Pretoria
2 km around Pretoria Central
Air quality now
AQI 83
15.0%
tree cover
47.1K more trees would reach 30% tree cover
Africa · air quality report · 66 cities
South Africa air quality today The AQI right now, city by city
Right now the 66 cities Airleaf measures in South Africa average AQI 54 (moderate). The worst air is in Soshanguve, at AQI 161, and the cleanest in Richards Bay, at AQI 16.
At ground stations alone, which measure rather than estimate, the average is AQI 57 across 32 cities. 6% of the 66 measured cities are over AQI 100 today, where the air stops being fine for sensitive groups, and 39% have Good air.
Average right now
AQI 54
Moderate
US EPA index, across 66 cities
- cities measured
- 66
- worst air: Soshanguve
- 161
- cleanest air: Richards Bay
- 16
- average tree cover
- 21.8%
Updated . Lower is better on the US EPA index: 0–50 is Good, above 300 is Hazardous. Measured by Airleaf.
South Africa · average AQI 54
Air quality right now in the 8 largest cities in South Africa
Moderate
Johannesburg
2 km around Johannesburg
Air quality now
AQI 56
4.2%
tree cover
81.1K more trees would reach 30% tree cover
Cape Town
2 km around Cape Town City Centre
Air quality now
AQI 30
15.2%
tree cover
43.1K more trees would reach 30% tree cover
Durban
2 km around Durban Central
Air quality now
AQI 68
8.0%
tree cover
41.5K more trees would reach 30% tree cover
Gqeberha
2 km around Gqeberha Central
Air quality now
AQI 63
21.2%
tree cover
22.6K more trees would reach 30% tree cover
Soweto
2 km around Phiri
Air quality now
AQI 51
5.9%
tree cover
75.7K more trees would reach 30% tree cover
Soshanguve
2 km around Soshanguve - FF
Air quality now
AQI 161
3.1%
tree cover
116K more trees would reach 40% tree cover
Pietermaritzburg
2 km around Scottsville
Air quality now
AQI 64
35.6%
tree cover
Healthy tree cover
Across the country
How clean is the air across South Africa today?
6% of the 66 measured cities are over AQI 100 today, where the air stops being fine for sensitive groups, and 39% have Good air. Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting long outdoor exertion.
66 measured cities
- Good26 (39%)
- Moderate36 (55%)
- Unhealthy for sensitive groups2 (3%)
- Unhealthy2 (3%)
Every measured city, including model estimates where no ground station is near.
In aggregate
South Africa in numbers
Every figure below is read the same way over the same 2 km area per city, so they add up and compare like for like. Averaged across the 66 of 66 cities measured so far in South Africa.
- Average air quality
- AQI 54Mean of the latest reading per city
- Average tree cover
- 21.8%48 of 66 below their target
- Trees counted
- 4.4MAcross every measured area
- More trees needed
- 2.2MTo bring each area to its target
Worst air quality right now
Cleanest air right now
Greenest cities in South Africa
Least tree cover in South Africa
Excludes barren and desert sites
Against everywhere else
How does South Africa compare with other countries?
Right now the cities of South Africa average cleaner air than 46% of the 171 countries Airleaf has enough cities to average, and more tree cover than 45%.
Cleaner air than…
- South Africa
- Beats 46%
More tree cover than…
- South Africa
- Beats 45%
See the most polluted and cleanest air rankings for every country.
Deforestation · 2001–2025
How much forest has South Africa lost?
Since 2001, South Africa has lost about 1.66 million hectares of forest (about 17,000 km²): 28% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to logging, so much of it can grow back. About 169,000 hectares (10%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest lost since 2001
- 1.66 million haabout 17,000 km²
- Share of its forest
- 28%of what there was in 2000
- Cleared for good
- 169,000 hadeforestation: turned into farms, mines or towns
Hectares of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 5,980 ha | 71,400 ha | 77,400 ha |
| 2002 | 4,280 ha | 43,300 ha | 47,500 ha |
| 2003 | 6,110 ha | 86,300 ha | 92,400 ha |
| 2004 | 9,070 ha | 63,400 ha | 72,400 ha |
| 2005 | 6,660 ha | 97,700 ha | 104,000 ha |
| 2006 | 8,440 ha | 96,300 ha | 105,000 ha |
| 2007 | 7,230 ha | 39,700 ha | 46,900 ha |
| 2008 | 6,830 ha | 74,400 ha | 81,200 ha |
| 2009 | 6,110 ha | 60,900 ha | 67,000 ha |
| 2010 | 4,760 ha | 56,200 ha | 61,000 ha |
| 2011 | 5,720 ha | 63,700 ha | 69,400 ha |
| 2012 | 5,440 ha | 79,300 ha | 84,800 ha |
| 2013 | 6,640 ha | 49,500 ha | 56,200 ha |
| 2014 | 8,780 ha | 61,100 ha | 69,900 ha |
| 2015 | 7,330 ha | 62,200 ha | 69,600 ha |
| 2016 | 9,260 ha | 63,600 ha | 72,900 ha |
| 2017 | 11,200 ha | 82,300 ha | 93,500 ha |
| 2018 | 8,850 ha | 54,700 ha | 63,500 ha |
| 2019 | 7,180 ha | 68,600 ha | 75,700 ha |
| 2020 | 8,380 ha | 53,700 ha | 62,100 ha |
| 2021 | 6,890 ha | 45,000 ha | 51,900 ha |
| 2022 | 5,100 ha | 35,700 ha | 40,800 ha |
| 2023 | 4,460 ha | 25,000 ha | 29,500 ha |
| 2024 | 4,030 ha | 34,700 ha | 38,700 ha |
| 2025 | 4,670 ha | 22,600 ha | 27,300 ha |
Forest loss is slowing down: about 37,600 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 73,500 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2006, when about 105,000 hectares of forest were lost.
What is causing deforestation in South Africa?
- Loggingcan grow back77% · 1.29 million ha
- Wildfirescan grow back12% · 195,000 ha
- Farms, pasture and plantationscleared for good9.1% · 151,000 ha
Also: towns and roads, mining and energy, storms, floods and other natural causes, shifting farming, unknown causes.
Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
Source: Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA, Global Forest Change (GFC-2025-v1.13); causes: WRI/Google DeepMind drivers of forest loss; both CC BY 4.0, summed by Airleaf for each area. How it's measured
South Africa as a whole
18.8% of South Africa was forested as of 2024, against a 30% benchmark. Closing that gap nationally would take roughly 13.6B trees across 13.6M hectares. Source: World Bank (FAO).
Browse by province
Full directory
Every city we track in South Africa
66 cities, A–Z
No city matches “”. Any address still works on the map.
Build your own
Compare South Africa with another country
This place
South Africa
Ready-made comparisons for South Africa
South Africa vs AlgeriaSouth Africa vs AngolaSouth Africa vs ArgentinaSouth Africa vs BangladeshSouth Africa vs BrazilSouth Africa vs CanadaSouth Africa vs ChileSouth Africa vs ChinaSouth Africa vs ColombiaSouth Africa vs Democratic Republic of the CongoSouth Africa vs EgyptSouth Africa vs EthiopiaSouth Africa vs FranceSouth Africa vs GermanySouth Africa vs IndiaSouth Africa vs IndonesiaSouth Africa vs IranSouth Africa vs IraqSouth Africa vs ItalySouth Africa vs JapanSouth Africa vs MalaysiaSouth Africa vs MexicoSouth Africa vs MoroccoSouth Africa vs MyanmarSouth Africa vs NigeriaSouth Africa vs PakistanSouth Africa vs PhilippinesSouth Africa vs PolandSouth Africa vs RussiaSouth Africa vs South KoreaSouth Africa vs SpainSouth Africa vs TanzaniaSouth Africa vs ThailandSouth Africa vs TurkeySouth Africa vs UkraineSouth Africa vs United KingdomSouth Africa vs United StatesSouth Africa vs VenezuelaSouth Africa vs Vietnam
Clean-air buying guides
Cleaner air at home in South Africa
Picked by tested clean-air delivery rate (CADR), noise and running cost, from independent test labels. No brand pays to be listed.
- The best air purifiers for wildfire smoke and smog
Air purifiers that keep up with wildfire smoke and winter smog, ranked by verified smoke CADR, with the room each one clears on a smoky day.
- The best air purifiers under $200
Good HEPA air purifiers under $200 at the makers' own prices, compared on verified clean air, room size and what the filters cost each year.
- NIOSH-approved N95 masks for smoke and smog
NIOSH-approved N95 masks and P100 respirators for smog and smoke, and how to get the fit right. Cloth and surgical masks do little against PM2.5.
Frequently asked
Air quality in South Africa: your questions answered
What is the air quality in South Africa today?
Right now the 66 cities Airleaf measures in South Africa average AQI 54 (moderate). The worst air is in Soshanguve, at AQI 161, and the cleanest in Richards Bay, at AQI 16. At ground stations alone, which measure rather than estimate, the average is AQI 57 across 32 cities. 6% of the 66 measured cities are over AQI 100 today, where the air stops being fine for sensitive groups, and 39% have Good air.
Which city in South Africa has the worst air right now?
Soshanguve, at AQI 161 (Unhealthy) on the US EPA index. Everyone should limit long outdoor exertion; sensitive groups more so.
Which city in South Africa has the cleanest air right now?
Richards Bay, at AQI 16 (Good). Both lists rank current readings, from ground stations wherever South Africa has at least three cities with one.
Is the air in South Africa safe to breathe today?
It depends on the city. 26 cities are Good, 36 cities are Moderate, 2 cities are Unhealthy for sensitive groups, 2 cities are Unhealthy. At the national average of AQI 54: Unusually sensitive people should consider limiting long outdoor exertion.
How much forest has South Africa lost since 2001?
About 1.66 million ha from 2001 to 2025, 28% of the forest it had in 2000, from the University of Maryland's yearly satellite maps of forest loss. 169,000 ha of it was cleared for good, for farms, mines or towns.
Which city in South Africa has the most trees?
Pinetown, with 60.7% tree cover within 2 km of its center, measured from Sentinel-2 satellite images.
How does Airleaf measure air quality in South Africa?
Each city's reading is the US EPA air quality index, from ground monitoring stations where one has reported recently nearby, and from the CAMS atmospheric model elsewhere; each city's report says which. Tree cover is measured over the same 2 km radius in every city, so the cities compare like for like.
More of Africa
AlgeriaAngolaBeninBotswanaBurkina FasoBurundiCabo VerdeCameroonCentral African RepublicChadComorosDemocratic Republic of the CongoDjiboutiEgyptEquatorial GuineaEritreaEswatiniEthiopiaGabonGambiaGhanaGuineaGuinea-BissauIvory CoastKenyaLesothoLiberiaLibyaMadagascarMalawiMaliMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMoroccoMozambiqueNamibiaNigerNigeriaRepublic of the CongoReunionRwandaSaint HelenaSao Tome and PrincipeSenegalSeychellesSierra LeoneSomaliaSouth SudanSudanTanzaniaTogoTunisiaUgandaWestern SaharaZambiaZimbabwe
Your own street