Terrestrial and marine protected areas in South Africa
South Africa: Terrestrial and marine protected areas was 12.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in South Africa, 2013–2025
Source: Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM), UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring. Measured in % of total territorial area.
Analysis
The most recent figure for terrestrial and marine protected areas in South Africa is 12.9%, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 10.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, terrestrial and marine protected areas in South Africa peaked at 13.0% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 9.8%, in 2013.
That places South Africa 99th out of 213 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.
Terrestrial and marine protected areas in South Africa, year by year
| Year | % of total territorial area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 9.8% | — |
| 2014 | 10.6% | +8.2% |
| 2015 | 11.7% | +10.4% |
| 2016 | 13.0% | +11.1% |
| 2017 | 13.0% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 10.3% | -20.8% |
| 2019 | 11.8% | +14.6% |
| 2020 | 12.4% | +5.1% |
| 2021 | 12.5% | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 12.7% | +1.6% |
| 2023 | 12.7% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 12.8% | +0.8% |
| 2025 | 12.9% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 11.5% | 9.8% | 13.0% | 7 |
| 2020s | 12.7% | 12.4% | 12.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 96 Finland 13.5% compare
- 97 Thailand 13.4% compare
- 98 Guinea-Bissau 13.2% compare
- 100 Switzerland 12.5% compare
- 101 Israel 12.2% compare
- 102 Azerbaijan 12.0% 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 terrestrial and marine protected areas in South Africa?
- Terrestrial and marine protected areas in South Africa was 12.9% in 2025, according to Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM), UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring.
- What is the highest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 13.0% in 2016.
- What is the lowest terrestrial and marine protected areas recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.8% in 2013.
- How does South Africa rank for terrestrial and marine protected areas?
- South Africa ranks 99th out of 213 countries with data for 2025.
- Is terrestrial and marine protected areas rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Protected Planet: The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and World Database on Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (WD-OECM), UN Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring, published as part of Terrestrial and marine protected areas (% of total territorial area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 13 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Terrestrial protected areas are totally or partially protected areas of at least 1,000 hectares that are designated by national authorities as scientific reserves with limited public access, national parks, natural monuments, nature reserves or wildlife sanctuaries, protected landscapes, and areas managed mainly for sustainable use. Marine protected areas are areas of intertidal or subtidal terrain--and overlying water and associated flora and fauna and historical and cultural features--that have been reserved by law or other effective means to protect part or all of the enclosed environment. Sites protected under local or provincial law are excluded.