How does South Africa rank for share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures?

South Africa ranks 6th out of 209 countries with data for 2023.

Is share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures rising or falling in South Africa?

Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.

Where does this South Africa data come from?

The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in South Africa

Name: Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in South Africa
Creator: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Africa: Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures was 69.19 percent in 2023. ▬ Flat

Latest (2023)

69.19 percent

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

6th

of 209 countries

All-time high

73.49 percent

in 1961

All-time low

67.08 percent

in 1982

Years of data

1961–2023

Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in South Africa, 1961–2023

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in percent.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 69.19 percent for share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in South Africa peaked at 73.49 percent in 1961 and was at its lowest, 67.08 percent, in 1982.

That places South Africa 6th out of 209 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.

Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in South Africa, 1961 to 2023.
Year	percent	Change
1961	73.49 percent	—
1962	72.46 percent	-1.4%
1963	71.47 percent	-1.4%
1964	70.4 percent	-1.5%
1965	69.41 percent	-1.4%
1966	69.24 percent	-0.2%
1967	69 percent	-0.3%
1968	68.8 percent	-0.3%
1969	68.59 percent	-0.3%
1970	68.4 percent	-0.3%
1971	68.19 percent	-0.3%
1972	67.99 percent	-0.3%
1973	67.79 percent	-0.3%
1974	67.6 percent	-0.3%
1975	67.38 percent	-0.3%
1976	67.18 percent	-0.3%
1977	67.16 percent	-0.0%
1978	67.14 percent	-0.0%
1979	67.13 percent	-0.0%
1980	67.12 percent	-0.0%
1981	67.1 percent	-0.0%
1982	67.08 percent	-0.0%
1983	67.08 percent	+0.0%
1984	67.08 percent	+0.0%
1985	67.08 percent	+0.0%
1986	67.18 percent	+0.1%
1987	67.43 percent	+0.4%
1988	67.6 percent	+0.3%
1989	67.84 percent	+0.4%
1990	68.01 percent	+0.3%
1991	68.26 percent	+0.4%
1992	68.42 percent	+0.2%
1993	68.59 percent	+0.2%
1994	68.83 percent	+0.3%
1995	69 percent	+0.2%
1996	69.16 percent	+0.2%
1997	69.16 percent	+0.0%
1998	69.19 percent	+0.0%
1999	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2000	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2001	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2002	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2003	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2004	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2005	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2006	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2007	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2008	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2009	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2010	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2011	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2012	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2013	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2014	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2015	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2016	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2017	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2018	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2019	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2020	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2021	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2022	69.19 percent	+0.0%
2023	69.19 percent	+0.0%

South Africa compared with similar countries

South Africa's 69.19 percent is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 12.32 percent, 5.6× the median. (56 countries reporting)
South Africa's 69.19 percent is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 27.09 percent, 2.6× the median. (47 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	70.32 percent	68.59 percent	73.49 percent	9
1970s	67.6 percent	67.13 percent	68.4 percent	10
1980s	67.26 percent	67.08 percent	67.84 percent	10
1990s	68.78 percent	68.01 percent	69.19 percent	10
2000s	69.19 percent	69.19 percent	69.19 percent	10
2010s	69.19 percent	69.19 percent	69.19 percent	10
2020s	69.19 percent	69.19 percent	69.19 percent	4

Countries ranked near South Africa

3 Saudi Arabia 79.08 percent compare
4 Djibouti 73.34 percent compare
5 Faroe Islands 70.07 percent compare
7 Uruguay 68.56 percent compare
8 Somalia 68.54 percent compare
9 Kazakhstan 68.33 percent compare

See the full ranking of 210 places →

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)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in South Africa?: Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in South Africa was 69.19 percent in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures recorded in South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 73.49 percent in 1961.
What is the lowest share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 67.08 percent in 1982.
How does South Africa rank for share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures?: South Africa ranks 6th out of 209 countries with data for 2023.
Is share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures rising or falling in South Africa?: Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa data come from?: The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/area-meadows-and-pastures/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator: Share of land used for permanent meadows and pastures
Unit: percent
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 210 places, 12,094 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Permanent meadows and pastures are areas used permanently (five years or more) for herbaceous forage crops, either cultivated or growing wild (wild prairie or grazing land).