About the direction from Johannesburg
Johannesburg lies south of the equator and west of Makkah. The city-center coordinates produce a different bearing from coastal South African cities, so use the displayed figure rather than a country-wide estimate.
How to face 15° in Johannesburg
- Find true north using a phone compass that reports true heading or a map aligned to north.
- Turn clockwise from north by 15°. For reference, due east is 90°, south 180°, west 270°.
- If you use a magnetic compass, adjust for local magnetic declination; NOAA's declination calculator gives the current value for Johannesburg.
The figure is the great-circle initial bearing, the standard approach described by Movable Type Scripts and the same idea behind Google's Qibla Finder. See how it works for the details.
Common questions
What is the Qibla direction in Johannesburg?
From the approximate city center of Johannesburg, the Qibla is 14.6° clockwise from true north, roughly north-northeast.
How far is Johannesburg from the Kaaba?
About 5,446 km along the great circle, the shortest path over the Earth's surface.
Does the bearing change across Johannesburg?
Yes. This figure uses the city center, not your exact position. The difference depends on your distance from the center and from Makkah; it can be noticeable in cities close to the Kaaba, especially Jeddah. Use the live finder for your own location.