Land use hidden — Naturally regenerating forest in South Africa
South Africa: Land use hidden — Naturally regenerating forest was 137,973 Square kilometres in 2023. ▼ Falling
Land use hidden — Naturally regenerating forest in South Africa, 1990–2023
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Square kilometres.
Analysis
In 2023, land use hidden — naturally regenerating forest in South Africa stood at 137,973 Square kilometres. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land use hidden — naturally regenerating forest in South Africa peaked at 149,985 Square kilometres in 1990 and was at its lowest, 137,973 Square kilometres, in 2023.
That places South Africa 42nd out of 189 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Land use hidden — Naturally regenerating forest in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Square kilometres | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 149,985 Square kilometres | — |
| 1991 | 149,621 Square kilometres | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 149,257 Square kilometres | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 148,893 Square kilometres | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 148,529 Square kilometres | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 148,165 Square kilometres | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 147,801 Square kilometres | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 147,437 Square kilometres | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 147,073 Square kilometres | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 146,709 Square kilometres | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 146,345 Square kilometres | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 145,981 Square kilometres | -0.2% |
| 2002 | 145,617 Square kilometres | -0.2% |
| 2003 | 145,253 Square kilometres | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 144,889 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 144,525 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 144,161 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 143,797 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 143,433 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 143,069 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 142,705 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 142,341 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2012 | 141,977 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 141,613 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2014 | 141,249 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 140,885 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2016 | 140,521 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 140,157 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 139,793 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 139,429 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 139,065 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 138,701 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 138,337 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 137,973 Square kilometres | -0.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 137,973 Square kilometres is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 27,299 Square kilometres, 5.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 137,973 Square kilometres is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59,417 Square kilometres, 2.3× the median. (38 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 148,347 Square kilometres | 146,709 Square kilometres | 149,985 Square kilometres | 10 |
| 2000s | 144,707 Square kilometres | 143,069 Square kilometres | 146,345 Square kilometres | 10 |
| 2010s | 141,067 Square kilometres | 139,429 Square kilometres | 142,705 Square kilometres | 10 |
| 2020s | 138,519 Square kilometres | 137,973 Square kilometres | 139,065 Square kilometres | 4 |
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)
- 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)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 0.2953 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land use hidden — naturally regenerating forest in South Africa?
- Land use hidden — naturally regenerating forest in South Africa was 137,973 Square kilometres in 2023, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest land use hidden — naturally regenerating forest recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 149,985 Square kilometres in 1990.
- What is the lowest land use hidden — naturally regenerating forest recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 137,973 Square kilometres in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for land use hidden — naturally regenerating forest?
- South Africa ranks 42nd out of 189 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land use hidden — naturally regenerating forest rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Land use hidden — Naturally regenerating forest. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Land resources are one of the four components of the natural environment: water, air, land and living resources. In this context land is both: a physical "milieu" necessary for the development of natural vegetation as well as cultivated vegetation; a resource for human activities. The data presented here give information concerning land use state and changes (e.g. agricultural land, forest land). Data source(s): Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N., (FAOSTAT) Contact: ENV.Stat@oecd.org Dataset release date: June 3, 2024 Database documentation Countries metadata