Cape Agulhas: Africa's Southernmost Tip

Cape Agulhas is the southernmost point of the African continent. Located in the Western Cape, South Africa, it marks the official geographic dividing line between the Atlantic Ocean (west) and the Indian Ocean (east).

Unlike the more famous Cape of Good Hope (which is farther west), Cape Agulhas is the true southern extremity. The name comes from Portuguese agulhas ("needles"), referring to the jagged reefs and magnetic anomalies that troubled early navigators. A stone cairn and lighthouse mark the spot today.