People displaced internally by natural disasters in South Africa
South Africa: People displaced internally by natural disasters was 20,000 number of cases in 2023. ◆ Volatile
People displaced internally by natural disasters in South Africa, 2008–2023
Source: Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in number of cases.
Analysis
In 2023, people displaced internally by natural disasters in South Africa stood at 20,000 number of cases.
That represents a change of down 67.7% on the previous year and up 11.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, people displaced internally by natural disasters in South Africa peaked at 62,000 number of cases in 2022 and was at its lowest, 14 number of cases, in 2015.
South Africa ranks 56th of 146 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
People displaced internally by natural disasters in South Africa, year by year
| Year | number of cases | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 3,500 number of cases | — |
| 2009 | 20,000 number of cases | +471.4% |
| 2010 | 6,000 number of cases | -70.0% |
| 2011 | 52,000 number of cases | +766.7% |
| 2012 | 2,000 number of cases | -96.2% |
| 2013 | 18,000 number of cases | +800.0% |
| 2014 | 3,500 number of cases | -80.6% |
| 2015 | 14 number of cases | -99.6% |
| 2016 | 12,000 number of cases | +85614.3% |
| 2017 | 15,000 number of cases | +25.0% |
| 2018 | 2,100 number of cases | -86.0% |
| 2019 | 5,100 number of cases | +142.9% |
| 2020 | 370 number of cases | -92.7% |
| 2021 | 10,000 number of cases | +2602.7% |
| 2022 | 62,000 number of cases | +520.0% |
| 2023 | 20,000 number of cases | -67.7% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 20,000 number of cases is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6,000 number of cases, 3.3× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 20,000 number of cases is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22,500 number of cases, 89% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where People displaced internally by natural disasters in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +85614.3% | 14 number of cases | 12,000 number of cases |
| 2021 | +2602.7% | 370 number of cases | 10,000 number of cases |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 11,750 number of cases | 3,500 number of cases | 20,000 number of cases | 2 |
| 2010s | 11,571 number of cases | 14 number of cases | 52,000 number of cases | 10 |
| 2020s | 23,092 number of cases | 370 number of cases | 62,000 number of cases | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 54 Algeria 23,000 number of cases compare
- 55 Burundi 21,000 number of cases compare
- 57 Bahamas 18,000 number of cases compare
- 58 Sri Lanka 17,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Chad 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 East Timor 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Ecuador 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Paraguay 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Togo 16,000 number of cases compare
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 people displaced internally by natural disasters in South Africa?
- People displaced internally by natural disasters in South Africa was 20,000 number of cases in 2023, according to Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest people displaced internally by natural disasters recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 62,000 number of cases in 2022.
- What is the lowest people displaced internally by natural disasters recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 14 number of cases in 2015.
- How does South Africa rank for people displaced internally by natural disasters?
- South Africa ranks 56th out of 146 countries with data for 2023.
- Is people displaced internally by natural disasters rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of People displaced internally by natural disasters. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Internally-displaced persons are defined as people or groups of people who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, as a result of natural or human-made disasters and who have not crossed an international border.