15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Shrub-covered in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa: 15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Shrub-covered was 201,346 km2 in 2021. ▬ Flat
15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Shrub-covered in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2000–2021
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in km2.
Analysis
In 2021, 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: shrub-covered in Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 201,346 km2. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.9% on the previous year and down 4.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: shrub-covered in Sub-Saharan Africa peaked at 211,056 km2 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 201,346 km2, in 2021.
That places Sub-Saharan Africa 4th out of 21 groups with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Shrub-covered in Sub-Saharan Africa, year by year
| Year | km2 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 206,111 km2 | — |
| 2005 | 209,844 km2 | +1.8% |
| 2010 | 210,840 km2 | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 211,056 km2 | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 205,147 km2 | -2.8% |
| 2021 | 201,346 km2 | -1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 207,978 km2 | 206,111 km2 | 209,844 km2 | 2 |
| 2010s | 209,014 km2 | 205,147 km2 | 211,056 km2 | 3 |
| 2020s | 201,346 km2 | 201,346 km2 | 201,346 km2 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sub-Saharan Africa
- 1 Brazil 118,146 km2 compare
- 2 South Africa 104,745 km2 compare
- 2 United Republic of Tanzania 11,954 km2 compare
- 3 Democratic Republic of the Congo 11,527 km2 compare
- 3 Spain 49,386 km2 compare
- 4 Lao People's Democratic Republic 4,483 km2 compare
- 4 Russian Federation 34,875 km2 compare
- 5 Sweden 21,254 km2 compare
- 5 Viet Nam 3,768 km2 compare
- 6 Ethiopia 16,434 km2 compare
- 6 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 2,772 km2 compare
- 7 Greece 15,207 km2 compare
More environment data for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.36 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.11 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.223 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.21 °C (2025)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 305.43 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Aquaculture production 904,662 metric tons (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 2.29 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from Transport (Energy) 2.96 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Permanent meadows and pastures — Share in Agricultural land 72.81 % (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: shrub-covered in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: shrub-covered in Sub-Saharan Africa was 201,346 km2 in 2021, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: shrub-covered recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 211,056 km2 in 2015.
- What is the lowest 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: shrub-covered recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 201,346 km2 in 2021.
- How does Sub-Saharan Africa rank for 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: shrub-covered?
- Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 4th out of 21 groups with data for 2021.
- Is 15.4.2a mountain green cover area: total; land cover: shrub-covered rising or falling in Sub-Saharan Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Sub-Saharan Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of 15.4.2a Mountain green cover area: Total; Land Cover: Shrub-covered areas — Value. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
As the custodian agency of 22 SDG indicators, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is responsible for curating and refining the methodologies of these indicators, collecting data from national sources, ensuring their quality and compatibility with applicable standards and classifications, and disseminating data at global level. This FAOSTAT domain complements the global SDG database administered by the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD), as well as FAO’s SDG indicators portal, by providing access to the available data for all SDG Indicators under FAO custodianship. While this metadata page provides summary information on all SDG indicators data disseminated through FAOSTAT, indicator-specific metadata can be accessed from the link on the right hand navigation column. This additional metadata file provides details on the methodology used to compile each indicators, their data sources and the contact information of the relevant FAO focal point. It includes the links to the official SDG Indicator metadata documents accessible from the UNSD global SDG database.SDG Indicators under FAO custodianship, consisting of 22 indicators and 66 series that fall under six goals: • Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.• Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.• Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.• Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production.• Goal 14: Life below water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.• Goal 15: Life on land: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss.