Land animals slaughtered for meat, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Land animals slaughtered for meat, per square kilometre was 861.79 animals per square kilometre in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
861.79 animals per square kilometre
Change on year
up 0.6%
World rank
77th
of 191 countries
All-time high
870.5 animals per square kilometre
in 2012
All-time low
18.96 animals per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Land animals slaughtered for meat, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in animals per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2024, land animals slaughtered for meat, per square kilometre in South Africa stood at 861.79 animals per square kilometre.
That represents a change of up 0.6% on the previous year and up 9.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land animals slaughtered for meat, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 870.5 animals per square kilometre in 2012 and was at its lowest, 18.96 animals per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places South Africa 77th out of 191 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Land animals slaughtered for meat, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | animals per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 18.96 animals per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 22.26 animals per square kilometre | +17.4% |
| 1963 | 24.73 animals per square kilometre | +11.1% |
| 1964 | 28.85 animals per square kilometre | +16.7% |
| 1965 | 32.97 animals per square kilometre | +14.3% |
| 1966 | 38.74 animals per square kilometre | +17.5% |
| 1967 | 45.34 animals per square kilometre | +17.0% |
| 1968 | 51.93 animals per square kilometre | +14.5% |
| 1969 | 57.7 animals per square kilometre | +11.1% |
| 1970 | 61.65 animals per square kilometre | +6.8% |
| 1971 | 63.97 animals per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1972 | 74.62 animals per square kilometre | +16.6% |
| 1973 | 89.55 animals per square kilometre | +20.0% |
| 1974 | 101.05 animals per square kilometre | +12.8% |
| 1975 | 104.5 animals per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1976 | 118.39 animals per square kilometre | +13.3% |
| 1977 | 118.7 animals per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 123.65 animals per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1979 | 128.43 animals per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1980 | 141.6 animals per square kilometre | +10.3% |
| 1981 | 149.79 animals per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 1982 | 161.3 animals per square kilometre | +7.7% |
| 1983 | 177.41 animals per square kilometre | +10.0% |
| 1984 | 185.48 animals per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1985 | 197.84 animals per square kilometre | +6.7% |
| 1986 | 206.09 animals per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 214.33 animals per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1988 | 222.57 animals per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1989 | 230.82 animals per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1990 | 317.37 animals per square kilometre | +37.5% |
| 1991 | 293.46 animals per square kilometre | -7.5% |
| 1992 | 288.52 animals per square kilometre | -1.7% |
| 1993 | 305.01 animals per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1994 | 321.49 animals per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1995 | 343.75 animals per square kilometre | +6.9% |
| 1996 | 370.95 animals per square kilometre | +7.9% |
| 1997 | 395.68 animals per square kilometre | +6.7% |
| 1998 | 387.44 animals per square kilometre | -2.1% |
| 1999 | 408.05 animals per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 2000 | 428.66 animals per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 2001 | 471.52 animals per square kilometre | +10.0% |
| 2002 | 506.97 animals per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 2003 | 490.48 animals per square kilometre | -3.3% |
| 2004 | 486.77 animals per square kilometre | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 509.83 animals per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 521.91 animals per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 618.26 animals per square kilometre | +18.5% |
| 2008 | 739.44 animals per square kilometre | +19.6% |
| 2009 | 805.53 animals per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 2010 | 860.33 animals per square kilometre | +6.8% |
| 2011 | 868.53 animals per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 870.5 animals per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 775.25 animals per square kilometre | -10.9% |
| 2014 | 790.07 animals per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 827.64 animals per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 771.23 animals per square kilometre | -6.8% |
| 2017 | 764.28 animals per square kilometre | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 778.52 animals per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 826.75 animals per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 2020 | 851.45 animals per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 857.07 animals per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 851.06 animals per square kilometre | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 856.49 animals per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 861.79 animals per square kilometre | +0.6% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 861.79 animals per square kilometre is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 819.06 animals per square kilometre, 1.1× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 861.79 animals per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 120.64 animals per square kilometre, 7.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 35.72 animals per square kilometre | 18.96 animals per square kilometre | 57.7 animals per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 98.45 animals per square kilometre | 61.65 animals per square kilometre | 128.43 animals per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 188.72 animals per square kilometre | 141.6 animals per square kilometre | 230.82 animals per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 343.17 animals per square kilometre | 288.52 animals per square kilometre | 408.05 animals per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 557.94 animals per square kilometre | 428.66 animals per square kilometre | 805.53 animals per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 813.31 animals per square kilometre | 764.28 animals per square kilometre | 870.5 animals per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 855.57 animals per square kilometre | 851.06 animals per square kilometre | 861.79 animals per square kilometre | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 74 Serbia 899.08 animals per square kilometre compare
- 75 Bosnia and Herzegovina 894.98 animals per square kilometre compare
- 76 Togo 877.51 animals per square kilometre compare
- 78 Myanmar 806.38 animals per square kilometre compare
- 79 Brazil 776.33 animals per square kilometre compare
- 80 Fiji 759.72 animals per square kilometre compare
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1917 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 1.49 hectares per person (2025)
- 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is land animals slaughtered for meat, per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Land animals slaughtered for meat, per square kilometre in South Africa was 861.79 animals per square kilometre in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest land animals slaughtered for meat, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 870.5 animals per square kilometre in 2012.
- What is the lowest land animals slaughtered for meat, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 18.96 animals per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for land animals slaughtered for meat, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 77th out of 191 countries with data for 2024.
- Is land animals slaughtered for meat, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Land animals slaughtered for meat, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Land animals slaughtered for meat divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Land animals slaughtered for meat ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Land animals slaughtered for meat Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Land animals slaughtered for meat divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.