Average precipitation in depth in South Africa
South Africa: Average precipitation in depth was 495 mm per year in 2022. ▬ Flat
Latest (2022)
495 mm per year
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
144th
of 182 countries
All-time high
495 mm per year
in 1961
All-time low
495 mm per year
in 1961
Years of data
62
1961–2022
Average precipitation in depth in South Africa, 1961–2022
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in mm per year.
Analysis
In 2022, average precipitation in depth in South Africa stood at 495 mm per year. That is the highest value across all 62 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, average precipitation in depth in South Africa peaked at 495 mm per year in 1961 and was at its lowest, 495 mm per year, in 1961.
That places South Africa 144th out of 182 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Average precipitation in depth in South Africa, year by year
| Year | mm per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 495 mm per year | — |
| 1962 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 495 mm per year | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 495 mm per year | 495 mm per year | 495 mm per year | 9 |
| 1970s | 495 mm per year | 495 mm per year | 495 mm per year | 10 |
| 1980s | 495 mm per year | 495 mm per year | 495 mm per year | 10 |
| 1990s | 495 mm per year | 495 mm per year | 495 mm per year | 10 |
| 2000s | 495 mm per year | 495 mm per year | 495 mm per year | 10 |
| 2010s | 495 mm per year | 495 mm per year | 495 mm per year | 10 |
| 2020s | 495 mm per year | 495 mm per year | 495 mm per year | 3 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 7.11 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0283 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 186.56 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.812 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3618 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture share gdp 2.83 (2025)
- Value added in the agricultural sector as of gdp vs gdp per capita 2.83 (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is average precipitation in depth in South Africa?
- Average precipitation in depth in South Africa was 495 mm per year in 2022, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest average precipitation in depth recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 495 mm per year in 1961.
- What is the lowest average precipitation in depth recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 495 mm per year in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for average precipitation in depth?
- South Africa ranks 144th out of 182 countries with data for 2022.
- Is average precipitation in depth rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Average precipitation in depth (mm per year). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 62 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Average precipitation is the long-term average in depth (over space and time) of annual precipitation in the country. Precipitation is defined as any kind of water that falls from clouds as a liquid or a solid.