Area of permanent meadows and pastures, per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Area of permanent meadows and pastures, per capita was 1.33 hectares per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Area of permanent meadows and pastures, per capita in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in hectares per person.
Analysis
The most recent figure for area of permanent meadows and pastures, per capita in South Africa is 1.33 hectares per person, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 13.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, area of permanent meadows and pastures, per capita in South Africa peaked at 5.27 hectares per person in 1961 and was at its lowest, 1.33 hectares per person, in 2023.
That places South Africa 26th out of 197 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Area of permanent meadows and pastures, per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | hectares per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 5.27 hectares per person | — |
| 1962 | 5.05 hectares per person | -4.3% |
| 1963 | 4.83 hectares per person | -4.3% |
| 1964 | 4.61 hectares per person | -4.5% |
| 1965 | 4.41 hectares per person | -4.4% |
| 1966 | 4.27 hectares per person | -3.3% |
| 1967 | 4.12 hectares per person | -3.4% |
| 1968 | 3.98 hectares per person | -3.3% |
| 1969 | 3.85 hectares per person | -3.3% |
| 1970 | 3.72 hectares per person | -3.3% |
| 1971 | 3.61 hectares per person | -3.2% |
| 1972 | 3.49 hectares per person | -3.1% |
| 1973 | 3.38 hectares per person | -3.1% |
| 1974 | 3.28 hectares per person | -3.1% |
| 1975 | 3.18 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1976 | 3.09 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1977 | 3 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1978 | 2.92 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 2.84 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1980 | 2.76 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1981 | 2.67 hectares per person | -3.4% |
| 1982 | 2.57 hectares per person | -3.4% |
| 1983 | 2.49 hectares per person | -3.4% |
| 1984 | 2.4 hectares per person | -3.4% |
| 1985 | 2.32 hectares per person | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 2.25 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1987 | 2.19 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1988 | 2.13 hectares per person | -2.8% |
| 1989 | 2.08 hectares per person | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 2.02 hectares per person | -2.5% |
| 1991 | 1.99 hectares per person | -1.9% |
| 1992 | 1.96 hectares per person | -1.5% |
| 1993 | 1.92 hectares per person | -1.7% |
| 1994 | 1.9 hectares per person | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 1.88 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 1.86 hectares per person | -1.1% |
| 1997 | 1.84 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 1.82 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 1.8 hectares per person | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 1.78 hectares per person | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 1.76 hectares per person | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 1.75 hectares per person | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 1.73 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 1.71 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 1.7 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 1.68 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 1.66 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 1.64 hectares per person | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 1.62 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 1.6 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 1.58 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 1.56 hectares per person | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 1.53 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 1.51 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 1.48 hectares per person | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 1.47 hectares per person | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 1.46 hectares per person | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 1.43 hectares per person | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 1.41 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 1.39 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 1.36 hectares per person | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 1.35 hectares per person | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 1.33 hectares per person | -1.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.33 hectares per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.1577 hectares per person, 8.4× the median. (56 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.33 hectares per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.3849 hectares per person, 3.4× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.49 hectares per person | 3.85 hectares per person | 5.27 hectares per person | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.25 hectares per person | 2.84 hectares per person | 3.72 hectares per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.39 hectares per person | 2.08 hectares per person | 2.76 hectares per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.9 hectares per person | 1.8 hectares per person | 2.02 hectares per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.7 hectares per person | 1.62 hectares per person | 1.78 hectares per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.5 hectares per person | 1.41 hectares per person | 1.6 hectares per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.36 hectares per person | 1.33 hectares per person | 1.39 hectares per person | 4 |
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 area of permanent meadows and pastures, per capita in South Africa?
- Area of permanent meadows and pastures, per capita in South Africa was 1.33 hectares per person in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest area of permanent meadows and pastures, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 5.27 hectares per person in 1961.
- What is the lowest area of permanent meadows and pastures, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.33 hectares per person in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for area of permanent meadows and pastures, per capita?
- South Africa ranks 26th out of 197 countries with data for 2023.
- Is area of permanent meadows and pastures, per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Area of permanent meadows and pastures, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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How this figure is calculated
Area of permanent meadows and pastures divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Area of permanent meadows and pastures ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Area of permanent meadows and pastures Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
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 of permanent meadows and pastures divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.