Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Southern Africa
Southern Africa: Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas was 14.8% in 2025. ▬ Flat
Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Southern Africa, 1990–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
Southern Africa recorded 14.8% for proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Southern Africa peaked at 14.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 14.8%, in 1990.
Southern Africa ranks 25th of 32 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 14.8% | — |
| 2000 | 14.8% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 14.8% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 14.8% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 14.8% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 14.8% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.8% | 14.8% | 14.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 14.8% | 14.8% | 14.8% | 1 |
| 2010s | 14.8% | 14.8% | 14.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 14.8% | 14.8% | 14.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Southern Africa
More environment data for Southern Africa
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 7.61 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 4.17 Percentage change (2025)
- Temperature change 0.892 °C (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.282 °C (2025)
- Industrial roundwood — Export quantity 427,327 m3 (2024)
- Industrial roundwood, non-coniferous — Production 9.63 million m3 (2024)
- Industrial roundwood — Import value 35,013 1000 USD (2024)
- Industrial roundwood — Import quantity 161,260 m3 (2024)
- Industrial roundwood — Production 17.26 million m3 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Southern Africa?
- Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas in Southern Africa was 14.8% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas recorded in Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 14.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas recorded in Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.8% in 1990.
- How does Southern Africa rank for proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas?
- Southern Africa ranks 25th out of 32 groups with data for 2025.
- Is proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas rising or falling in Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Southern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas (%). 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).