Ethiopia vs South Africa: Forest area

Forest area in 2024: 23.8% in Ethiopia and 18.8% in South Africa, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Ethiopia, by 5.1 percentage points, or 1.27 times that in South Africa.

Watch it change on the map

% of land · FAO

EthiopiaSouth AfricaWorld

What the numbers say

Ethiopia has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1993.
In 2024, Ethiopia ranked 122 and South Africa ranked 133 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.

Every year

% of land · FAO

Year	Ethiopia	South Africa	World
2024	23.8	18.8	–
2023	23.8	18.7	31.1
2022	23.8	18.7	31.1
2021	23.8	18.6	31.2
2020	23.8	18.5	31.2
2019	23.8	18.4	31.2
2018	23.8	18.4	31.3
2017	23.9	18.3	31.3
2016	23.9	18.2	31.3
2015	23.9	18.1	31.4
2014	23.9	18.1	31.4
2013	24	18	31.4
2012	24	17.9	31.5
2011	24.1	17.9	31.9
2010	24.1	17.8	32
2009	24.2	17.7	32
2008	24.3	17.6	32
2007	24.3	17.6	32.1
2006	24.4	17.5	32.1
2005	24.4	17.4	32.1
2004	24.5	17.4	32.2
2003	27.6	17.3	32.3
2002	27.7	17.2	32.3
2001	27.7	17.1	32.3
2000	27.8	17.1	32.4
1999	27.9	17	32.5
1998	28	16.9	32.5
1997	28	16.8	32.6
1996	28.1	16.8	32.7
1995	28.2	16.7	32.7
1994	28.3	16.6	32.8
1993	28.3	16.6	32.8
1992	–	16.5	33
1991	–	16.4	–
1990	–	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

Ethiopia vs South Africa

Health

People

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Conflict

Deaths in conflictsEthiopia: 102,900 deaths in 2022South Africa: 0 deaths in 2022