 How South Africa Got Its Name The name South Africa refers to the geographical location of the country in the southernmost part of the African continent. The term was first used by Dutch settlers in the 17th century to describe the region that later became known as the Cape Colony. The Portuguese explorer Bartolomu Dias was the first European to reach the southern tip of Africa in 1488, which he named the Cape of Good Hope in the hope of finding a sea wrapped to India. In the following centuries, Dutch, British, and other European settlers established colonies in the region, and the Dutch East India Company established a permanent settlement at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652. Over time, the Dutch settlers began to refer to their settlement as Capstad, Cape Town, and the surrounding region as Dicap, the Cape. The region became known as the Cape Colony in the 19th century when it was annexed by the British Empire.