How have things changed? in South Africa
South Africa: How have things changed? was 530,377 metric tons in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
530,377 metric tons
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
42nd
of 215 countries
All-time high
2.21 million metric tons
in 1968
All-time low
455,573 metric tons
in 1996
Years of data
60
1965–2024
How have things changed? in South Africa, 1965–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in metric tons.
Analysis
The most recent figure for how have things changed? in South Africa is 530,377 metric tons, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 0.3% on the previous year and down 28.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, how have things changed? in South Africa peaked at 2.21 million metric tons in 1968 and was at its lowest, 455,573 metric tons, in 1996.
South Africa ranks 42nd of 215 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 60 years of available data.
How have things changed? in South Africa, year by year
| Year | metric tons | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 1.42 million metric tons | — |
| 1966 | 1.42 million metric tons | +0.1% |
| 1967 | 1.77 million metric tons | +24.5% |
| 1968 | 2.21 million metric tons | +24.7% |
| 1969 | 1.97 million metric tons | -10.9% |
| 1970 | 1.37 million metric tons | -30.6% |
| 1971 | 1.29 million metric tons | -5.5% |
| 1972 | 1.27 million metric tons | -1.7% |
| 1973 | 1.51 million metric tons | +18.8% |
| 1974 | 1.55 million metric tons | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 1.49 million metric tons | -3.6% |
| 1976 | 1.27 million metric tons | -14.6% |
| 1977 | 1.10 million metric tons | -13.7% |
| 1978 | 1.11 million metric tons | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 1.09 million metric tons | -2.4% |
| 1980 | 932,571 metric tons | -14.2% |
| 1981 | 948,011 metric tons | +1.7% |
| 1982 | 929,551 metric tons | -1.9% |
| 1983 | 995,571 metric tons | +7.1% |
| 1984 | 785,460 metric tons | -21.1% |
| 1985 | 849,726 metric tons | +8.2% |
| 1986 | 854,131 metric tons | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 1.47 million metric tons | +71.8% |
| 1988 | 1.34 million metric tons | -8.8% |
| 1989 | 907,705 metric tons | -32.1% |
| 1990 | 553,697 metric tons | -39.0% |
| 1991 | 516,997 metric tons | -6.6% |
| 1992 | 716,648 metric tons | +38.6% |
| 1993 | 592,934 metric tons | -17.3% |
| 1994 | 557,912 metric tons | -5.9% |
| 1995 | 600,879 metric tons | +7.7% |
| 1996 | 455,573 metric tons | -24.2% |
| 1997 | 543,733 metric tons | +19.4% |
| 1998 | 588,375 metric tons | +8.2% |
| 1999 | 637,296 metric tons | +8.3% |
| 2000 | 696,819 metric tons | +9.3% |
| 2001 | 818,758 metric tons | +17.5% |
| 2002 | 843,634 metric tons | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 878,617 metric tons | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 953,523 metric tons | +8.5% |
| 2005 | 856,607 metric tons | -10.2% |
| 2006 | 659,160 metric tons | -23.0% |
| 2007 | 731,363 metric tons | +11.0% |
| 2008 | 701,533 metric tons | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 553,322 metric tons | -21.1% |
| 2010 | 693,071 metric tons | +25.3% |
| 2011 | 581,002 metric tons | -16.2% |
| 2012 | 796,152 metric tons | +37.0% |
| 2013 | 511,860 metric tons | -35.7% |
| 2014 | 736,274 metric tons | +43.8% |
| 2015 | 638,552 metric tons | -13.3% |
| 2016 | 667,844 metric tons | +4.6% |
| 2017 | 596,899 metric tons | -10.6% |
| 2018 | 632,878 metric tons | +6.0% |
| 2019 | 529,100 metric tons | -16.4% |
| 2020 | 663,839 metric tons | +25.5% |
| 2021 | 626,731 metric tons | -5.6% |
| 2022 | 596,148 metric tons | -4.9% |
| 2023 | 532,180 metric tons | -10.7% |
| 2024 | 530,377 metric tons | -0.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 530,377 metric tons is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 39,945 metric tons, 13.3× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 530,377 metric tons is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 96,501 metric tons, 5.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.76 million metric tons | 1.42 million metric tons | 2.21 million metric tons | 5 |
| 1970s | 1.30 million metric tons | 1.09 million metric tons | 1.55 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.00 million metric tons | 785,460 metric tons | 1.47 million metric tons | 10 |
| 1990s | 576,404 metric tons | 455,573 metric tons | 716,648 metric tons | 10 |
| 2000s | 769,334 metric tons | 553,322 metric tons | 953,523 metric tons | 10 |
| 2010s | 638,363 metric tons | 511,860 metric tons | 796,152 metric tons | 10 |
| 2020s | 589,855 metric tons | 530,377 metric tons | 663,839 metric tons | 5 |
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 how have things changed? in South Africa?
- How have things changed? in South Africa was 530,377 metric tons in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest how have things changed? recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 2.21 million metric tons in 1968.
- What is the lowest how have things changed? recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 455,573 metric tons in 1996.
- How does South Africa rank for how have things changed??
- South Africa ranks 42nd out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is how have things changed? rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 28.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of How have things changed?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 60 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Change captured by a range of socioeconomic and environmental indicators, measured relative to the first year.