South Africa · Eastern Cape · 7 cities
Air quality in Eastern Cape today The AQI right now, city by city
Right now, Bhisho has the cleanest air of the 7 cities we track in Eastern Cape (AQI 56, Moderate), and Gqeberha the worst (AQI 121, Unhealthy for sensitive groups). Mdantsane has the most tree cover, at 41.5% — #5 of 66 cities measured in South Africa.
Every city is measured the same way, over the same 2 km around its center: the air quality right now, from ground stations where there are any, and its tree cover.
AQI 74
Average right now
Moderate
- cities tracked
- 7
- average tree cover
- 27.8%
- South Africa: 21.8%
- worst air now: Gqeberha
- 121
- cleanest air now: Bhisho
- 56
Lower is better on the US EPA index: 0–50 is Good, above 300 is Hazardous. Measured by Airleaf, refreshed hourly.
Eastern Cape · average AQI 74
Air quality today across Eastern Cape, city by city
| Gqeberha | 121Unhealthy for sensitive groups | 21.2% | 35.5K | #35 of 66 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East London | 65Moderate | 29.4% | 1.4K | #21 of 66 |
| Kariega | 59Moderate | 29.9% | 314 | #19 of 66 |
| Mdantsane | 65Moderate | 41.5% | — | #5 of 66 |
| Mthatha | 88Moderate | 26.1% | 12.3K | #25 of 66 |
| Bhisho | 56Moderate | 27.8% | 6.9K | #24 of 66 |
| Queenstown | 66Moderate | 18.6% | 35.7K | #39 of 66 |
Air quality is the US AQI from ground monitoring stations via OpenAQ where available, otherwise the Open-Meteo / CAMS model, refreshed hourly. Tree cover is measured within 2 km of each city center from Sentinel-2 imagery; the rank compares every city measured in South Africa.
Deforestation · 2001–2025
How much forest has Eastern Cape lost?
Since 2001, Eastern Cape has lost about 207,000 hectares of forest (about 2,100 km²): 13% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to logging, so much of it can grow back. About 44,400 hectares (21%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest lost since 2001
- 207,000 haabout 2,100 km²
- Share of its forest
- 13%of what there was in 2000
- Cleared for good
- 44,400 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 | 935 ha | 4,680 ha | 5,620 ha |
| 2002 | 848 ha | 2,370 ha | 3,220 ha |
| 2003 | 1,170 ha | 4,920 ha | 6,080 ha |
| 2004 | 1,110 ha | 3,660 ha | 4,770 ha |
| 2005 | 1,400 ha | 5,340 ha | 6,740 ha |
| 2006 | 1,280 ha | 6,950 ha | 8,230 ha |
| 2007 | 1,210 ha | 2,470 ha | 3,690 ha |
| 2008 | 1,940 ha | 4,300 ha | 6,240 ha |
| 2009 | 2,180 ha | 6,490 ha | 8,670 ha |
| 2010 | 1,040 ha | 1,920 ha | 2,960 ha |
| 2011 | 1,590 ha | 7,070 ha | 8,660 ha |
| 2012 | 1,020 ha | 4,490 ha | 5,510 ha |
| 2013 | 1,900 ha | 6,320 ha | 8,220 ha |
| 2014 | 2,060 ha | 8,590 ha | 10,600 ha |
| 2015 | 1,730 ha | 5,330 ha | 7,050 ha |
| 2016 | 2,460 ha | 6,860 ha | 9,330 ha |
| 2017 | 3,160 ha | 12,300 ha | 15,400 ha |
| 2018 | 3,560 ha | 8,230 ha | 11,800 ha |
| 2019 | 2,510 ha | 12,200 ha | 14,700 ha |
| 2020 | 3,550 ha | 14,300 ha | 17,900 ha |
| 2021 | 2,360 ha | 9,910 ha | 12,300 ha |
| 2022 | 1,560 ha | 6,080 ha | 7,640 ha |
| 2023 | 1,440 ha | 5,600 ha | 7,030 ha |
| 2024 | 1,190 ha | 9,310 ha | 10,500 ha |
| 2025 | 1,210 ha | 2,990 ha | 4,200 ha |
Forest loss is slowing down: about 8,330 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 13,800 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2020, when about 17,900 hectares of forest were lost.
What is causing deforestation in Eastern Cape?
- Loggingcan grow back58% · 120,000 ha
- Farms, pasture and plantationscleared for good20% · 41,500 ha
- Wildfirescan grow back19% · 40,200 ha
Also: towns and roads, shifting farming, storms, floods and other natural causes, mining and energy, 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
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