Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated … disasters in South Africa
South Africa: Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated … disasters was 20,000 number of cases in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with in South Africa, 2008–2023
Source: Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC). Measured in number of cases.
Analysis
In 2023, internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with in South Africa stood at 20,000 number of cases.
The figure is down 67.7% on the previous year and up 11.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with in South Africa peaked at 62,000 number of cases in 2022 and was at its lowest, 14 number of cases, in 2015.
South Africa ranks 56th of 148 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated … disasters in South Africa, year by year
| Year | number of cases | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 3,500 number of cases | — |
| 2009 | 20,000 number of cases | +471.4% |
| 2010 | 6,000 number of cases | -70.0% |
| 2011 | 52,000 number of cases | +766.7% |
| 2012 | 2,000 number of cases | -96.2% |
| 2013 | 18,000 number of cases | +800.0% |
| 2014 | 3,500 number of cases | -80.6% |
| 2015 | 14 number of cases | -99.6% |
| 2016 | 12,000 number of cases | +85614.3% |
| 2017 | 15,000 number of cases | +25.0% |
| 2018 | 2,100 number of cases | -86.0% |
| 2019 | 5,100 number of cases | +142.9% |
| 2020 | 370 number of cases | -92.7% |
| 2021 | 10,000 number of cases | +2602.7% |
| 2022 | 62,000 number of cases | +520.0% |
| 2023 | 20,000 number of cases | -67.7% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 20,000 number of cases is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 5,300 number of cases, 3.8× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 20,000 number of cases is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22,500 number of cases, 89% of the median. (38 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated … disasters in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | +85614.3% | 14 number of cases | 12,000 number of cases |
| 2021 | +2602.7% | 370 number of cases | 10,000 number of cases |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 11,750 number of cases | 3,500 number of cases | 20,000 number of cases | 2 |
| 2010s | 11,571 number of cases | 14 number of cases | 52,000 number of cases | 10 |
| 2020s | 23,092 number of cases | 370 number of cases | 62,000 number of cases | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
- 54 Algeria 23,000 number of cases compare
- 55 Burundi 21,000 number of cases compare
- 57 Bahamas 18,000 number of cases compare
- 58 Sri Lanka 17,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Chad 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Ecuador 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Paraguay 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 East Timor 16,000 number of cases compare
- 59 Togo 16,000 number of cases compare
More public sector data for South Africa
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Arms imports 30.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 0.4746 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with in South Africa?
- Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with in South Africa was 20,000 number of cases in 2023, according to Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).
- What is the highest internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 62,000 number of cases in 2022.
- What is the lowest internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 14 number of cases in 2015.
- How does South Africa rank for internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with?
- South Africa ranks 56th out of 148 countries with data for 2023.
- Is internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), published as part of Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with disasters (number of cases). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Internally displaced persons are defined according to the 1998 Guiding Principles (http://www.internal-displacement.org/publications/1998/ocha-guiding-principles-on-internal-displacement) as people or groups of people who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of armed conflict, or to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights, or natural or human-made disasters and who have not crossed an international border. "New Displacement" refers to the number of new cases or incidents of displacement recorded over the specified year, rather than the number of people displaced. This is done because people may have been displaced more than once.