Photo: Damien du Toit · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 11 of 18 · Country Index 2026
South Africa: Risk & Resilience
How exposed is a country to crisis, and how ready is it to cope?
South Africa is placed 152nd of 193 countries on risk & resilience in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: World Risk Index 9.5 (2025); INFORM Risk Index 5.1 (2025).
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Risk & Resilience
152nd
of 193 countries placed
Placed from 4 of 4 key statistics
- 9.5World Risk Index, 2025WorldRiskIndex score (0–100, where 100 is the most at risk)
- 5.1INFORM Risk Index, 2025INFORM Risk score (0–10, where 10 is the highest risk)
- 0.436Climate Vulnerability (ND-GAIN), 2024ND-GAIN Vulnerability (0–1, where 1 is the most vulnerable)
- 30.81Able to Raise Emergency Funds Within 30 Days, 2024Adults who could raise emergency funds within 30 days without great difficulty (% of population aged 15+)
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place South Africa on risk & resilience — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
World Risk Index
Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV), Ruhr University Bochum
2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0
9.5
WorldRiskIndex score (0–100, where 100 is the most at risk)
Lower is better
South Africa: 9.5. Across the 193 countries in this edition, values run from 0.18 (Monaco) to 46.56 (Philippines); the world median is 4.17.
- World median
- 4.17
- Best in Southern Africa
- 1.25 Botswana
- Land neighbours
- Botswana 1.25 · Lesotho 1.41 · Mozambique 34.39 · Namibia 5.86 · Eswatini 1.76 · Zimbabwe 2.38
Key 2 of 4
INFORM Risk Index
European Commission Joint Research Centre, with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee
2026 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0 (via the European Commission's reuse policy)
5.1
INFORM Risk score (0–10, where 10 is the highest risk)
Lower is better
South Africa: 5.1. Across the 191 countries in this edition, values run from 0.7 (Singapore) to 8.5 (South Sudan); the world median is 3.7.
- World median
- 3.7
- Best in Southern Africa
- 3.3 Botswana
- Land neighbours
- Botswana 3.3 · Lesotho 4.2 · Mozambique 7.1 · Namibia 4.3 · Eswatini 4.3 · Zimbabwe 5.3
Key 3 of 4
Climate Vulnerability (ND-GAIN)
Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 Unported
0.436
ND-GAIN Vulnerability (0–1, where 1 is the most vulnerable)
Lower is better
Ranked 87th of 190 by Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame
South Africa: 0.436. Across the 190 countries in this edition, values run from 0.263 (Norway) to 0.655 (Mauritania); the world median is 0.45.
- World median
- 0.45
- Best in Southern Africa
- 0.436 South Africa
- Land neighbours
- Botswana 0.484 · Lesotho 0.507 · Mozambique 0.511 · Namibia 0.511 · Eswatini 0.482 · Zimbabwe 0.511
Key 4 of 4
Able to Raise Emergency Funds Within 30 Days
World Bank Group
Latest reading per country, 2021–2024 · South Africa’s is from 2024 · CC BY 4.0
30.81
Adults who could raise emergency funds within 30 days without great difficulty (% of population aged 15+)
Higher is better
South Africa: 30.81. Across the 142 countries at their latest reading, values run from 16.49 (South Sudan) to 93.69 (Sweden); the world median is 53.85.
- World median
- 53.85
- Best in Southern Africa
- 44.03 Lesotho
- Land neighbours
- Botswana 31.45 · Lesotho 44.03 · Mozambique 43.17 · Namibia 33 · Eswatini 24.03 · Zimbabwe 34.64
02Over time
Which way South Africa is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
World Risk Index
WorldRiskIndex score (0–100, where 100 is the most at risk) · lower is better
South AfricaWorld median
South Africa rose from 9.34 in 2000 to 9.5 in 2025; the world median went from 4.55 to 4.17.
Every year’s figures
Year South Africa World median 2025 9.50 4.17 2024 9.50 4.17 2023 9.45 4.27 2022 9.01 4.08 2021 9.40 4.23 2020 8.53 4.12 2019 9.39 4.23 2018 8.62 4.14 2017 8.98 4.24 2016 9.06 4.23 2015 8.73 4.04 2014 9.16 4.07 2013 9.17 4.08 2012 8.12 4.07 2011 8.47 3.99 2010 9.05 3.86 2009 8.42 3.94 2008 8.75 4.11 2007 8.73 4.41 2006 9.42 4.51 2005 8.67 4.54 2004 8.59 4.42 2003 9.49 4.50 2002 9.49 4.65 2001 9.37 4.37 2000 9.34 4.55 INFORM Risk Index
INFORM Risk score (0–10, where 10 is the highest risk) · lower is better
South AfricaWorld median
South Africa rose from 4.6 in 2016 to 5.1 in 2025; the world median went from 3.6 to 3.7.
Every year’s figures
Year South Africa World median 2025 5.1 3.7 2024 4.9 3.5 2023 5.0 3.6 2022 5.2 3.6 2021 5.3 3.6 2020 4.9 3.6 2019 4.8 3.6 2018 4.6 3.5 2017 4.6 3.5 2016 4.6 3.6 Climate Vulnerability (ND-GAIN)
ND-GAIN Vulnerability (0–1, where 1 is the most vulnerable) · lower is better
South AfricaWorld median
South Africa fell from 0.463 in 2000 to 0.436 in 2024; the world median went from 0.476 to 0.45.
Every year’s figures
Year South Africa World median 2024 0.4362 0.449649 2023 0.4361 0.449167 2022 0.4369 0.447422 2021 0.4433 0.447831 2020 0.4442 0.447902 2019 0.4455 0.447883 2018 0.4465 0.449652 2017 0.4452 0.450532 2016 0.4466 0.451843 2015 0.4496 0.451496 2014 0.4512 0.451502 2013 0.4537 0.454946 2012 0.4531 0.454269 2011 0.4558 0.458012 2010 0.4586 0.460715 2009 0.4597 0.464712 2008 0.4600 0.463801 2007 0.4595 0.466738 2006 0.4590 0.468701 2005 0.4644 0.470646 2004 0.4601 0.472029 2003 0.4623 0.471635 2002 0.4598 0.472031 2001 0.4630 0.476366 2000 0.4633 0.475585
03In context
South Africa beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 193 countries on risk & resilience, never a place within the region.
South Africa and the countries it borders
Standing among all 193; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | World Risk IndexWorldRiskIndex score (0–100, where 100 is the most at risk) | INFORM Risk IndexINFORM Risk score (0–10, where 10 is the highest risk) | Climate Vulnerability (ND-GAIN)ND-GAIN Vulnerability (0–1, where 1 is the most vulnerable) | Able to Raise Emergency Funds Within 30 DaysAdults who could raise emergency funds within 30 days without great difficulty (% of population aged 15+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Botswana | 98th | 1.25 | 3.3 | 0.4842 | 31.45 |
 Lesotho | 111th | 1.41 | 4.2 | 0.5068 | 44.03 |
 Eswatini | 122nd | 1.76 | 4.3 | 0.4820 | 24.03 |
 Zimbabwe | 144th | 2.38 | 5.3 | 0.5111 | 34.64 |
| South Africa | 152nd | 9.5 | 5.1 | 0.4362 | 30.81 |
 Namibia | =155th | 5.86 | 4.3 | 0.5107 | 33 |
 Mozambique | 186th | 34.39 | 7.1 | 0.5112 | 43.17 |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Southern Africa
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 193.
- Botswana98th
- Lesotho111th
- Eswatini122nd
- South Africa152nd
- Namibia=155th
Placed either side on risk & resilience
The countries immediately above and below South Africa in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where South Africa is ahead of the world, and behind
19 more statistics filed under risk & resilience, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median2
Statistics on which South Africa does better than the middle country measured.
Riverine Flood Risk (Aqueduct)WRI · 2019 · world median 2.4031.3662.403No earlier reading
South Africa: 1.366 · world median 2.403 · Riverine flood risk score (0–5). World Resources Institute (WRI), 2023 edition, data for 2019.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 5; lower is better.
Ranked 121st of 163 by WRI (1st = worst).
Per Capita Food Supply VariabilityFAO · 2024 · world median 292729▲ Improved since 2014
South Africa: 27 · world median 29 · Year-to-year variability of the food supply (kcal per person per day). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 4 to 227; lower is better.
Behind the world median11
Statistics on which South Africa does worse than the middle country measured.
Drought Risk (Aqueduct)WRI · 2019 · world median 2.6232.7592.623No earlier reading
South Africa: 2.759 · world median 2.623 · Drought risk score (0–5). World Resources Institute (WRI), 2023 edition, data for 2019.
Published values in that edition run from 0.553 to 4.081; lower is better.
Ranked 64th of 138 by WRI (1st = worst).
Children's Climate Risk IndexUNICEF · 2020 · world median 55.25No earlier reading
South Africa: 5.2 · world median 5 · Children's Climate Risk Index (0–10, higher is more risk). UNICEF, 2021 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 1 to 8.7; lower is better.
Ranked 72nd of 163 by UNICEF (1st = worst).
Adults Who Experienced a Natural Disaster or Severe WeatherWorld Bank Group · 2024 · world median 20.4621.8620.46No earlier reading
South Africa: 21.86 · world median 20.46 · Adults who experienced a natural disaster or severe weather in the past three years (% of population aged 15+). World Bank Group, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 2.738 to 77.54; lower is better.
Position 44th of 98 · derived, 1st = worst.
ND-GAIN Country IndexNotre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame · 2024 · world median 47.4443.9747.44▼ Worsened since 2014
South Africa: 43.97 · world median 47.44 · ND-GAIN Index (0–100, where 100 is best placed to adapt). Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 26.42 to 71.85; higher is better.
Ranked 116th of 190 by Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame.
Political Stability and Absence of ViolenceWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median 0.171-0.3820.171▼ Worsened since 2015
South Africa: -0.382 · world median 0.171 · Political Stability estimate (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from -2.506 to 1.563; higher is better.
Position 146th of 211 · derived.
Days Above 35°CECMWF · 2025 · world median 3.4820.63.48▲ Improved since 2015
South Africa: 20.6 · world median 3.48 · Days a year with a maximum temperature above 35°C, averaged over the country’s land. World Bank Group (Climate Change Knowledge Portal), from Copernicus ERA5 (ECMWF), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 222.89; lower is better.
Climate Readiness (ND-GAIN)Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame · 2024 · world median 0.3870.3160.387▼ Worsened since 2014
South Africa: 0.316 · world median 0.387 · ND-GAIN Readiness (0–1, where 1 is the most ready). Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame, 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.137 to 0.749; higher is better.
Ranked 139th of 192 by Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame.
World Risk Poll Resilience IndexLloyd's Register Foundation · 2023 · world median 534753No earlier reading
South Africa: 47 · world median 53 · Resilience Index, 0–100 (higher = more reported capacity to cope with a shock; the mean of individual, household, community and societal sub-indices). Lloyd's Register Foundation, 2024 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 29 to 74; higher is better.
Renewable Internal Freshwater Resources per CapitaFAO · 2022 · world median 2,528718.22,528No real change since 2012
South Africa: 718.2 · world median 2,528 · Renewable internal freshwater (cubic metres per person). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 445,023; higher is better.
Position 145th of 181 · derived.
Water StressFAO · 2023 · world median 1067.610No real change since 2013
South Africa: 67.6 · world median 10 · Freshwater withdrawal as a share of available resources (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.03 to 3,851; lower is better.
Position 26th of 177 · derived, 1st = worst.
Baseline Water Stress (Aqueduct)WRI · 2019 · world median 1.6634.1681.663No earlier reading
South Africa: 4.168 · world median 1.663 · Baseline water stress score (0–5). World Resources Institute (WRI), 2023 edition, data for 2019.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 5; lower is better.
No better end6
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Asylum-Seekers by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 1,83682,3581,836Moved since 2015
South Africa: 82,358 · world median 1,836 · Asylum-seekers awaiting a decision, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 3,718,945.
Burned AreaGWIS · 2025 · world median 13,8242,587,81813,824No real change since 2015
South Africa: 2,587,818 · world median 13,824 · Burned area (hectares). European Commission Joint Research Centre — Global Wildfire Information System (GWIS), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 50,562,035.
Refugee Population by Country of AsylumUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 12,26955,17712,269Moved since 2015
South Africa: 55,177 · world median 12,269 · Refugees under UNHCR's mandate hosted, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 2,655,191.
Refugees by Country of OriginUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency · 2025 · world median 1,2721,3191,272Moved since 2015
South Africa: 1,319 · world median 1,272 · Refugees under UNHCR's mandate from this country, end of year (people). UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 5,224,131.
Population Living Below 5 m ElevationCenter for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University · 2015 · world median 2.9540.1992.954No real change since 1990
South Africa: 0.199 · world median 2.954 · Population living below 5 m elevation (% of total population). Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University, 2015 edition, data for 2015.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 78.48.
Temperature Change on LandFAO · 2025 · world median 1.4741.0491.474Moved since 2015
South Africa: 1.049 · world median 1.474 · Change in mean land-surface temperature against the country's own 1951–1980 average, °C. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0.34 to 3.294.
No current reading for South Africa
Firms Whose Assets Were Damaged by Extreme Weather, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index, Internally Displaced People of Concern to UNHCR and Stateless Persons by Country of Residence. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Risk & Resilience among South Africa’s 15 topics
Risk & Resilience is South Africa’s 13th best-placed topic of 15. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Gender & Equality40th of 1834/4 keys
- Mobility & Trade39th of 1774/4 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 54th of 1944/4 keys
- Digital & Technology61st of 1984/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties65th of 1984/4 keys
- Peace & Securityjoint 72nd of 1774/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 77th of 1844/4 keys
- Education & Knowledgejoint 102nd of 1984/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation101st of 1764/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital116th of 1963/3 keys
- Work & Labourjoint 134th of 1824/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeingjoint 148th of 2004/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience152nd of 1934/4 keys
- Poverty & Inequality145th of 1593/3 keys
- Environment & Sustainability172nd of 1864/4 keys
No standing on Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on risk & resilience
The three countries placed highest of 193, and the leaders South Africa can most readily be measured against.
1
LiechtensteinWestern Europe
1st of 193 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Guido Radig,Inkey · CC BY 3.0, greyscale
2
LuxembourgWestern Europe
2nd of 193 · 3 of 4 keys
Photo: Michal Osmenda from Brussels, Belgium · CC BY-SA 2.0, greyscale
3
DenmarkNorthern Europe
3rd of 193 · 4 of 4 keys
Photo: User:Aconcagua · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest in Africa
Seychelles=27th3/4 keysHighest in Southern Africa
Botswana98th4/4 keysThis page
South Africa152nd4/4 keys
Positions out of 193 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Questions
South Africa on risk & resilience: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does South Africa rank on risk & resilience?
South Africa is placed 152nd of 193 countries on Risk & Resilience in the Country Index 2026, from 4 of its 4 key statistics (World Risk Index, INFORM Risk Index, Climate Vulnerability (ND-GAIN) and Able to Raise Emergency Funds Within 30 Days). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest World Risk Index figure for South Africa?
9.5 in 2025 (worldRiskIndex score (0–100, where 100 is the most at risk)), according to Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV), Ruhr University Bochum. The world median in the same edition was 4.17.
What is the latest INFORM Risk Index figure for South Africa?
5.1 in 2025 (iNFORM Risk score (0–10, where 10 is the highest risk)), according to European Commission Joint Research Centre, with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee. The world median in the same edition was 3.7.
How does South Africa compare with Mozambique on risk & resilience?
Mozambique is placed 186th of 193, and South Africa 152nd. World Risk Index: Mozambique 34.39, South Africa 9.5; INFORM Risk Index: Mozambique 7.1, South Africa 5.1; Climate Vulnerability (ND-GAIN): Mozambique 0.511, South Africa 0.436; Able to Raise Emergency Funds Within 30 Days: Mozambique 43.17, South Africa 30.81.
How have South Africa’s risk & resilience figures changed?
World Risk Index rose from 9.34 in 2000 to 9.5 in 2025; INFORM Risk Index rose from 4.6 in 2016 to 5.1 in 2025; Climate Vulnerability (ND-GAIN) fell from 0.463 in 2000 to 0.436 in 2024.
Which risk & resilience statistics are missing for South Africa?
No current reading is published for South Africa on Firms Whose Assets Were Damaged by Extreme Weather, Global Report on Food Crises, INFORM Severity Index, Internally Displaced People of Concern to UNHCR and Stateless Persons by Country of Residence. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
08Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
This topic does not forecast when a disaster will strike, and it does not measure financial or economic risk. Water stress is measured under Environment & Sustainability. Displacement caused by disasters and the severity of crises already under way are published here as context.
How the Risk & Resilience standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The risk & resilience method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- World Risk Index — Institute for International Law of Peace and Armed Conflict (IFHV), Ruhr University Bochum, CC BY 4.0
- INFORM Risk Index — European Commission Joint Research Centre, with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, CC BY 4.0 (via the European Commission's reuse policy)
- Climate Vulnerability (ND-GAIN) — Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN), University of Notre Dame, CC BY 3.0 Unported
- Able to Raise Emergency Funds Within 30 Days — World Bank Group, CC BY 4.0
The other 19 statistics on this page come from 10 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
South Africa’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- South Africa (banner) — Damien du Toit, CC BY 2.0
- Liechtenstein — Guido Radig,Inkey, CC BY 3.0
- Luxembourg — Michal Osmenda from Brussels, Belgium, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Denmark — User:Aconcagua, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). South Africa: Risk & Resilience — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/south-africa/risk