Forest area in South Africa
South Africa: Forest area was 9.24 million hectares in 2011. ▬ Flat
Forest area in South Africa, 1990–2011
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2011, forest area in South Africa stood at 9.24 million hectares. That is the highest value across all 22 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in South Africa peaked at 9.24 million hectares in 1990 and was at its lowest, 9.24 million hectares, in 1990.
South Africa ranks 18th of 53 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 9.24 million hectares | 9.24 million hectares | 9.24 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.24 million hectares | 9.24 million hectares | 9.24 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.24 million hectares | 9.24 million hectares | 9.24 million hectares | 2 |
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 forest area in South Africa?
- Forest area in South Africa was 9.24 million hectares in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
- What is the highest forest area recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 9.24 million hectares in 1990.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.24 million hectares in 1990.
- How does South Africa rank for forest area?
- South Africa ranks 18th out of 53 countries with data for 2011.
- Is forest area 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 Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Forest area (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Forest area is land under natural or planted stands of trees of at least 5 meters in situ, whether productive or not, and excludes tree stands in agricultural production systems (for example, in fruit plantations and agroforestry systems) and trees in urban parks and gardens.