Botswana vs South Africa: Forest area

Forest area in 2024: 27.8% in Botswana and 18.8% in South Africa, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Botswana, by 9 percentage points, or 1.48 times that in South Africa.

Watch it change on the map

% of land · FAO

BotswanaSouth AfricaWorld

What the numbers say

Botswana has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
In 2024, Botswana ranked 115 and South Africa ranked 133 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.

Every year

% of land · FAO

Year	Botswana	South Africa	World
2024	27.8	18.8	–
2023	27.8	18.7	31.1
2022	27.8	18.7	31.1
2021	27.8	18.6	31.2
2020	27.8	18.5	31.2
2019	27.8	18.4	31.2
2018	27.8	18.4	31.3
2017	27.8	18.3	31.3
2016	27.8	18.2	31.3
2015	27.8	18.1	31.4
2014	27.8	18.1	31.4
2013	27.8	18	31.4
2012	27.8	17.9	31.5
2011	27.8	17.9	31.9
2010	27.8	17.8	32
2009	27.8	17.7	32
2008	27.8	17.6	32
2007	27.8	17.6	32.1
2006	27.8	17.5	32.1
2005	27.8	17.4	32.1
2004	27.8	17.4	32.2
2003	27.8	17.3	32.3
2002	27.8	17.2	32.3
2001	27.8	17.1	32.3
2000	27.8	17.1	32.4
1999	27.8	17	32.5
1998	27.8	16.9	32.5
1997	27.8	16.8	32.6
1996	27.8	16.8	32.7
1995	27.8	16.7	32.7
1994	27.8	16.6	32.8
1993	27.8	16.6	32.8
1992	27.8	16.5	33
1991	27.8	16.4	–
1990	27.8	16.3	–

Each country on its own

Good to know

The share of land under trees at least 5 metres tall, natural or planted, leaving out orchards and city parks.
Source: FAO, via the World Bank.
Ranks count the 209 countries with a value in 2024, highest first.
The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

Botswana vs South Africa: Forest area

What the numbers say

Every year

Each country on its own

Good to know

Botswana vs South Africa

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