Protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas in South Africa
South Africa: Protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas was 21.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas in South Africa, 2000–2025
Source: BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 21.1% for protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.2% on the previous year and up 10.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas in South Africa peaked at 21.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 14.3%, in 2000.
South Africa ranks 148th of 184 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 14.3% | — |
| 2001 | 15.0% | +4.8% |
| 2002 | 15.0% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 15.0% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 17.2% | +14.8% |
| 2005 | 17.3% | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 17.4% | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 17.4% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 17.4% | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 17.5% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 17.5% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 17.7% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 17.9% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 18.4% | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 18.8% | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 19.1% | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 19.4% | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 19.5% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 20.2% | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 20.5% | +1.3% |
| 2020 | 20.6% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 20.8% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 20.9% | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 21.0% | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 21.1% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 21.1% | +0.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 16.4% | 14.3% | 17.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.9% | 17.5% | 20.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.9% | 20.6% | 21.1% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 145 Ecuador 22.4% compare
- 146 El Salvador 22.4% compare
- 147 Palestine, State of 21.8% compare
- 149 Cook Islands 20.8% compare
- 150 Peru 19.7% compare
- 151 Ethiopia 18.8% compare
More environment data for South Africa
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 8.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.275 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.05 °C (2025)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, annual growth rate 20.46 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per capita 0.012 t per person (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, annual growth rate 3.25 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas in South Africa?
- Protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas in South Africa was 21.1% in 2025, according to BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 21.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.3% in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas?
- South Africa ranks 148th out of 184 countries with data for 2025.
- Is protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from BirdLife International, IUCN and UNEP-WCMC – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Protected area coverage of mountain key biodiversity areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average proportion of Mountain Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) covered by protected areas (%).