Rwanda vs South Africa: Wildfire area burned by land cover type
Rwanda
901.57 hectares
in 2025
South Africa
1,202 hectares
in 2025
Rwanda rank
39th
South Africa rank
36th
Wildfire area burned by land cover type over time
- Rwanda
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 1,202 hectares against 901.57 hectares in Rwanda, a difference of 300.43 hectares.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.3 times Rwanda's.
The two have swapped places 12 times across 24 shared years of data; in 2002 it was South Africa ahead.
Rwanda ranks 39th and South Africa ranks 36th of 225 countries.
Across the 3 decades both report, Rwanda averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Rwanda | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2,144 hectares | 1,360 hectares | 783.5 hectares | Rwanda |
| 2010s | 1,803 hectares | 1,256 hectares | 547.38 hectares | Rwanda |
| 2020s | 558.11 hectares | 1,191 hectares | 633.25 hectares | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher wildfire area burned by land cover type, Rwanda or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 1,202 hectares against 901.57 hectares in Rwanda as of 2025.
- What is the difference in wildfire area burned by land cover type between Rwanda and South Africa?
- 300.43 hectares, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Rwanda and South Africa?
- 24 years are reported by both, from 2002 to 2025.
- How do Rwanda and South Africa rank globally for wildfire area burned by land cover type?
- Rwanda ranks 39th and South Africa ranks 36th of 225 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Wildfire area burned by land cover type. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Area of other land types burnt by wildfires each year, in hectares. Includes wetlands, urban areas, snow and ice, bare ground, and water bodies.