Poland vs South Africa: Land use
Poland
11.55 million hectares
in 2023
South Africa
12.41 million hectares
in 2023
Poland rank
30th
South Africa rank
27th
Land use over time
- Poland
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 12.41 million hectares against 11.55 million hectares in Poland, a difference of 867,000 hectares.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Poland's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 63 shared years of data; in 1961 it was Poland ahead.
Poland ranks 30th and South Africa ranks 27th of 223 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, Poland averaged higher in 4 and South Africa in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Poland | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 15.76 million hectares | 12.37 million hectares | 3.40 million hectares | Poland |
| 1970s | 15.12 million hectares | 12.56 million hectares | 2.56 million hectares | Poland |
| 1980s | 14.83 million hectares | 12.75 million hectares | 2.08 million hectares | Poland |
| 1990s | 14.55 million hectares | 13.73 million hectares | 816,800 hectares | Poland |
| 2000s | 12.98 million hectares | 13.58 million hectares | 601,100 hectares | South Africa |
| 2010s | 11.31 million hectares | 12.47 million hectares | 1.17 million hectares | South Africa |
| 2020s | 11.52 million hectares | 12.41 million hectares | 893,000 hectares | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher land use, Poland or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 12.41 million hectares against 11.55 million hectares in Poland as of 2023.
- What is the difference in land use between Poland and South Africa?
- 867,000 hectares, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Poland and South Africa?
- 63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.
- How do Poland and South Africa rank globally for land use?
- Poland ranks 30th and South Africa ranks 27th of 223 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Land use. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.