Share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking in South Africa
South Africa: Share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking was 90.0% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking in South Africa, 2000–2024
Source: World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking in South Africa is 90.0%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
The figure is up 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking in South Africa peaked at 90.0% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 57.0%, in 2000.
South Africa ranks 106th of 194 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 66.5% | 57.0% | 76.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 83.0% | 77.0% | 87.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.2% | 88.0% | 90.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More reference data data for South Africa
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking in South Africa?
- Share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking in South Africa was 90.0% in 2024, according to World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 90.0% in 2023.
- What is the lowest share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.0% in 2000.
- How does South Africa rank for share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking?
- South Africa ranks 106th out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization - Global Health Observatory (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of the population with access to clean fuels for cooking. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Access to clean fuels or technologies such as natural gas, electricity, and clean cookstoves reduces exposure to indoor air pollutants, a leading cause of death in low-income households.