Beach litter items per unit of surface area in Southern Africa
Southern Africa: Beach litter items per unit of surface area was 19 num items per 100m2 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Beach litter items per unit of surface area in Southern Africa, 2015–2024
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 Southern Africa is 19 num items per 100m2, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 10 years on record.
The figure is down 94.9% on the previous year and down 82.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, beach litter items per unit of surface area in Southern Africa peaked at 375 num items per 100m2 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 19 num items per 100m2, in 2024.
Southern Africa ranks 18th 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 Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | num items per 100m2 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 106 num items per 100m2 | — |
| 2016 | 64 num items per 100m2 | -39.6% |
| 2017 | 24 num items per 100m2 | -62.5% |
| 2018 | 60 num items per 100m2 | +150.0% |
| 2019 | 55 num items per 100m2 | -8.3% |
| 2020 | 80 num items per 100m2 | +45.5% |
| 2021 | 48 num items per 100m2 | -40.0% |
| 2022 | 85 num items per 100m2 | +77.1% |
| 2023 | 375 num items per 100m2 | +341.2% |
| 2024 | 19 num items per 100m2 | -94.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 61.8 num items per 100m2 | 24 num items per 100m2 | 106 num items per 100m2 | 5 |
| 2020s | 121.4 num items per 100m2 | 19 num items per 100m2 | 375 num items per 100m2 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Southern Africa
- 15 United States Virgin Islands 153 num items per 100m2 compare
- 16 Ukraine 146 num items per 100m2 compare
- 17 Grenada 130 num items per 100m2 compare
- 18 Vanuatu 93 num items per 100m2 compare
- 19 Viet Nam 90 num items per 100m2 compare
- 19 Viet Nam 90 num items per 100m2 compare
- 21 Nigeria 89 num items per 100m2 compare
More development goals data for Southern Africa
- Number of refugees per 100,000 population, by country of origin 3.08 per 100,000 people (2025)
- Manufacturing value added per capita 623.5 constant US$ (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds 162 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds (not extinct) 158 (2025)
- Number of transboundary breeds with unknown risk status 85 (2025)
- Number of local breeds with unknown risk status 98 (2025)
- Number of local breeds (not extinct) 121 (2025)
- Number of local breeds kept in the country 127 (2025)
- Alcohol consumption per capita (aged 15 years and older) within a 8.34 ltpureal (2024)
- Children moderately or severely stunted 1,688 num th (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is beach litter items per unit of surface area in Southern Africa?
- Beach litter items per unit of surface area in Southern Africa was 19 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 Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 375 num items per 100m2 in 2023.
- What is the lowest beach litter items per unit of surface area recorded in Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 19 num items per 100m2 in 2024.
- How does Southern Africa rank for beach litter items per unit of surface area?
- Southern Africa ranks 18th out of 34 groups with data for 2024.
- Is beach litter items per unit of surface area rising or falling in Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 82.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Southern Africa 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).