What is land area in hectares in South Africa?

Land area in hectares in South Africa was 121.31 million hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

What is the highest land area in hectares recorded in South Africa?

The highest recorded value was 121.31 million hectares in 1961.

What is the lowest land area in hectares recorded in South Africa?

The lowest recorded value was 121.31 million hectares in 1961.

How does South Africa rank for land area in hectares?

South Africa ranks 25th out of 238 countries with data for 2023.

Is land area in hectares rising or falling in South Africa?

Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.

Where does this South Africa data come from?

The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Land area in hectares. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Land area in hectares in South Africa

Name: Land area in hectares in South Africa
Creator: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Africa: Land area in hectares was 121.31 million hectares in 2023. ▬ Flat

Latest (2023)

121.31 million hectares

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

25th

of 238 countries

All-time high

121.31 million hectares

in 1961

All-time low

121.31 million hectares

in 1961

Years of data

1961–2023

Land area in hectares in South Africa, 1961–2023

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 121.31 million hectares for land area in hectares in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.

The figure is unchanged over ten years.

Over the whole period, land area in hectares in South Africa peaked at 121.31 million hectares in 1961 and was at its lowest, 121.31 million hectares, in 1961.

That places South Africa 25th out of 238 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

Land area in hectares in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Land area in hectares in South Africa, 1961 to 2023.
Year	hectares	Change
1961	121.31 million hectares	—
1962	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1963	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1964	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1965	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1966	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1967	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1968	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1969	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1970	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1971	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1972	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1973	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1974	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1975	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1976	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1977	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1978	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1979	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1980	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1981	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1982	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1983	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1984	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1985	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1986	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1987	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1988	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1989	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1990	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1991	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1992	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1993	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1994	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1995	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1996	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1997	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1998	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
1999	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2000	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2001	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2002	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2003	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2004	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2005	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2006	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2007	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2008	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2009	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2010	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2011	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2012	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2013	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2014	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2015	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2016	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2017	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2018	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2019	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2020	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2021	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2022	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%
2023	121.31 million hectares	+0.0%

South Africa compared with similar countries

South Africa's 121.31 million hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 9.63 million hectares, 12.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
South Africa's 121.31 million hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 29.58 million hectares, 4.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1960s	121.31 million hectares	121.31 million hectares	121.31 million hectares	9
1970s	121.31 million hectares	121.31 million hectares	121.31 million hectares	10
1980s	121.31 million hectares	121.31 million hectares	121.31 million hectares	10
1990s	121.31 million hectares	121.31 million hectares	121.31 million hectares	10
2000s	121.31 million hectares	121.31 million hectares	121.31 million hectares	10
2010s	121.31 million hectares	121.31 million hectares	121.31 million hectares	10
2020s	121.31 million hectares	121.31 million hectares	121.31 million hectares	4

Countries ranked near South Africa

22 Chad 125.92 million hectares compare
23 Angola 124.67 million hectares compare
24 Mali 122.02 million hectares compare
26 Ethiopia 112.85 million hectares compare
27 Colombia 110.95 million hectares compare
28 Bolivia 108.33 million hectares compare

See the full ranking of 239 places →

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)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is land area in hectares in South Africa?: Land area in hectares in South Africa was 121.31 million hectares in 2023, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest land area in hectares recorded in South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 121.31 million hectares in 1961.
What is the lowest land area in hectares recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 121.31 million hectares in 1961.
How does South Africa rank for land area in hectares?: South Africa ranks 25th out of 238 countries with data for 2023.
Is land area in hectares rising or falling in South Africa?: Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this South Africa data come from?: The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Land area in hectares. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Land area in hectares in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/land-area-hectares-2/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator: Land area in hectares
Unit: hectares
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 239 places, 13,636 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Total land area, measured in hectares. 100 hectares is one square kilometer. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.