Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Namibia
Namibia: Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre was 2.89 hectares per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Namibia, 2002–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in hectares per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Namibia stood at 2.89 hectares per square kilometre.
That represents a change of down 2.8% on the previous year and down 35.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Namibia peaked at 10.61 hectares per square kilometre in 2012 and was at its lowest, 1.1 hectares per square kilometre, in 2019.
That places Namibia 22nd out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Namibia, year by year
| Year | hectares per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 3.78 hectares per square kilometre | — |
| 2003 | 3.78 hectares per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 4.44 hectares per square kilometre | +17.3% |
| 2005 | 4.2 hectares per square kilometre | -5.4% |
| 2006 | 6.29 hectares per square kilometre | +49.7% |
| 2007 | 5.5 hectares per square kilometre | -12.5% |
| 2008 | 3.43 hectares per square kilometre | -37.6% |
| 2009 | 6.5 hectares per square kilometre | +89.7% |
| 2010 | 5.77 hectares per square kilometre | -11.3% |
| 2011 | 10.09 hectares per square kilometre | +74.9% |
| 2012 | 10.61 hectares per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 2013 | 4.47 hectares per square kilometre | -57.8% |
| 2014 | 3.16 hectares per square kilometre | -29.3% |
| 2015 | 2.98 hectares per square kilometre | -5.7% |
| 2016 | 2.52 hectares per square kilometre | -15.6% |
| 2017 | 3.27 hectares per square kilometre | +30.1% |
| 2018 | 2.41 hectares per square kilometre | -26.4% |
| 2019 | 1.1 hectares per square kilometre | -54.2% |
| 2020 | 3.95 hectares per square kilometre | +257.5% |
| 2021 | 4.76 hectares per square kilometre | +20.6% |
| 2022 | 2.98 hectares per square kilometre | -37.4% |
| 2023 | 2.89 hectares per square kilometre | -2.8% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Namibia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +257.5% | 1.1 hectares per square kilometre | 3.95 hectares per square kilometre |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 4.74 hectares per square kilometre | 3.43 hectares per square kilometre | 6.5 hectares per square kilometre | 8 |
| 2010s | 4.64 hectares per square kilometre | 1.1 hectares per square kilometre | 10.61 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.64 hectares per square kilometre | 2.89 hectares per square kilometre | 4.76 hectares per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 19 Nigeria 3.58 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 20 Sudan 3.58 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 21 Mozambique 3.48 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 23 Tanzania 2.45 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 24 Uganda 2.43 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 25 Venezuela 2.17 hectares per square kilometre compare
More reference data data for Namibia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0579 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.52 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0157 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.62 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.194 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.1306 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 6.82 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0853 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Namibia?
- Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Namibia was 2.89 hectares per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 10.61 hectares per square kilometre in 2012.
- What is the lowest area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.1 hectares per square kilometre in 2019.
- How does Namibia rank for area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre?
- Namibia ranks 22nd out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Namibia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Area burned by wildfires by land cover type Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.