Closed and open shrubland — Burning crop residues in South Africa
South Africa: Closed and open shrubland — Burning crop residues was 3.24 million t in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Closed and open shrubland — Burning crop residues in South Africa, 1990–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in t.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 3.24 million t for closed and open shrubland — burning crop residues in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 79.4% on the previous year and up 55.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, closed and open shrubland — burning crop residues in South Africa peaked at 15.71 million t in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.71 million t, in 2019.
That places South Africa 7th out of 219 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Closed and open shrubland — Burning crop residues in South Africa, year by year
| Year | t | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 6.89 million t | — |
| 1991 | 6.89 million t | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 6.89 million t | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 6.89 million t | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 6.89 million t | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 6.89 million t | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 10.48 million t | +52.2% |
| 1997 | 10.79 million t | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 13.29 million t | +23.2% |
| 1999 | 11.95 million t | -10.1% |
| 2000 | 9.31 million t | -22.1% |
| 2001 | 4.69 million t | -49.7% |
| 2002 | 11.58 million t | +146.9% |
| 2003 | 5.81 million t | -49.8% |
| 2004 | 2.34 million t | -59.8% |
| 2005 | 4.50 million t | +92.7% |
| 2006 | 2.15 million t | -52.3% |
| 2007 | 3.98 million t | +85.1% |
| 2008 | 3.14 million t | -21.1% |
| 2009 | 6.77 million t | +115.7% |
| 2010 | 6.76 million t | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 6.26 million t | -7.4% |
| 2012 | 10.47 million t | +67.2% |
| 2013 | 2.95 million t | -71.8% |
| 2014 | 2.09 million t | -29.0% |
| 2015 | 3.68 million t | +76.1% |
| 2016 | 4.68 million t | +27.0% |
| 2017 | 6.89 million t | +47.3% |
| 2018 | 5.84 million t | -15.3% |
| 2019 | 1.71 million t | -70.6% |
| 2020 | 2.25 million t | +31.5% |
| 2021 | 14.95 million t | +563.4% |
| 2022 | 11.49 million t | -23.1% |
| 2023 | 15.71 million t | +36.7% |
| 2024 | 3.24 million t | -79.4% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 3.24 million t is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 438.38 t, 7395.5× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Closed and open shrubland — Burning crop residues in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | +563.4% | 2.25 million t | 14.95 million t |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 8.78 million t | 6.89 million t | 13.29 million t | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.43 million t | 2.15 million t | 11.58 million t | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.13 million t | 1.71 million t | 10.47 million t | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.53 million t | 2.25 million t | 15.71 million t | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 4 Iran (Islamic Republic of) 2.10 million t compare
- 4 Russian Federation 14.56 million t compare
- 5 Botswana 13.64 million t compare
- 5 Syrian Arab Republic 902,869 t compare
- 6 Angola 7.77 million t compare
- 6 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 114,923 t compare
- 7 Türkiye 28,253 t compare
- 8 Democratic Republic of the Congo 21,118 t compare
- 8 Iraq 1.33 million t compare
- 9 Namibia 1.04 million t compare
- 10 Argentina 721,577 t compare
- 10 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 2,283 t compare
More climate change data for South Africa
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 717.27 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 34,365 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 11,741 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 22,624 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 44.31 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 807.99 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 5,495 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 5,119 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 376.6 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 19.32 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is closed and open shrubland — burning crop residues in South Africa?
- Closed and open shrubland — burning crop residues in South Africa was 3.24 million t in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest closed and open shrubland — burning crop residues recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 15.71 million t in 2023.
- What is the lowest closed and open shrubland — burning crop residues recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.71 million t in 2019.
- How does South Africa rank for closed and open shrubland — burning crop residues?
- South Africa ranks 7th out of 219 countries with data for 2024.
- Is closed and open shrubland — burning crop residues rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 55.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Closed and open shrubland — Burning crop residues (Biomass burned, dry matter). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
About this data
The FAOSTAT domain on Emissions from Fires consists of estimates of methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions generated from biomass burning in a range of vegetation types and from fires in organic soils.