China vs South Africa: Annual area burnt by wildfires gwis
China
2.62 million
in 2025
South Africa
2.59 million
in 2025
China rank
25th
South Africa rank
27th
Annual area burnt by wildfires gwis over time
- China
- South Africa
How they compare
China currently reports 2.62 million against 2.59 million in South Africa, a difference of 35,240.
The two have swapped places 9 times across 24 shared years of data; in 2002 it was South Africa ahead.
China ranks 25th and South Africa ranks 27th of 225 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.08 million | 4.21 million | 1.13 million | South Africa |
| 2010s | 3.44 million | 3.44 million | 3,856 | South Africa |
| 2020s | 2.76 million | 4.09 million | 1.33 million | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual area burnt by wildfires gwis, China or South Africa?
- China, at 2.62 million against 2.59 million in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in annual area burnt by wildfires gwis between China and South Africa?
- 35,240, with China ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and South Africa?
- 24 years are reported by both, from 2002 to 2025.
- How do China and South Africa rank globally for annual area burnt by wildfires gwis?
- China ranks 25th and South Africa ranks 27th of 225 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Annual area burnt by wildfires gwis. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.