Beach litter items per unit of surface area in South America

South America: Beach litter items per unit of surface area was 45 num items per 100m2 in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
45 num items per 100m2
Change on year
up 542.9%
Rank
13th
of 34 groups
All-time high
484 num items per 100m2
in 2015
All-time low
7 num items per 100m2
in 2023
Years of data
10
2015–2024

Beach litter items per unit of surface area in South America, 2015–2024

01002003004005002015201920242015: 484 num items per 100m22016: 143 num items per 100m22017: 137 num items per 100m22018: 101 num items per 100m22019: 61 num items per 100m22020: 82 num items per 100m22021: 43 num items per 100m22022: 137 num items per 100m22023: 7 num items per 100m22024: 45 num items per 100m2

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in num items per 100m2.

Analysis

The most recent figure for beach litter items per unit of surface area in South America is 45 num items per 100m2, measured in 2024.

The figure is up 542.9% on the previous year and down 90.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, beach litter items per unit of surface area in South America peaked at 484 num items per 100m2 in 2015 and was at its lowest, 7 num items per 100m2, in 2023.

South America ranks 13th of 34 groups 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 in South America, year by year

Annual values for Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100 square meters) in South America, 2015 to 2024.
Year num items per 100m2 Change
2015 484 num items per 100m2
2016 143 num items per 100m2 -70.5%
2017 137 num items per 100m2 -4.2%
2018 101 num items per 100m2 -26.3%
2019 61 num items per 100m2 -39.6%
2020 82 num items per 100m2 +34.4%
2021 43 num items per 100m2 -47.6%
2022 137 num items per 100m2 +218.6%
2023 7 num items per 100m2 -94.9%
2024 45 num items per 100m2 +542.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 185.2 num items per 100m2 61 num items per 100m2 484 num items per 100m2 5
2020s 62.8 num items per 100m2 7 num items per 100m2 137 num items per 100m2 5

Countries ranked near South America

  1. 10 Egypt 256 num items per 100m2 compare
  2. 11 Philippines 245 num items per 100m2 compare
  3. 12 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) 197 num items per 100m2 compare
  4. 13 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 165 num items per 100m2 compare
  5. 13 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 165 num items per 100m2 compare
  6. 15 United States Virgin Islands 153 num items per 100m2 compare
  7. 16 Ukraine 146 num items per 100m2 compare

See the full ranking of 140 places →

More development goals data for South America

All data for South America →

Frequently asked questions

What is beach litter items per unit of surface area in South America?
Beach litter items per unit of surface area in South America was 45 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 South America?
The highest recorded value was 484 num items per 100m2 in 2015.
What is the lowest beach litter items per unit of surface area recorded in South America?
The lowest recorded value was 7 num items per 100m2 in 2023.
How does South America rank for beach litter items per unit of surface area?
South America ranks 13th out of 34 groups with data for 2024.
Is beach litter items per unit of surface area rising or falling in South America?
Over the last ten years it is down 90.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South America 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).

Share, cite or embed this page

Cite this page

Beach litter items per unit of surface area in South America. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://development-goals.statizoid.com/stat/beach-litter-items-per-unit-of-surface-area-number-of-items-per-100-square-meters/south-america/

Embed or link this data

Paste this into a page to link back to these figures. The data itself is free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested); please keep the attribution.

<a href="https://development-goals.statizoid.com/stat/beach-litter-items-per-unit-of-surface-area-number-of-items-per-100-square-meters/south-america/">Beach litter items per unit of surface area in South America</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator
Beach litter items per unit of surface area (Number of items per 100 square meters)
Unit
num items per 100m2
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
140 places, 1,211 data points, 2015–2024
Last refreshed