deputy3**: J.B.M. Hertzog
- **deputy4**: Daniel François Malan, D.F. Malan
- **deputy5**: Johannes Gerhardus Strijdom, J.G. Strijdom
- **deputy6**: Hendrik Verwoerd, H.F. Verwoerd
- **year deputy1**: 1910-1919
- **year deputy2**: 1919-'24, 1939-1948
- **year deputy3**: 1924-1939
- **year deputy4**: 1948-1954
- **year deputy5**: 1954-1958
- **year deputy6**: 1958-1961
- **legislature**: Parliament (South Africa), Parliament
- **house1**: Senate (South Africa), Senate
- **house2**: House of Assembly (South Africa), House of Assembly
- **stat year1**: 1961
- **stat area1**: 2045320
- **stat pop1**: 18216000
- **currency**: South African pound
- **today**: