Forest area in South Africa
Forests covered 18.8% of the land area of South Africa in 2024. The value for 2024 is the highest in the series, which starts in 1990.
South Africa, 2024
18.8%
Change from 2023
+0.1percentage points
World, 2023
31.1%
Median of G20 countries, 2024
32.8%
Position in 2024
133rd of 209
Forest area in South Africa over time
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South Africa
World
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The chart loads when you scroll to it. The table below shows the same data.
The chart shows a calculation from the published values. The table below keeps the published values.
% of land area. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years.
| Period | South Africa | World |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 18.8% | – |
| 2023 | 18.7% | 31.1% |
| 2022 | 18.6% | 31.1% |
| 2021 | 18.6% | 31.2% |
| 2020 | 18.5% | 31.2% |
| 2019 | 18.4% | 31.2% |
| 2018 | 18.4% | 31.3% |
| 2017 | 18.3% | 31.3% |
| 2016 | 18.2% | 31.3% |
| 2015 | 18.1% | 31.4% |
| 2014 | 18.1% | 31.4% |
| 2013 | 18.0% | 31.4% |
| 2012 | 17.9% | 31.5% |
| 2011 | 17.9% | 31.9% |
| 2010 | 17.8% | 31.9% |
| 2009 | 17.7% | 32.0% |
| 2008 | 17.6% | 32.0% |
| 2007 | 17.6% | 32.1% |
| 2006 | 17.5% | 32.1% |
| 2005 | 17.4% | 32.1% |
| 2004 | 17.3% | 32.2% |
| 2003 | 17.3% | 32.3% |
| 2002 | 17.2% | 32.3% |
| 2001 | 17.1% | 32.3% |
| 2000 | 17.1% | 32.4% |
A dash means no value was published for that period.
In short
- That is a change of +0.1 percentage points from 18.7% in 2023.
- Since 2014, when it was 18.1%, the figure has changed by +0.7 percentage points.
- Among the 209 countries with data for 2024, South Africa has the 133rd highest value.