Which country uses “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” as part of its national anthem?

South Africa uses “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” as part of its national anthem.

South Africa’s anthem, adopted in 1997, combines two earlier songs: “Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” and “Die Stem van Suid-Afrika.” The resulting arrangement is designed to reflect the country’s history and diverse communities after the end of apartheid.

“Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika” was composed by Enoch Sontonga in 1897, originally as a hymn. The later Afrikaans section comes from “Die Stem,” whose words were written by C. J. Langenhoven and whose melody was composed by M. L. de Villiers.

The full anthem uses five languages: Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans and English. It is sometimes incorrectly described as simply the South African anthem’s title, but that phrase identifies only the first historical component. The modern official anthem is a composite work with two distinct musical traditions.