Percentage of territory controlled by government in South Africa
South Africa: Percentage of territory controlled by government was 94.8 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
94.8
Change on year
down 1.7%
World rank
98th
of 174 countries
All-time high
99.38
in 2021
All-time low
82.17
in 1910
Years of data
116
1910–2025
Percentage of territory controlled by government in South Africa, 1910–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, percentage of territory controlled by government in South Africa stood at 94.8.
The figure is down 1.7% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, percentage of territory controlled by government in South Africa peaked at 99.38 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 82.17, in 1910.
South Africa ranks 98th of 174 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 116 years of available data.
Percentage of territory controlled by government in South Africa, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 82.17 | — |
| 1911 | 83.83 | +2.0% |
| 1912 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 83.83 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 88.5 | +5.6% |
| 1951 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 88.5 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 85.58 | -3.3% |
| 1991 | 85.58 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 85.58 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 85.58 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 88.5 | +3.4% |
| 1995 | 96.56 | +9.1% |
| 1996 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 96.56 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 95.69 | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 95.69 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 95.69 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 95.69 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 95.69 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 95.69 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 96 | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 96.4 | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 95 | -1.5% |
| 2021 | 99.38 | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 99.38 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 96.43 | -3.0% |
| 2024 | 96.43 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 94.8 | -1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 83.67 | 82.17 | 83.83 | 10 |
| 1920s | 83.83 | 83.83 | 83.83 | 10 |
| 1930s | 83.83 | 83.83 | 83.83 | 10 |
| 1940s | 83.83 | 83.83 | 83.83 | 10 |
| 1950s | 88.5 | 88.5 | 88.5 | 10 |
| 1960s | 88.5 | 88.5 | 88.5 | 10 |
| 1970s | 88.5 | 88.5 | 88.5 | 10 |
| 1980s | 88.5 | 88.5 | 88.5 | 10 |
| 1990s | 91.36 | 85.58 | 96.56 | 10 |
| 2000s | 96.56 | 96.56 | 96.56 | 10 |
| 2010s | 95.97 | 95.69 | 96.56 | 10 |
| 2020s | 96.9 | 94.8 | 99.38 | 6 |
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 percentage of territory controlled by government in South Africa?
- Percentage of territory controlled by government in South Africa was 94.8 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest percentage of territory controlled by government recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 99.38 in 2021.
- What is the lowest percentage of territory controlled by government recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 82.17 in 1910.
- How does South Africa rank for percentage of territory controlled by government?
- South Africa ranks 98th out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
- Is percentage of territory controlled by government rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Percentage of territory controlled by government. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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