South Africa
Location
- Geographical region: Sub-Saharan Africa, Africa
- SDG region: SDG Sub-Saharan Africa
Land
- Total area: --- km2
- Land area: 1,213,090 km2 (2022)
- Land use by sector: 79% agriculture, 14% forest and 7% other (2022)
People
- Total population: 63,212,384 people (2023)
- Population density: 51 people per km2 (2022)
- Urbanisation: 69% lives in urban areas and 31% lives in rural areas (2023)
Economy
- Total GDP: 865,402,155,557 USD per year (2023)
- GDP per capita: 13,690 USD per year (2023)
- Value added by sector: 3% from agriculture, 63% from services and 25% from industry (2023)
SDG 6 snapshot in South Africa
Drinking water
6.1.1 Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services in South Africa, progress over time
6.1.1 Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services in South Africa, by service level and location (2022)
Sanitation and hygiene
6.2.1a Proportion of population using safely managed sanitation services in South Africa, progress over time
6.2.1a Proportion of population using safely managed sanitation services in South Africa, by service level and location (2022)
6.2.1b Proportion of population with a handwashing facility with soap and water available at home in South Africa, by service level and location (2022)
Water quality and wastewater
6.3.1 Proportion of wastewater flow (safely) treated > Domestic in South Africa (2022), compared to other countries (and areas) in the region
6.3.1 Proportion of wastewater flow (safely) treated in South Africa, by source (2022)
6.3.2 Level 1 Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality in South Africa (2020-2023), compared to other countries (and areas) in the region
Water use and scarcity
Water resources and withdrawal in South Africa, total and per capita
Long-term average annual precipitation in depth: 495 (mm/year) (2020)
Renewable water resources: 905 m3 per capita (2017)
Water withdrawal: 273 m3 per capita (2013)
Environmental flow requirements: % of the renewable water resources ()
6.4.2 Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources in South Africa, change over time, compared to other countries (and areas) in the region
6.4.1 Change in water-use efficiency over time in South Africa, by sector (2020)
Water-use efficiency for ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishing’ only takes into account the proportion of gross value added that comes from irrigated agriculture, since that activity is associated with water withdrawal (other activities are rain-fed).
6.4.1 Change in water-use efficiency over time in South Africa, progress over time, compared to other countries (and areas) in the region
Water resources management
6.5.1 Degree of integrated water resources management implementation (0-100) in South Africa, progress over time, by dimension
Very low (0-10) – Low (11-30) – Medium-low (31-50) – Medium-high (51-70) – High (71-90) – Very high (91-100)
6.5.2 Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation in South Africa, progress over time, by component
Very low (0-10) – Low (11-30) – Medium-low (31-50) – Medium-high (51-70) – High (71-90) – Very high (91-100)
International cooperation and capacity-building
6.a.1 Amount of water- and sanitation-related official development assistance received by South Africa, over time
6.a.1 Amount of water- and sanitation-related official development assistance received by South Africa in 2022, by sub-sector
Water and sanitation-related official development assistance includes water sector policy and governance, water supply, sanitation, water sector policy, water resources conservation, river basins development, waste management/disposal, education and training, agricultural water resources and hydroelectric power.