Nigeria vs South Africa: Forest area as a proportion of total land area
Nigeria
18.8%
in 2025
South Africa
18.9%
in 2025
Nigeria rank
156th
South Africa rank
155th
Forest area as a proportion of total land area over time
- Nigeria
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 18.9% against 18.8% in Nigeria, a difference of 0.1%.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 6 shared years of data; in 1990 it was Nigeria ahead.
Nigeria ranks 156th and South Africa ranks 155th of 253 countries.
Nigeria has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Nigeria | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 23.7% | 16.3% | 7.3% | Nigeria |
| 2000s | 22.3% | 17.1% | 5.2% | Nigeria |
| 2010s | 20.5% | 18.0% | 2.6% | Nigeria |
| 2020s | 19.2% | 18.7% | 0.5% | Nigeria |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher forest area as a proportion of total land area, Nigeria or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 18.9% against 18.8% in Nigeria as of 2025.
- What is the difference in forest area as a proportion of total land area between Nigeria and South Africa?
- 0.1%, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Nigeria and South Africa?
- 6 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do Nigeria and South Africa rank globally for forest area as a proportion of total land area?
- Nigeria ranks 156th and South Africa ranks 155th of 253 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as Forest area as a proportion of total land area (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.