Primary Forest Loss in South Africa
South Africa: Primary Forest Loss was 206 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
206
Change on year
down 58.7%
Rank
60th
of 80 groups
All-time high
2,016
in 2017
All-time low
200
in 2023
Years of data
24
2002–2025
Primary Forest Loss in South Africa, 2002–2025
Source: World Bank.
Analysis
In 2025, primary forest loss in South Africa stood at 206.
The figure is down 58.7% on the previous year and down 61.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary forest loss in South Africa peaked at 2,016 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 200, in 2023.
That places South Africa 60th out of 80 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 433.88 | 327 | 541 | 8 |
| 2010s | 687.4 | 273 | 2,016 | 10 |
| 2020s | 453 | 200 | 880 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More agriculture & rural data for South Africa
- 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)
- Rural population 36.2% (2025)
- Rural population growth 0.8% (2025)
- Rural population 23.43 million (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 12.08 billion current US$ (2025)
- Cereal yield vs gdp per capita 4.56 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary forest loss in South Africa?
- Primary forest loss in South Africa was 206 in 2025, according to the World Bank.
- What is the highest primary forest loss recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2,016 in 2017.
- What is the lowest primary forest loss recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 200 in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for primary forest loss?
- South Africa ranks 60th out of 80 groups with data for 2025.
- Is primary forest loss rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 61.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Primary Forest Loss. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).