Forest area in South Africa
South Africa: Forest area was 22,881 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
22,881
World rank
23rd
of 219 countries
All-time high
22,881
in 2025
All-time low
19,817
in 1990
Years of data
6
1990–2025
Forest area in South Africa, 1990–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2025, forest area in South Africa stood at 22,881. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is up 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in South Africa peaked at 22,881 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 19,817, in 1990.
South Africa ranks 23rd of 219 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Forest area in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 19,817 | — |
| 2000 | 20,692 | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 21,568 | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 22,006 | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 22,444 | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 22,881 | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 19,817 | 19,817 | 19,817 | 1 |
| 2000s | 20,692 | 20,692 | 20,692 | 1 |
| 2010s | 21,787 | 21,568 | 22,006 | 2 |
| 2020s | 22,662 | 22,444 | 22,881 | 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)
- Newsprint — Import quantity, gaps filled 34,979 t (2024)
- Newsprint — Import quantity, annual growth rate 115.24 % change on previous year (2024)
- Newsprint — Import value, gaps filled 21,013 1000 USD (2024)
- Newsprint — Import value, annual growth rate 78.26 % change on previous year (2024)
- Printing and writing papers — Import quantity, annual growth rate 36.55 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in South Africa?
- Forest area in South Africa was 22,881 in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest forest area recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 22,881 in 2025.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 19,817 in 1990.
- How does South Africa rank for forest area?
- South Africa ranks 23rd out of 219 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest 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 (thousands of hectares). 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).