Land area in South Africa
South Africa: Land area was 1.21 million sq. km in 2023. ▬ Flat
Latest (2023)
1.21 million sq. km
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
24th
of 215 countries
All-time high
1.21 million sq. km
in 1961
All-time low
1.21 million sq. km
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Land area in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1.21 million sq. km for land area in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, land area in South Africa peaked at 1.21 million sq. km in 1961 and was at its lowest, 1.21 million sq. km, in 1961.
That places South Africa 24th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
Land area in South Africa, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.21 million sq. km | — |
| 1962 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.21 million sq. km | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.21 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.21 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.21 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.21 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.21 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.21 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.21 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 1.21 million sq. km | 4 |
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 land area in South Africa?
- Land area in South Africa was 1.21 million sq. km in 2023, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest land area recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.21 million sq. km in 1961.
- What is the lowest land area recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.21 million sq. km in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for land area?
- South Africa ranks 24th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land 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 FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Land area (sq. km). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.