Global warming: Contributions to the change in global mean surface temperature in South Africa

South Africa: Global warming: Contributions to the change in global mean surface temperature was 1.0% in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
1.0%
Change on year
down 0.2%
World rank
18th
of 215 countries
All-time high
1.0%
in 2020
All-time low
0.1%
in 1851
Years of data
174
1851–2024

Global warming: Contributions to the change in global mean surface temperature in South Africa, 1851–2024

00.20.40.60.81185119372024

Source: Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

In 2024, global warming: contributions to the change in global mean surface temperature in South Africa stood at 1.0%.

The figure is down 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, global warming: contributions to the change in global mean surface temperature in South Africa peaked at 1.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1851.

That places South Africa 18th out of 215 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1850s 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 9
1860s 0.1% 0.1% 0.1% 10
1870s 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 10
1880s 0.2% 0.2% 0.2% 10
1890s 0.3% 0.2% 0.3% 10
1900s 0.3% 0.3% 0.3% 10
1910s 0.3% 0.3% 0.4% 10
1920s 0.4% 0.4% 0.4% 10
1930s 0.5% 0.4% 0.5% 10
1940s 0.5% 0.5% 0.6% 10
1950s 0.6% 0.6% 0.6% 10
1960s 0.7% 0.6% 0.7% 10
1970s 0.7% 0.7% 0.7% 10
1980s 0.8% 0.7% 0.8% 10
1990s 0.9% 0.8% 0.9% 10
2000s 1.0% 0.9% 1.0% 10
2010s 1.0% 1.0% 1.0% 10
2020s 1.0% 1.0% 1.0% 5

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 15 Iran 1.1% compare
  2. 16 Poland 1.1% compare
  3. 17 Nigeria 1.0% compare
  4. 19 Argentina 1.0% compare
  5. 20 Thailand 0.9% compare
  6. 21 Colombia 0.9% compare

See the full ranking of 215 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is global warming: contributions to the change in global mean surface temperature in South Africa?
Global warming: contributions to the change in global mean surface temperature in South Africa was 1.0% in 2024, according to Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest global warming: contributions to the change in global mean surface temperature recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 1.0% in 2020.
What is the lowest global warming: contributions to the change in global mean surface temperature recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1851.
How does South Africa rank for global warming: contributions to the change in global mean surface temperature?
South Africa ranks 18th out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
Is global warming: contributions to the change in global mean surface temperature rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 0.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Global warming: Contributions to the change in global mean surface temperature. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 174 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Global warming: Contributions to the change in global mean surface temperature
Unit
%
Source
Jones et al. (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
215 places, 37,410 data points, 1851–2024
Last refreshed

Measured as a percentage of the world's temperature change.