South Africa vs Spain: Tree cover loss from wildfires
South Africa
16,149 hectares
in 2024
Spain
14,605 hectares
in 2024
South Africa rank
22nd
Spain rank
25th
Tree cover loss from wildfires over time
- South Africa
- Spain
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 16,149 hectares against 14,605 hectares in Spain, a difference of 1,544 hectares.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times Spain's.
The two have swapped places 5 times across 24 shared years of data; in 2001 it was Spain ahead.
South Africa ranks 22nd and Spain ranks 25th of 152 countries.
Spain has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | Spain | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4,020 hectares | 13,076 hectares | 9,056 hectares | Spain |
| 2010s | 10,924 hectares | 21,251 hectares | 10,328 hectares | Spain |
| 2020s | 10,074 hectares | 34,696 hectares | 24,623 hectares | Spain |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher tree cover loss from wildfires, South Africa or Spain?
- South Africa, at 16,149 hectares against 14,605 hectares in Spain as of 2024.
- What is the difference in tree cover loss from wildfires between South Africa and Spain?
- 1,544 hectares, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and Spain?
- 24 years are reported by both, from 2001 to 2024.
- How do South Africa and Spain rank globally for tree cover loss from wildfires?
- South Africa ranks 22nd and Spain ranks 25th of 152 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Tree cover loss from wildfires. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Tree cover loss due to fire with no visible human conversion or agricultural activity afterward. Fires may be started by natural causes (e.g. lightning) or may be related to human activities (accidental or deliberate).