Change in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported in South Africa
South Africa: Change in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported was 87,566 hectares in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
87,566 hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
5th
of 235 countries
All-time high
87,568 hectares
in 1991
All-time low
87,566 hectares
in 2016
Years of data
35
1991–2025
Change in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported goods in South Africa, 1991–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for change in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported goods in South Africa is 87,566 hectares, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, change in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported goods in South Africa peaked at 87,568 hectares in 1991 and was at its lowest, 87,566 hectares, in 2016.
South Africa ranks 5th of 235 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Change in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported in South Africa, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 87,568 hectares | — |
| 1992 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 87,568 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 87,566 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2017 | 87,566 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 87,566 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 87,566 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 87,566 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 87,566 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 87,566 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 87,566 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 87,566 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 87,566 hectares | +0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 87,566 hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -7,546 hectares. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 87,568 hectares | 87,568 hectares | 87,568 hectares | 9 |
| 2000s | 87,568 hectares | 87,568 hectares | 87,568 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 87,567 hectares | 87,566 hectares | 87,568 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 87,566 hectares | 87,566 hectares | 87,566 hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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)
- Sawnwood, coniferous — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is change in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported goods in South Africa?
- Change in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported goods in South Africa was 87,566 hectares in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest change in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported goods recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 87,568 hectares in 1991.
- What is the lowest change in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported goods recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 87,566 hectares in 2016.
- How does South Africa rank for change in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported goods?
- South Africa ranks 5th out of 235 countries with data for 2025.
- Is change in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported goods rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Change in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported goods. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Net change in forest area measures forest expansion (the sum of afforestation and natural expansion) minus deforestation.