Land area in hectares, per capita in South Africa
South Africa: Land area in hectares, per capita was 1.92 hectares per person in 2023. ▼ Falling
Land area in hectares, per capita in South Africa, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in hectares per person.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1.92 hectares per person for land area in hectares, per capita in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 13.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, land area in hectares, per capita in South Africa peaked at 7.17 hectares per person in 1961 and was at its lowest, 1.92 hectares per person, in 2023.
That places South Africa 66th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 63 years of available data.
Land area in hectares, per capita in South Africa, year by year
| Year | hectares per person | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 7.17 hectares per person | — |
| 1962 | 6.96 hectares per person | -2.9% |
| 1963 | 6.76 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1964 | 6.55 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1965 | 6.35 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1966 | 6.16 hectares per person | -3.1% |
| 1967 | 5.97 hectares per person | -3.1% |
| 1968 | 5.79 hectares per person | -3.1% |
| 1969 | 5.61 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1970 | 5.44 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1971 | 5.29 hectares per person | -2.9% |
| 1972 | 5.14 hectares per person | -2.8% |
| 1973 | 4.99 hectares per person | -2.8% |
| 1974 | 4.85 hectares per person | -2.8% |
| 1975 | 4.72 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1976 | 4.6 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1977 | 4.47 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1978 | 4.35 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1979 | 4.24 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1980 | 4.11 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1981 | 3.97 hectares per person | -3.3% |
| 1982 | 3.84 hectares per person | -3.4% |
| 1983 | 3.71 hectares per person | -3.4% |
| 1984 | 3.58 hectares per person | -3.4% |
| 1985 | 3.46 hectares per person | -3.3% |
| 1986 | 3.35 hectares per person | -3.1% |
| 1987 | 3.25 hectares per person | -3.1% |
| 1988 | 3.15 hectares per person | -3.0% |
| 1989 | 3.06 hectares per person | -2.9% |
| 1990 | 2.98 hectares per person | -2.7% |
| 1991 | 2.91 hectares per person | -2.3% |
| 1992 | 2.86 hectares per person | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 2.8 hectares per person | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 2.76 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 1995 | 2.72 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 2.69 hectares per person | -1.3% |
| 1997 | 2.66 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 2.62 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 1999 | 2.6 hectares per person | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 2.57 hectares per person | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 2.55 hectares per person | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 2.53 hectares per person | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 2.5 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 2.48 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 2.45 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 2006 | 2.43 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 2.4 hectares per person | -1.0% |
| 2008 | 2.37 hectares per person | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 2.35 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 2010 | 2.32 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 2.29 hectares per person | -1.2% |
| 2012 | 2.26 hectares per person | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 2.22 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 2.18 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 2.14 hectares per person | -2.0% |
| 2016 | 2.12 hectares per person | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 2.1 hectares per person | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 2.07 hectares per person | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 2.04 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 2020 | 2 hectares per person | -1.6% |
| 2021 | 1.97 hectares per person | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 1.94 hectares per person | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 1.92 hectares per person | -1.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 1.92 hectares per person is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1.2 hectares per person, 1.6× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 1.92 hectares per person is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.46 hectares per person, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.37 hectares per person | 5.61 hectares per person | 7.17 hectares per person | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.81 hectares per person | 4.24 hectares per person | 5.44 hectares per person | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.55 hectares per person | 3.06 hectares per person | 4.11 hectares per person | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.76 hectares per person | 2.6 hectares per person | 2.98 hectares per person | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.46 hectares per person | 2.35 hectares per person | 2.57 hectares per person | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.17 hectares per person | 2.04 hectares per person | 2.32 hectares per person | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.96 hectares per person | 1.92 hectares per person | 2 hectares per person | 4 |
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 land area in hectares, per capita in South Africa?
- Land area in hectares, per capita in South Africa was 1.92 hectares per person in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest land area in hectares, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 7.17 hectares per person in 1961.
- What is the lowest land area in hectares, per capita recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.92 hectares per person in 2023.
- How does South Africa rank for land area in hectares, per capita?
- South Africa ranks 66th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is land area in hectares, per capita rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Land area in hectares, per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Land area in hectares divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Land area in hectares ÷ Population, total
Computed from
- Land area in hectares Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
- Population, total World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Land area in hectares divided by Population, total, matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.