Forest area as a proportion of total land area in South Africa
South Africa: Forest area as a proportion of total land area was 18.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Forest area as a proportion of total land area in South Africa, 1990–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for forest area as a proportion of total land area in South Africa is 18.9%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area as a proportion of total land area in South Africa peaked at 18.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 16.3%, in 1990.
That places South Africa 132nd out of 219 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Forest area as a proportion of total land area in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 16.3% | — |
| 2000 | 17.1% | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 17.8% | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 18.1% | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 18.5% | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 18.9% | +1.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16.3% | 16.3% | 16.3% | 1 |
| 2000s | 17.1% | 17.1% | 17.1% | 1 |
| 2010s | 18.0% | 17.8% | 18.1% | 2 |
| 2020s | 18.7% | 18.5% | 18.9% | 2 |
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, non-coniferous — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Production, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Production, per capita 0.002 m3 per person (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Import quantity, annual growth rate -0.3469 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood, non-coniferous — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area as a proportion of total land area in South Africa?
- Forest area as a proportion of total land area in South Africa was 18.9% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest forest area as a proportion of total land area recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 18.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest forest area as a proportion of total land area recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.3% in 1990.
- How does South Africa rank for forest area as a proportion of total land area?
- South Africa ranks 132nd out of 219 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area as a proportion of total land area rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Forest area as a proportion of total land area (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).