Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100) in Australia
Australia: Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100) was 24 num items per 100m2 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Beach litter items per unit of surface area in Australia, 2015–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in num items per 100m2.
Analysis
In 2024, beach litter items per unit of surface area in Australia stood at 24 num items per 100m2.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 380.0% on the previous year and up 200.0% over five years.
Over the whole period, beach litter items per unit of surface area in Australia peaked at 43 num items per 100m2 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0 num items per 100m2, in 2015.
Australia ranks 41st of 107 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100) in Australia, year by year
| Year | num items per 100m2 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 0 num items per 100m2 | — |
| 2016 | 1 num items per 100m2 | — |
| 2017 | 21 num items per 100m2 | +2000.0% |
| 2018 | 14 num items per 100m2 | -33.3% |
| 2019 | 8 num items per 100m2 | -42.9% |
| 2020 | 15 num items per 100m2 | +87.5% |
| 2021 | 26 num items per 100m2 | +73.3% |
| 2022 | 43 num items per 100m2 | +65.4% |
| 2023 | 5 num items per 100m2 | -88.4% |
| 2024 | 24 num items per 100m2 | +380.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 24 num items per 100m2 is above the median for high income countries, which is 9 num items per 100m2, 2.7× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Australia's 24 num items per 100m2 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 24 num items per 100m2, 1.0× the median. (17 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 8.8 num items per 100m2 | 0 num items per 100m2 | 21 num items per 100m2 | 5 |
| 2020s | 22.6 num items per 100m2 | 5 num items per 100m2 | 43 num items per 100m2 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 38 Panama 31 num items per 100m2 compare
- 39 Singapore 30 num items per 100m2 compare
- 40 Netherlands (Kingdom of the) 25 num items per 100m2 compare
- 42 Barbados 23 num items per 100m2 compare
- 43 Estonia 21 num items per 100m2 compare
- 43 Mexico 21 num items per 100m2 compare
- 43 Türkiye 21 num items per 100m2 compare
- 43 Turkey 21 num items per 100m2 compare
More development goals data for Australia
- Red List Index 0.8456 index (2025)
- Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin 0.1186 per 100,000 people (2025)
- Manufacturing value added per capita 3,018 constant US$ (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds 249 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds (not extinct) 208 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds with unknown risk status 12 (2025)
- Number of local breeds with unknown risk status 7 (2025)
- Number of local breeds (not extinct) 74 (2025)
- Number of local breeds kept in the country 108 (2025)
- Infant deaths 941 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is beach litter items per unit of surface area in Australia?
- Beach litter items per unit of surface area in Australia was 24 num items per 100m2 in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest beach litter items per unit of surface area recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 43 num items per 100m2 in 2022.
- What is the lowest beach litter items per unit of surface area recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 num items per 100m2 in 2015.
- How does Australia rank for beach litter items per unit of surface area?
- Australia ranks 41st out of 107 countries with data for 2024.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100 square meters). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).