Forest fires — Burned Area, per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Forest fires — Burned Area, per capita was 0.0011 ha per person in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Forest fires — Burned Area, per capita in South Africa, 1990–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in ha per person.
Analysis
In 2024, forest fires — burned area, per capita in South Africa stood at 0.0011 ha per person.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 318.6% on the previous year and up 47.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest fires — burned area, per capita in South Africa peaked at 0.0053 ha per person in 1998 and was at its lowest, 0.0002 ha per person, in 2022.
That places South Africa 36th out of 186 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Forest fires — Burned Area, per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | ha per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.0014 ha per person | — |
| 1991 | 0.0013 ha per person | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 0.0013 ha per person | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 0.0013 ha per person | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 0.0013 ha per person | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 0.0012 ha per person | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 0.0032 ha per person | +155.4% |
| 1997 | 0.0031 ha per person | -1.8% |
| 1998 | 0.0053 ha per person | +72.4% |
| 1999 | 0.0035 ha per person | -33.8% |
| 2000 | 0.0012 ha per person | -66.5% |
| 2001 | 0.0004 ha per person | -64.5% |
| 2002 | 0.0004 ha per person | -8.2% |
| 2003 | 0.0009 ha per person | +142.9% |
| 2004 | 0.0003 ha per person | -63.2% |
| 2005 | 0.0014 ha per person | +296.1% |
| 2006 | 0.0004 ha per person | -70.7% |
| 2007 | 0.0015 ha per person | +266.6% |
| 2008 | 0.0009 ha per person | -41.8% |
| 2009 | 0.0005 ha per person | -47.3% |
| 2010 | 0.0007 ha per person | +46.5% |
| 2011 | 0.0005 ha per person | -18.6% |
| 2012 | 0.0006 ha per person | +4.3% |
| 2013 | 0.0005 ha per person | -5.0% |
| 2014 | 0.0007 ha per person | +36.3% |
| 2015 | 0.0003 ha per person | -52.4% |
| 2016 | 0.0004 ha per person | +22.4% |
| 2017 | 0.0006 ha per person | +42.2% |
| 2018 | 0.0014 ha per person | +140.4% |
| 2019 | 0.0006 ha per person | -56.2% |
| 2020 | 0.0005 ha per person | -15.5% |
| 2021 | 0.0004 ha per person | -33.8% |
| 2022 | 0.0002 ha per person | -47.6% |
| 2023 | 0.0003 ha per person | +37.8% |
| 2024 | 0.0011 ha per person | +318.6% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 0.0011 ha per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.0001 ha per person, 11.2× the median. (52 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 0.0011 ha per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.0003 ha per person, 3.9× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.0023 ha per person | 0.0012 ha per person | 0.0053 ha per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0008 ha per person | 0.0003 ha per person | 0.0015 ha per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0006 ha per person | 0.0003 ha per person | 0.0014 ha per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0005 ha per person | 0.0002 ha per person | 0.0011 ha per person | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
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 forest fires — burned area, per capita in South Africa?
- Forest fires — burned area, per capita in South Africa was 0.0011 ha per person in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest forest fires — burned area, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 0.0053 ha per person in 1998.
- What is the lowest forest fires — burned area, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0002 ha per person in 2022.
- How does South Africa rank for forest fires — burned area, per capita?
- South Africa ranks 36th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is forest fires — burned area, per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 47.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Forest fires — Burned Area, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Forest fires — Burned Area divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Forest fires — Burned Area ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Forest fires — Burned Area Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Forest fires — Burned Area divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.