City report · South Africa · Gauteng
Soweto
Measured across a 2 km radius around Phiri, Soweto, 1818, South Africa (12.57 km²)
- Tree cover
- 14.2%
- Air quality
- 119Unhealthy for sensitive groups
- Trees in this area
- 44.6K
- More trees needed
- 65.3K
- Area analyzed
- 12.57 km²
- Satellite image
- Sep 22, 2026
Soweto's tree count comes to 44,611 trees across 12.57 km² — 21 points below the 35% tree-cover level considered healthy for this area, meaning roughly 65,345 more trees would close the gap. Air quality currently reads AQI 119 (Unhealthy for sensitive groups): Sensitive groups should limit long or intense outdoor activity.
Tree cover detail
Critically low
14.2% tree cover against a 35% healthy-neighborhood target, across 12.57 km².
Trees in this area
44,611
Target trees
109,956
More trees needed
65,345
CO₂ if planted / yr
1,438 t
Air quality detail
AQI 119Unhealthy for sensitive groups
Observed Sep 27, 06:00 local time via Open-Meteo / CAMS, US EPA index. Values in µg/m³.
Health signal
Sensitive groups should limit long or intense outdoor activity.
PM2.5
42.8
PM10
43.0
NO₂
25.5
O₃
46.0
SO₂
37.3
CO
238.0
Frequently asked
Questions about Soweto
What is the tree count in Soweto?
Soweto has an estimated 44,611 trees across the 12.57 km² measured — 14.2% tree cover, 21 percentage points short of the 35% tree-cover target set for this area.
How many more trees does Soweto need?
Soweto needs roughly 65,345 more trees to close a 21-point shortfall against its 35% tree-cover target — about 1,438 t of extra CO₂ absorbed per year once grown.
What is the air quality (AQI) in Soweto right now?
The latest reading for Soweto shows an AQI of 119 (Unhealthy for sensitive groups), observed Sep 27, 06:00 local time via Open-Meteo / CAMS, US EPA index. Sensitive groups should limit long or intense outdoor activity.
How is Soweto's tree cover and air quality measured?
Tree cover is measured from Sentinel-2 L2A (ESA Copernicus) via Earth Search satellite imagery at 10 m detail across a 2 km radius around Phiri; the tree count is an estimate derived from that cover. Air-quality readings come from Open-Meteo / CAMS, US EPA index and may differ from street-level monitors.
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