Surface area in South Africa
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
51
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.
Surface area in South Africa, year by year
| Year | ha | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 121.91 million ha | — |
| 1962 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 121.91 million ha | +0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 121.91 million ha is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 42.47 million ha, 2.9× the median. (8 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 121.91 million ha is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 27.42 million ha, 4.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
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
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)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 2.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 2.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2025)
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
Surface area is a country's total area, including areas under inland bodies of water and some coastal waterways.