Population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies in South Africa

South Africa: Population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies was 5.83 in 2023. ▼ Falling

Latest (2023)
5.83
Change on year
down 3.5%
World rank
45th
of 193 countries
All-time high
16.34
in 1990
All-time low
5.83
in 2023
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies in South Africa, 1990–2023

0510151990200620231990: 16.31991: 16.31992: 16.21993: 16.21994: 16.11995: 15.81996: 15.61997: 15.41998: 151999: 14.72000: 14.22001: 13.72002: 13.22003: 12.62004: 12.12005: 11.42006: 10.82007: 10.22008: 9.62009: 9.12010: 8.72011: 8.32012: 82013: 7.72014: 7.52015: 7.32016: 72017: 6.82018: 6.62019: 6.52020: 6.32021: 6.22022: 62023: 5.8

Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.

Analysis

South Africa recorded 5.83 for population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.

The figure is down 3.5% on the previous year and down 24.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies in South Africa peaked at 16.34 in 1990 and was at its lowest, 5.83, in 2023.

That places South Africa 45th out of 193 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.

Population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking (in millions) in South Africa, 1990 to 2023.
Year Value Change
1990 16.34
1991 16.3 -0.2%
1992 16.22 -0.4%
1993 16.2 -0.2%
1994 16.07 -0.8%
1995 15.83 -1.5%
1996 15.65 -1.2%
1997 15.36 -1.8%
1998 15.03 -2.1%
1999 14.67 -2.4%
2000 14.19 -3.2%
2001 13.73 -3.3%
2002 13.18 -4.0%
2003 12.58 -4.6%
2004 12.05 -4.2%
2005 11.39 -5.5%
2006 10.84 -4.9%
2007 10.17 -6.2%
2008 9.63 -5.3%
2009 9.12 -5.3%
2010 8.7 -4.6%
2011 8.33 -4.3%
2012 7.98 -4.2%
2013 7.68 -3.7%
2014 7.49 -2.5%
2015 7.3 -2.5%
2016 7.05 -3.5%
2017 6.82 -3.2%
2018 6.63 -2.8%
2019 6.48 -2.2%
2020 6.29 -2.9%
2021 6.19 -1.6%
2022 6.04 -2.4%
2023 5.83 -3.5%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 15.77 14.67 16.34 10
2000s 11.69 9.12 14.19 10
2010s 7.45 6.48 8.7 10
2020s 6.09 5.83 6.29 4

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 42 Benin 6.89 compare
  2. 43 Cambodia 6.58 compare
  3. 44 Thailand 6.29 compare
  4. 46 Uzbekistan 5.13 compare
  5. 47 Togo 5.11 compare
  6. 48 Sierra Leone 4.71 compare

See the full ranking of 208 places →

More health data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies in South Africa?
Population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies in South Africa was 5.83 in 2023, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
What is the highest population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 16.34 in 1990.
What is the lowest population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 5.83 in 2023.
How does South Africa rank for population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies?
South Africa ranks 45th out of 193 countries with data for 2023.
Is population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is down 24.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking (in millions). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. Retrieved 08 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/population-with-primary-reliance-on-polluting-fuels-and-technologies-for-cooking-in/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Population with primary reliance on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking (in millions)
Source
World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO)
Coverage
208 places, 7,072 data points, 1990–2023
Last refreshed