Protected terrestrial biodiversity sites in South Africa
South Africa: Protected terrestrial biodiversity sites was 20.21 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Protected terrestrial biodiversity sites in South Africa, 2000–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for protected terrestrial biodiversity sites in South Africa is 20.21, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 26 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 13.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, protected terrestrial biodiversity sites in South Africa peaked at 20.21 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 13.95, in 2000.
That places South Africa 195th out of 240 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 26 years of available data.
Protected terrestrial biodiversity sites in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 13.95 | — |
| 2001 | 14.49 | +3.9% |
| 2002 | 14.53 | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 14.54 | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 16.3 | +12.1% |
| 2005 | 16.37 | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 16.39 | +0.1% |
| 2007 | 16.41 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 16.42 | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 16.53 | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 16.57 | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 16.71 | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 16.87 | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 17.27 | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 17.53 | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 17.82 | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 18.15 | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 18.25 | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 18.9 | +3.6% |
| 2019 | 19.66 | +4.0% |
| 2020 | 19.72 | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 19.86 | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 19.98 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 20.1 | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 20.14 | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 20.21 | +0.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 20.21 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 42.81, 47% of the median. (57 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 20.21 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 55.52, 36% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15.59 | 13.95 | 16.53 | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.77 | 16.57 | 19.66 | 10 |
| 2020s | 20 | 19.72 | 20.21 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More environment data for South Africa
- Grazing land use over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Grazing land use over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Grazing land use over the long-term, per capita 1.3 hectares per person (2025)
- 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)
- Grazing land use over the long-term, per square kilometre 69.19 hectares per square kilometre (2024)
- Sawnwood, coniferous — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is protected terrestrial biodiversity sites in South Africa?
- Protected terrestrial biodiversity sites in South Africa was 20.21 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest protected terrestrial biodiversity sites recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 20.21 in 2025.
- What is the lowest protected terrestrial biodiversity sites recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.95 in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for protected terrestrial biodiversity sites?
- South Africa ranks 195th out of 240 countries with data for 2025.
- Is protected terrestrial biodiversity sites rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 13.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Protected terrestrial biodiversity sites. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).