Surface area (sq. km) in South Africa
South Africa: Surface area (sq. km) was 1.22 million sq. km in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
1.22 million sq. km
Change on year
up 0.0%
World rank
24th
of 216 countries
All-time high
1.22 million sq. km
in 2024
All-time low
1.22 million sq. km
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Surface area in South Africa, 1961–2024
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1.22 million sq. km for surface area in 2024. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, surface area in South Africa peaked at 1.22 million sq. km in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1.22 million sq. km, in 1961.
South Africa ranks 24th of 216 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Surface area (sq. km) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.22 million sq. km | — |
| 1962 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1.22 million sq. km | +0.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.22 million sq. km is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 109,386 sq. km, 11.1× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.22 million sq. km is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 298,330 sq. km, 4.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.22 million sq. km | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.22 million sq. km | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.22 million sq. km | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.22 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.22 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.22 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.22 million sq. km | 1.22 million sq. km | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 surface area in South Africa?
- Surface area in South Africa was 1.22 million sq. km in 2024, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest surface area recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1.22 million sq. km in 2024.
- What is the lowest surface area recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.22 million sq. km in 1961.
- How does South Africa rank for surface area?
- South Africa ranks 24th out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is surface area rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Surface area (sq. km). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Surface area is a country's total area, including areas under inland bodies of water and some coastal waterways.