South Africa · Mpumalanga · 7 cities
Air quality in Mpumalanga today The AQI right now, city by city
Right now, Emalahleni has the cleanest air of the 7 cities we track in Mpumalanga (AQI 45, Good), and Standerton the worst (AQI 95, Moderate). Mbombela has the most tree cover, at 44.6% — #2 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 70
Average right now
Moderate
- cities tracked
- 7
- average tree cover
- 17.5%
- South Africa: 21.8%
- worst air now: Standerton
- 95
- cleanest air now: Emalahleni
- 45
Lower is better on the US EPA index: 0–50 is Good, above 300 is Hazardous. Measured by Airleaf, refreshed hourly.
Mpumalanga · average AQI 70
Air quality today across Mpumalanga, city by city
| Emalahleni | 45Good | 21.5% | 26.7K | #33 of 66 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middelburg | 56Moderate | 25.6% | 13.8K | #26 of 66 |
| eMbalenhle | 77Moderate | 1.1% | 90.7K | #66 of 66 |
| Somaroboro | 64Moderate | 3.5% | 83.3K | #61 of 66 |
| Mbombela | 67Moderate | 44.6% | — | #2 of 66 |
| Standerton | 95Moderate | 10.7% | 60.6K | #51 of 66 |
| Ermelo | 88Moderate | 15.6% | 45.1K | #43 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 Mpumalanga lost?
Since 2001, Mpumalanga has lost about 503,000 hectares of forest (about 5,000 km²): 56% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to logging, so much of it can grow back. About 20,600 hectares (4.1%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest lost since 2001
- 503,000 haabout 5,000 km²
- Share of its forest
- 56%of what there was in 2000
- Cleared for good
- 20,600 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 | 1,320 ha | 29,300 ha | 30,600 ha |
| 2002 | 407 ha | 18,700 ha | 19,100 ha |
| 2003 | 1,030 ha | 34,200 ha | 35,300 ha |
| 2004 | 799 ha | 27,800 ha | 28,600 ha |
| 2005 | 1,040 ha | 34,900 ha | 35,900 ha |
| 2006 | 980 ha | 32,800 ha | 33,800 ha |
| 2007 | 670 ha | 13,500 ha | 14,200 ha |
| 2008 | 751 ha | 38,700 ha | 39,400 ha |
| 2009 | 396 ha | 17,600 ha | 18,000 ha |
| 2010 | 455 ha | 23,600 ha | 24,000 ha |
| 2011 | 523 ha | 21,400 ha | 21,900 ha |
| 2012 | 620 ha | 29,600 ha | 30,200 ha |
| 2013 | 681 ha | 16,500 ha | 17,200 ha |
| 2014 | 1,140 ha | 19,300 ha | 20,400 ha |
| 2015 | 985 ha | 16,200 ha | 17,200 ha |
| 2016 | 1,120 ha | 17,300 ha | 18,400 ha |
| 2017 | 1,390 ha | 17,500 ha | 18,900 ha |
| 2018 | 1,070 ha | 12,500 ha | 13,600 ha |
| 2019 | 1,170 ha | 14,500 ha | 15,700 ha |
| 2020 | 986 ha | 10,300 ha | 11,300 ha |
| 2021 | 1,000 ha | 10,300 ha | 11,300 ha |
| 2022 | 687 ha | 8,310 ha | 8,990 ha |
| 2023 | 436 ha | 5,880 ha | 6,310 ha |
| 2024 | 471 ha | 5,690 ha | 6,160 ha |
| 2025 | 484 ha | 6,300 ha | 6,790 ha |
Forest loss is slowing down: about 7,920 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 15,600 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2008, when about 39,400 hectares of forest were lost.
What is causing deforestation in Mpumalanga?
- Loggingcan grow back95% · 479,000 ha
- Farms, pasture and plantationscleared for good3.7% · 18,400 ha
Also: wildfires, towns and roads, shifting farming, mining and energy, storms, floods and other natural causes, 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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