Oil reserves, per square kilometre in South Africa
South Africa: Oil reserves, per square kilometre was 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Oil reserves, per square kilometre in South Africa, 1983–2021
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in cubic meters per square kilometre.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre for oil reserves, per square kilometre in 2021. That is the lowest value across all 31 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, oil reserves, per square kilometre in South Africa peaked at 15.27 cubic meters per square kilometre in 1983 and was at its lowest, 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre, in 2007.
That places South Africa 94th out of 201 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Oil reserves, per square kilometre in South Africa, year by year
| Year | cubic meters per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | 15.27 cubic meters per square kilometre | — |
| 1984 | 15.07 cubic meters per square kilometre | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 15.01 cubic meters per square kilometre | -0.4% |
| 1994 | 5.37 cubic meters per square kilometre | -64.2% |
| 1995 | 5.29 cubic meters per square kilometre | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 3.5 cubic meters per square kilometre | -33.9% |
| 1997 | 3.5 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 3.85 cubic meters per square kilometre | +10.0% |
| 1999 | 3.85 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 3.85 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 3.85 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 2.06 cubic meters per square kilometre | -46.6% |
| 2003 | 2.06 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 2.06 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 2.06 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 2.06 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | -4.3% |
| 2008 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 15.12 cubic meters per square kilometre | 15.01 cubic meters per square kilometre | 15.27 cubic meters per square kilometre | 3 |
| 1990s | 4.23 cubic meters per square kilometre | 3.5 cubic meters per square kilometre | 5.37 cubic meters per square kilometre | 6 |
| 2000s | 2.39 cubic meters per square kilometre | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | 3.85 cubic meters per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 91 Greece 12.33 cubic meters per square kilometre compare
- 92 Benin 11.28 cubic meters per square kilometre compare
- 93 Mauritania 3.09 cubic meters per square kilometre compare
- 95 Jordan 1.79 cubic meters per square kilometre compare
- 96 Morocco 0.2437 cubic meters per square kilometre compare
- 97 Ethiopia 0.0603 cubic meters per square kilometre compare
More energy & mining data for South Africa
- Fuel imports 17.7% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 2.5% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 30.3% (2025)
- Gas production 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gas production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is oil reserves, per square kilometre in South Africa?
- Oil reserves, per square kilometre in South Africa was 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre in 2021, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest oil reserves, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 15.27 cubic meters per square kilometre in 1983.
- What is the lowest oil reserves, per square kilometre recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.97 cubic meters per square kilometre in 2007.
- How does South Africa rank for oil reserves, per square kilometre?
- South Africa ranks 94th out of 201 countries with data for 2021.
- Is oil reserves, per square kilometre rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Oil reserves, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Oil reserves divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Oil reserves ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Oil reserves U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Oil reserves divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.