Tree Cover Loss in South Africa
South Africa: Tree Cover Loss was 27,424 hectares in 2025. ▼ Falling
Tree Cover Loss in South Africa, 2001–2025
Source: Global Forest Watch. Tree Cover Loss (Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA). Measured in hectares.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 27,424 hectares for tree cover loss in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is down 30.7% on the previous year and down 60.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tree cover loss in South Africa peaked at 104,944 hectares in 2006 and was at its lowest, 27,424 hectares, in 2025.
That places South Africa 65th out of 190 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Tree Cover Loss in South Africa, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 77,645 hectares | — |
| 2002 | 47,680 hectares | -38.6% |
| 2003 | 92,573 hectares | +94.2% |
| 2004 | 72,602 hectares | -21.6% |
| 2005 | 104,652 hectares | +44.1% |
| 2006 | 104,944 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 47,105 hectares | -55.1% |
| 2008 | 81,376 hectares | +72.8% |
| 2009 | 67,279 hectares | -17.3% |
| 2010 | 61,759 hectares | -8.2% |
| 2011 | 69,617 hectares | +12.7% |
| 2012 | 84,897 hectares | +21.9% |
| 2013 | 56,369 hectares | -33.6% |
| 2014 | 69,667 hectares | +23.6% |
| 2015 | 70,157 hectares | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 73,546 hectares | +4.8% |
| 2017 | 94,056 hectares | +27.9% |
| 2018 | 63,667 hectares | -32.3% |
| 2019 | 76,140 hectares | +19.6% |
| 2020 | 62,247 hectares | -18.2% |
| 2021 | 52,068 hectares | -16.4% |
| 2022 | 40,980 hectares | -21.3% |
| 2023 | 29,571 hectares | -27.8% |
| 2024 | 39,557 hectares | +33.8% |
| 2025 | 27,424 hectares | -30.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 77,317 hectares | 47,105 hectares | 104,944 hectares | 9 |
| 2010s | 71,988 hectares | 56,369 hectares | 94,056 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 41,974 hectares | 27,424 hectares | 62,247 hectares | 6 |
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 tree cover loss in South Africa?
- Tree cover loss in South Africa was 27,424 hectares in 2025, according to Global Forest Watch. Tree Cover Loss (Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA).
- What is the highest tree cover loss recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 104,944 hectares in 2006.
- What is the lowest tree cover loss recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 27,424 hectares in 2025.
- How does South Africa rank for tree cover loss?
- South Africa ranks 65th out of 190 countries with data for 2025.
- Is tree cover loss rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 60.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Global Forest Watch. Tree Cover Loss (Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA), published as part of Tree Cover Loss (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Shows year-by-year tree cover loss, defined as stand level replacement of vegetation greater than 5 meters, within the selected area. The tree cover loss data set is a collaboration of the University of Maryland, Google, USGS, and NASA, and uses Landsat satellite images to map annual tree cover loss at a 30 × 30 meter resolution. Note that “tree cover loss” is not the same as “deforestation” – tree cover loss includes change in both natural and planted forest, and does not need to be human caused. The data from 2011 onward were produced with an updated methodology that may capture additional loss. Comparisons between the original 2001-2010 data and future years should be performed with caution.