Average annual surface temperature in South Africa
South Africa: Average annual surface temperature was 18.35 °C in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
18.35 °C
Change on year
down 3.0%
World rank
123rd
of 193 countries
All-time high
19.13 °C
in 2019
All-time low
16.39 °C
in 1955
Years of data
86
1940–2025
Average annual surface temperature in South Africa, 1940–2025
Source: Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in °C.
Analysis
The most recent figure for average annual surface temperature in South Africa is 18.35 °C, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 3.0% on the previous year and down 2.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, average annual surface temperature in South Africa peaked at 19.13 °C in 2019 and was at its lowest, 16.39 °C, in 1955.
That places South Africa 123rd out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 86 years of available data.
Average annual surface temperature in South Africa, year by year
| Year | °C | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | 17.73 °C | — |
| 1941 | 17.89 °C | +0.9% |
| 1942 | 16.94 °C | -5.3% |
| 1943 | 16.72 °C | -1.3% |
| 1944 | 16.62 °C | -0.6% |
| 1945 | 17.33 °C | +4.3% |
| 1946 | 17.17 °C | -1.0% |
| 1947 | 16.72 °C | -2.6% |
| 1948 | 16.57 °C | -0.9% |
| 1949 | 17.66 °C | +6.6% |
| 1950 | 17.38 °C | -1.6% |
| 1951 | 17.4 °C | +0.1% |
| 1952 | 17.54 °C | +0.8% |
| 1953 | 17.82 °C | +1.6% |
| 1954 | 16.69 °C | -6.4% |
| 1955 | 16.39 °C | -1.8% |
| 1956 | 16.87 °C | +2.9% |
| 1957 | 17.22 °C | +2.1% |
| 1958 | 17.39 °C | +1.0% |
| 1959 | 17.23 °C | -0.9% |
| 1960 | 17.26 °C | +0.2% |
| 1961 | 17.25 °C | -0.1% |
| 1962 | 17.61 °C | +2.1% |
| 1963 | 17.21 °C | -2.3% |
| 1964 | 17.04 °C | -1.0% |
| 1965 | 17.19 °C | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 17.62 °C | +2.5% |
| 1967 | 17.01 °C | -3.4% |
| 1968 | 16.56 °C | -2.6% |
| 1969 | 17.38 °C | +5.0% |
| 1970 | 17.52 °C | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 17.07 °C | -2.6% |
| 1972 | 17.44 °C | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 17.28 °C | -0.9% |
| 1974 | 16.69 °C | -3.4% |
| 1975 | 16.74 °C | +0.3% |
| 1976 | 16.53 °C | -1.3% |
| 1977 | 17.32 °C | +4.7% |
| 1978 | 17.17 °C | -0.9% |
| 1979 | 17.46 °C | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 17.49 °C | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 16.89 °C | -3.4% |
| 1982 | 17.58 °C | +4.1% |
| 1983 | 18.01 °C | +2.4% |
| 1984 | 17.78 °C | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 17.89 °C | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 17.84 °C | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 17.92 °C | +0.4% |
| 1988 | 17.37 °C | -3.1% |
| 1989 | 17.19 °C | -1.0% |
| 1990 | 17.53 °C | +2.0% |
| 1991 | 17.51 °C | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 18.02 °C | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 18.05 °C | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 17.43 °C | -3.4% |
| 1995 | 17.53 °C | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 16.83 °C | -4.0% |
| 1997 | 17.27 °C | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 17.87 °C | +3.5% |
| 1999 | 18.33 °C | +2.6% |
| 2000 | 17.24 °C | -5.9% |
| 2001 | 17.6 °C | +2.1% |
| 2002 | 17.77 °C | +1.0% |
| 2003 | 18.11 °C | +1.9% |
| 2004 | 18.04 °C | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 18.12 °C | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 17.44 °C | -3.8% |
| 2007 | 17.85 °C | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 17.88 °C | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 17.76 °C | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 18.23 °C | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 17.32 °C | -5.0% |
| 2012 | 17.71 °C | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 17.86 °C | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 17.95 °C | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 18.84 °C | +4.9% |
| 2016 | 18.83 °C | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 18.28 °C | -2.9% |
| 2018 | 18.37 °C | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 19.13 °C | +4.2% |
| 2020 | 18.18 °C | -5.0% |
| 2021 | 17.85 °C | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 18.12 °C | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 18.24 °C | +0.6% |
| 2024 | 18.92 °C | +3.7% |
| 2025 | 18.35 °C | -3.0% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 18.35 °C is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 23.03 °C, 80% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 18.35 °C is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 25.65 °C, 72% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 17.13 °C | 16.57 °C | 17.89 °C | 10 |
| 1950s | 17.19 °C | 16.39 °C | 17.82 °C | 10 |
| 1960s | 17.21 °C | 16.56 °C | 17.62 °C | 10 |
| 1970s | 17.12 °C | 16.53 °C | 17.52 °C | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.59 °C | 16.89 °C | 18.01 °C | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.64 °C | 16.83 °C | 18.33 °C | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.78 °C | 17.24 °C | 18.12 °C | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.25 °C | 17.32 °C | 19.13 °C | 10 |
| 2020s | 18.28 °C | 17.85 °C | 18.92 °C | 6 |
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 average annual surface temperature in South Africa?
- Average annual surface temperature in South Africa was 18.35 °C in 2025, according to Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest average annual surface temperature recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 19.13 °C in 2019.
- What is the lowest average annual surface temperature recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 16.39 °C in 1955.
- How does South Africa rank for average annual surface temperature?
- South Africa ranks 123rd out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is average annual surface temperature rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Average annual surface temperature. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 86 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Temperature of the air measured 2 meters above the ground, encompassing land, sea, and in-land water surfaces.