Congo vs South Africa: Annual area burnt by wildfires
Congo
730,044 hectares
in 2026
South Africa
903,313 hectares
in 2026
Congo rank
33rd
South Africa rank
30th
Annual area burnt by wildfires over time
- Congo
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 903,313 hectares against 730,044 hectares in Congo, a difference of 173,269 hectares.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.2 times Congo's.
Across all 15 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
Congo ranks 33rd and South Africa ranks 30th of 248 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 2 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Congo | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 1.73 million hectares | 3.35 million hectares | 1.61 million hectares | South Africa |
| 2020s | 1.46 million hectares | 2.89 million hectares | 1.44 million hectares | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher annual area burnt by wildfires, Congo or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 903,313 hectares against 730,044 hectares in Congo as of 2026.
- What is the difference in annual area burnt by wildfires between Congo and South Africa?
- 173,269 hectares, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Congo and South Africa?
- 15 years are reported by both, from 2012 to 2026.
- How do Congo and South Africa rank globally for annual area burnt by wildfires?
- Congo ranks 33rd and South Africa ranks 30th of 248 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Annual area burnt by wildfires. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Area burnt by wildfires in hectares. The 2026 data is incomplete and was last updated 07 August 2026.