What is surface area in South Africa?

Surface area in South Africa was 121.91 million ha in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.

What is the highest surface area recorded in South Africa?

The highest recorded value was 121.91 million ha in 1961.

What is the lowest surface area recorded in South Africa?

The lowest recorded value was 121.91 million ha in 1961.

How does South Africa rank for surface area?

South Africa ranks 9th out of 53 countries with data for 2011.

Is surface 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 Surface area (ha). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Surface area in South Africa

Name: Surface area in South Africa
Creator: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site
License: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)

South Africa: Surface area was 121.91 million ha in 2011. ▬ Flat

Latest (2011)

121.91 million ha

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

9th

of 53 countries

All-time high

121.91 million ha

in 1961

All-time low

121.91 million ha

in 1961

Years of data

1961–2011

Surface area in South Africa, 1961–2011

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in ha.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 121.91 million ha for surface area in 2011. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.

The figure is unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, surface area in South Africa peaked at 121.91 million ha in 1961 and was at its lowest, 121.91 million ha, in 1961.

That places South Africa 9th out of 53 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the top quarter.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	121.91 million ha	121.91 million ha	121.91 million ha	9
1970s	121.91 million ha	121.91 million ha	121.91 million ha	10
1980s	121.91 million ha	121.91 million ha	121.91 million ha	10
1990s	121.91 million ha	121.91 million ha	121.91 million ha	10
2000s	121.91 million ha	121.91 million ha	121.91 million ha	10
2010s	121.91 million ha	121.91 million ha	121.91 million ha	2

Countries ranked near South Africa

6 Niger 126.70 million ha compare
7 Angola 124.67 million ha compare
8 Mali 124.02 million ha compare
10 Ethiopia 110.43 million ha compare
11 Mauritania 103.07 million ha compare
12 Egypt, Arab Rep. 100.14 million ha compare

See the full ranking of 59 places →

More agriculture & rural data for South Africa

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 12.08 billion current US$ (2025)
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 2.8% (2025)
Rural population 23.43 million (2025)
Rural population growth 0.8% (2025)
Rural population 36.2% (2025)
Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
Land under cereal production 3.36 million hectares (2024)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is surface area in South Africa?: Surface area in South Africa was 121.91 million ha in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
What is the highest surface area recorded in South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 121.91 million ha in 1961.
What is the lowest surface area recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 121.91 million ha in 1961.
How does South Africa rank for surface area?: South Africa ranks 9th out of 53 countries with data for 2011.
Is surface 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 Surface area (ha). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 51 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

About this data

Indicator: Surface area (ha)
Unit: ha
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 59 places, 2,977 data points, 1961–2011
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Surface area is a country's total area, including areas under inland bodies of water and some coastal waterways.