Environment in South Africa

3,621 indicators covering environment for South Africa.

IndicatorLatest Year10-yr change Rank
Drinking water services in rural areas 760,592 people 2024 down 62.1% 30th
Mechanical wood pulp (1961-2016) — Production 214,107 t 2016 down 15.7% 25th
Share of freshwater Key Biodiversity Areas that are protected 21.9% 2025 up 12.7% 138th
Agriculture-driven deforestation 3,723 hectares 2024 down 53.9% 57th
Herbicides — Import value 55,124 1000 USD 2006 up 47.9% 31st
Disinfectants, etc — Import value 8,729 1000 USD 2006 up 4.9% 54th
Chemical wood pulp, sulphite, unbleached (1961-2016) — Import quantity 1 t 2016 down 90.0% 41st
Chemical wood pulp, sulphite, unbleached (1961-2016) — Import value 2 1000 USD 2016 down 75.0% 43rd
Printing and writing papers, uncoated, mechanical — Production 0 t 2024 — 38th
Total FAO — Sawnwood, non-coniferous all — Import Quantity 116,609 m3 2018 down 66.7% 29th
Total FAO — Sawnwood, non-coniferous all — Import Value 68,596 1000 USD 2018 down 35.7% 26th
Others (adjustment) — Sawnwood, non-coniferous all — Import Quantity -98,691 m3 2018 down 24,528.5% 156th
Others (adjustment) — Sawnwood, non-coniferous all — Import Value 2,929 1000 USD 2018 down 73.8% 12th
China — Forest products (export/import) — Import Value 95,723 1000 USD 2018 up 96.2% 27th
Total FAO — Newsprint — Import Quantity 53,479 t 2018 up 2,400.2% 27th
Total FAO — Newsprint — Import Value 37,193 1000 USD 2018 up 2,430.1% 24th
Carbon dioxide (CO2) net fluxes from LULUCF - Forest Land -85.68 Mt CO2e 2023 down 63.1% 167th
Others (adjustment) — Newsprint — Import Quantity -608 t 2018 — 132nd
Others (adjustment) — Newsprint — Import Value -305 1000 USD 2018 down 30,600.0% 128th
Carbon dioxide (CO2) net fluxes from LULUCF - Deforestation 12.86 Mt CO2e 2023 up 13.5% 39th
Total FAO — Sawnwood, coniferous — Import Quantity 19,134 m3 2018 down 86.1% 91st
Total FAO — Sawnwood, coniferous — Import Value 3,329 1000 USD 2018 down 86.1% 104th
Ammonium sulphate — Export quantity 24,590 t 2024 up 301.6% 21st
Ammonium sulphate — Export value 7,451 1000 USD 2024 up 226.1% 19th
Others (adjustment) — Sawnwood, coniferous — Import Quantity -5 m3 2018 — 126th
Others (adjustment) — Sawnwood, coniferous — Import Value -1 1000 USD 2018 — 87th
Watermelons — Gross Production Value 388,794 1000 SLC 2024 up 102.0% 44th
Wood pellets, briquettes and other agglomerates — Export quantity 10,185 t 2024 up 2.8% 48th
Wood pellets, briquettes and other agglomerates — Export value 1,605 1000 USD 2024 down 1.6% 49th
Soil working equipment (trade) — Import Value 48,661 1000 USD 2007 up 260.5% 33rd
Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of 67.6% 2023 up 15.1% 28th
Total official development assistance for biodiversity, by recipient 41.44 2024 up 190.4% 52nd
Total FAO — Veneer sheets — Import Quantity 3,275 m3 2018 down 71.6% 54th
Total FAO — Veneer sheets — Import Value 10,966 1000 USD 2018 down 56.8% 42nd
Other NP compounds — Export quantity 2,942 t 2024 down 76.3% 33rd
Other NP compounds — Export value 1,896 1000 USD 2024 down 73.9% 34th
Freshwater withdrawals as a share of internal resources 67.6% 2023 up 15.1% 26th
China — Paper and paperboard, excluding newsprint — Import Quantity 69,643 t 2018 up 157.3% 18th
China — Paper and paperboard, excluding newsprint — Import Value 75,280 1000 USD 2018 up 156.9% 20th
Carbon dioxide (CO2) net fluxes from LULUCF - Other Land 18.47 Mt CO2e 2023 up 659.8% 9th
Others (adjustment) — Veneer sheets — Import Value -232 1000 USD 2018 down 959.3% 118th
Others (adjustment) — Veneer sheets — Import Quantity -25 m3 2018 down 1,350.0% 132nd
Insecticides — Import quantity 9,035 t 2006 up 1.2% 21st
Germany — Forest products (export/import) — Import Value 89,585 1000 USD 2018 down 45.0% 34th
Ammonia, anhydrous — Export quantity 4,880 t 2024 down 54.3% 32nd
Ammonia, anhydrous — Export value 3,229 1000 USD 2024 down 51.9% 33rd
Ammonium nitrate (AN) — Export quantity 188,279 t 2024 up 84.9% 9th
Ammonium nitrate (AN) — Export value 105,888 1000 USD 2024 up 84.4% 7th
Fungicides — Import value 37,555 1000 USD 2006 up 51.0% 35th
Disinfectants, etc — Import quantity 2,781 t 2006 down 43.8% 47th
Herbicides — Import quantity 12,731 t 2006 up 79.9% 25th
Mechanical and semi-chemical wood pulp — Import quantity 6,337 t 2024 up 79.6% 36th
Mechanical and semi-chemical wood pulp — Import value 3,796 1000 USD 2024 up 161.6% 37th
Germany — Paper and paperboard, excluding newsprint — Import Quantity 40,422 t 2018 down 59.0% 34th
Germany — Paper and paperboard, excluding newsprint — Import Value 72,153 1000 USD 2018 down 48.1% 23rd
Water Use Efficiency 16.01 2023 down 17.4% 94th
Carbon dioxide (CO2) net fluxes from LULUCF - Organic Soil 0 Mt CO2e 2020 — 38th
Chemical wood pulp, sulphite — Import quantity 2,323 t 2024 down 94.8% 31st
Chemical wood pulp, sulphite — Import value 2,528 1000 USD 2024 down 90.0% 35th
Plastic waste exports 44,367 tonnes 2024 up 42.7% 18th