South Africa

7.6% —or about 9,203,000 hectares—of South Africa is forested.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2000, South Africa had no significant change or no reported in forest cover. Measuring the total rate of habitat conversion (defined as change in forest area plus change in woodland area minus net plantation expansion) for the 1990-2005 interval, South Africa lost 0.8% of its forest and woodland habitat.

Biodiversity and Protected Areas: South Africa has some 1632 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 13.4% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 6.5% are threatened. South Africa is home to at least 23420 species of vascular plants. 5.3% of South Africa is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

SECTIONS:

Forest Cover | Forest types | Breakdown of forest types | Change in Forest Cover | Primary forest | Forest designation | Disturbances affecting forest land | Protected areas | Biodiversity - Wildlife | Biodiversity - Plants | Value of forests | Production, trade and consumption of forest products | Environment | Land use / Resources | Economy | Population / Demographics | Infrastructure | Health | References | Books

Books

South Africa: Forest Cover, 2005 Total Land Area (ha) 121,447,000 Total Forest Area (ha) 9,203,000 Percent Forest Cover 7.58% Primary Forest Cover (ha) - Primary Forest, % total forest - Primary Forest, % total land - Other wooded land (ha) 21,409,000 South Africa : Forest types Tropical (% forest area) 68% Subtropical (% forest area) 32% Temperate (% forest area) 0% Boreal/polar (% forest area) 0% South Africa: Breakdown of forest types, 2005 Primary forest (ha | %) - - Modified natural (ha | %) 7,777,000 84.5% Semi-natural (ha | %) - - Production plantation (ha | %) 1,426,000 15.5% Production plantation (ha | %) - - South Africa: Change in Forest Cover TOTAL FOREST COVER Forest 1990 (ha) 9,203,000 Forest 2000 (ha) 9,203,000 Forest 2005 (ha) 9,203,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - 0.00% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! PRIMARY FOREST COVER Primary 1990 (ha) - Primary 2000 (ha) - Primary 2005 (ha) - Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - - Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - - Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - - Change in rate (%) - OTHER WOODED LAND Other 1990 (ha) 21,409,000 Other 2000 (ha) 21,409,000 Other 2005 (ha) 21,409,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - 0.00% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! PLANTATIONS Other 1990 (ha) 1,204,000 Other 2000 (ha) 1,352,000 Other 2005 (ha) 1,426,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) 14,800 1.23% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) 14,800 1.09% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) 222,000 18.44% Change in rate (%) -10.95% TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations Other 1990 (ha) 29,408,000 Other 2000 (ha) 29,260,000 Other 2005 (ha) 29,186,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) (14,800) -0.05% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) (14,800) -0.05% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) (222,000) -0.75% Change in rate (%) 0.51% South Africa: Primary Primary or "old-growth" vegetation Primary Forest 2005 (ha) - Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) 0 Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) 0 Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area) 0.00% South Africa: Forest designation Ownership of forest land, 2000 Public (%) 66.0% Private (%) 34.0% Other (%) - Ownership of other wooded land, 2000 Public (%) 84.3% Private (%) 15.7% Other (%) - Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005 Production (%) 15.5% Protection (%) - Conservation (%) 10.3% Social Services (%) - Multiple Services (%) 74.2% None of Unknown (%) - South Africa: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000 Forest Area annually affected by Fire (%) - Insects (ha) - Diseases (ha) - Other (ha) - South Africa: Protected areas 4 Protected areas Biosphere reserves, 2005 Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 2005 17 World Heritage sites, 2004 5 Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land 5.3% Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land 3.19% Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 2004 2.11% Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 2004 0.00% South Africa: Biodiversity - Wildlife Amphibians total species 119 endemic species 52 threatened species 21 Birds total species 829 endemic species 27 threatened species 36 Mammals total species 320 endemic species 33 threatened species 29 Reptiles total species 364 endemic species 106 threatened species 20 Wildlife diversity total species 1632 endemic species 218 threatened species 106 South Africa: Biodiversity - Plants Growing stock composition 3 most common species % of total growing stock - Growing stock composition 3 most common species % of total growing stock - Number of Native tree species Native tree species 649 Number of tree species in IUCN red list Critically Endangered 1 Endangered 13 Vulnerable 40 Vascular Plant Species, 2004 Total 23420 Number endemic 0 Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004 Species threatened 75 South Africa: Value of forests Biomass stock in forest, 2005 Above-ground biomass (M t) 1,302 Below-ground biomass (M t) 346 Dead wood (M t) 231 Total (M t) 1,878 Carbon stock in forest, 2005 Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t) 651 Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t) 173 Carbon in dead wood (M t) 115 Carbon in litter (M t) - Soil carbon (M t) - Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005 Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr) 1990-2000 0 2000-2005 0 Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005 Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr) 1990-2000 0 2000-2005 0 Wood removal 2005 Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m) 17,491 Wood fuel (1000 cubic m) 250 Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m) 17,741 Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock) 3 Plant products 2005 Food (t) - Fodder (t) - Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) - Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) - Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t) - Ornamental plants (t) - Exudates (t) - Other plant products (t) - Animal products 2005 Living animals (units) - Hides, skins and trophies (units) - Wild honey and bee-wax (t) - Bush meat (t) - Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) - Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) - Other edible animal products (t) - Other non-edible animal products (t) - Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005 Industrial roundwood (US$) $338,500,000 Wood fuel (US$) $1,500,000 Non-wood forest products (US$) - Total value (US$) $340,000,000 Total value ($USD/ha) $37 Employment in forestry 2000 Total people employed 321,000 South Africa : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002 Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 12,000 Imports 0 Exports 0 Consumption 12,000 Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 18,616 Imports 1 Exports 386 Consumption 18,231 Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 1,498 Imports 380 Exports 0 Consumption 1,878 Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 476 Imports 99 Exports 101 Consumption 474 Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002 Production 1,903 Imports 63 Exports 223 Consumption 1,743 Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002 Production 2,267 Imports 166 Exports 613 Consumption 1,820 South Africa: Environment Environment - current issues lack of important arterial rivers or lakes requires extensive water conservation and control measures; growth in water usage outpacing supply; pollution of rivers from agricultural runoff and urban discharge; air pollution resulting in acid rain; soil erosion; desertification Environment - international agreements party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Natural hazards prolonged droughts South Africa: Land use / Resources Land use (%) arable land: 12.08% permanent crops: 0.79% other: 87.13% (2001) Natural resources gold, chromium, antimony, coal, iron ore, manganese, nickel, phosphates, tin, uranium, gem diamonds, platinum, copper, vanadium, salt, natural gas South Africa: Economy Economy - overview: South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world; and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to lower South Africa's high unemployment rate; and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. South African economic policy is fiscally conservative, but pragmatic, focusing on targeting inflation and liberalizing trade as means to increase job growth and household income. GDP - per capita $11,900 (2005 est.) GDP - real growth rate (%) 4.5% (2005 est.) Agriculture - products corn, wheat, sugarcane, fruits, vegetables; beef, poultry, mutton, wool, dairy products GDP - composition by sector (%) agriculture: 3.4%, industry: 31.6%, services: 65.1% (2005 est.) Industries mining (world's largest producer of platinum, gold, chromium), automobile assembly, metalworking, machinery, textile, iron and steel, chemicals, fertilizer, foodstuffs, commercial ship repair Economic aid - recipient $487.5 million (2000) Debt - external $44.33 billion (30 June 2005 est.) Population below poverty line (%) 50% (2000 est.) Labor force - by occupation (%) agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (1999 est.) South Africa: Population / Demographics Population (July 2005) 44,344,136 Population growth rate (%) (2005) -0.31% Population density (people/sq km) (2005) 36.4 Percent rural (2003) 43.1% Median age (years) total: 23.98 years Total fertility rate (children born/woman) 2.24 (2005 est.) Ethnic groups (%) black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%, Indian/Asian 2.5% (2001 census) Largest Cities in South Africa Cities and urban areas in South Africa with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002. City Country City Population Urban Area Population Cape Town South Africa 2686000 3086600 Durban South Africa 2354900 2354900 Johannesburg South Africa 1646400 5014000 Pretoria South Africa 1228200 1514800 Soweto South Africa 1221100 1221100 Port Elizabeth South Africa 833900 1047600 Pietermaritzburg South Africa 420500 420500 Benoni South Africa 406400 406400 Vereeniging South Africa 385600 774200 Bloemfontein South Africa 371200 371200 Newcastle South Africa 244300 244300 East London South Africa 236100 549300 Welkom South Africa 226100 226100 Botshabelo South Africa 197900 197900 Kimberley South Africa 189500 189500 Witbank South Africa 185900 185900 Carltonville South Africa 182800 182800 Klerksdorp South Africa 152700 152700 Rustenburg South Africa 116200 116200 Potchefstroom South Africa 113100 113100 Nelspruit South Africa 105300 105300 George South Africa 104700 104700 King Williams Town South Africa 103700 103700 Nigel South Africa 102000 102000 Pietersburg South Africa 101600 101600  Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005  Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)  Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.  Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.  RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.  World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site  The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species  Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund  With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com