Citation Rankings
Highly Cited Researchers
South Africa Highly Cited Researchers CitationNatural Sciences / Geography in South Africa Rankings 2025
The Citation Rankings (Highly Cited Researchers) highlight the most cited and influential researchers across a vast range of scientific fields, covering 197 main and sub-disciplines, including the Art and Humanities Citation Rankings and Social Sciences and Humanities Citation Rankings. This service, offered exclusively by AD Scientific Index, aims to provide a balanced perspective by excluding data from CERN and other statistical sources that disproportionately favor certain researchers, particularly in the social sciences and humanities. This unique approach addresses the advantages researchers with multi-author publications and CERN involvement hold over others. Furthermore, citation rankings help uncover rule violations and unethical practices within the research community. For more detailed citation analyses, explore the Scientists Last 6 Years Citation Index, Universities Total Citations Rankings 2025, and Universities Last 6 Years Citations Rankings 2025.
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :1
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
31,924
8,815
0.276
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :2
Urban
Africa
SDGs
local government
global change
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
14,311
7,702
0.538
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :3
Geoecology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
10,717
5,426
0.506
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :4
GIS
remote sensing
geomorphometry
GEOBIA
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
9,990
4,827
0.483
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :5
Physical Geography
the Anthropocene
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,780
4,275
0.549
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :6
Urban Food Security
Urban Food Systems
Geography
Urban Studies
South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,321
4,516
0.714
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :7
Urban Geography
Tourism Geography
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,456
2,033
0.373
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :8
Urban Geography
Economic Geography
Tourism and Sustainablity
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,357
3,672
0.685
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :9
Applied Remote Sensing
GIS
Environmental Science
Spatial Modeling
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,672
2,440
0.664
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :10
geomorphology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,296
961
0.292
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :11
urban political
migration
human rights
megaevents
diaspora
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,284
1,513
0.461
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :12
African migration
urban food systems
urban waste
environmental security
Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,089
1,285
0.416
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :13
Biometeorology: Climatology
Phenology
Palaeoclimatology
Climate Change
Tourism
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,051
2,700
0.885
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :14
Tourism Geographies
Second Homes
Urban Tourism
Tourism
Geography
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,964
1,890
0.638
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :15
Physical Geography
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,861
2,158
0.754
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :16
Ecology
biodiversity and extinction risk
invasion ecology
evolutionary diversification
Environmental Management
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,722
2,124
0.780
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :17
Geography
Identity studies
Development
Urban studies
South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,684
874
0.326
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :18
Geomorphology
Geography. Antarctica
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,602
2,015
0.774
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :19
Palaeo-ecology
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,556
1,205
0.471
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :20
Application of Geo-spatial technologies
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,375
2,045
0.861
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :21
Spatial Analysis
Biogeography
Species Modelling
Fire Ecology
ecotones
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,031
839
0.413
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :22
tourism and crime
tourism and transfrontier parks
small towns and regional development
Hallmark events
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,822
915
0.502
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :23
Spatial modelling
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,792
678
0.378
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :24
spatial data infrastructures
address data
standards
open principles
geovisualization
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,680
1,012
0.602
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Ranking Based On Selection :25
International education
African development
Geography Education
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,588
1,418
0.893
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
20,249
59
19
Ranking Based On Selection: 1
Bruce Hewitson
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
31,924
8,815
0.276
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
63,316
219
42
Ranking Based On Selection: 2
Susan Parnell
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
14,311
7,702
0.538
Urban
Africa
SDGs
local government
global change
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
90,652
327
11
Ranking Based On Selection: 3
Stefan Siebert
North West University
Potchefstroom, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
10,717
5,426
0.506
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
98,365
362
54
Ranking Based On Selection: 4
Adriaan Van Niekerk
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
9,990
4,827
0.483
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
130,280
516
119
Ranking Based On Selection: 5
Michael Meadows
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
7,780
4,275
0.549
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
162,155
658
154
Ranking Based On Selection: 6
Jane Battersby
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
6,321
4,516
0.714
Urban Food Security
Urban Food Systems
Geography
Urban Studies
South Africa
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
187,739
800
109
Ranking Based On Selection: 7
Gustav Visser
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,456
2,033
0.373
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
191,069
814
41
Ranking Based On Selection: 8
Jayne Rogerson
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
5,357
3,672
0.685
Urban Geography
Economic Geography
Tourism and Sustainablity
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
271,407
1,204
147
Ranking Based On Selection: 9
Fethi Ahmed
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,672
2,440
0.664
Applied Remote Sensing
GIS
Environmental Science
Spatial Modeling
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
297,934
1,346
29
Ranking Based On Selection: 10
Peter J Holmes
University of the Free State
Bloemfontein, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,296
961
0.292
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
298,836
1,352
112
Ranking Based On Selection: 11
Brij Maharaj
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,284
1,513
0.461
urban political
migration
human rights
megaevents
diaspora
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
314,459
1,433
45
Ranking Based On Selection: 12
Daniel Tevera
University of the Western Cape
Bellville, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,089
1,285
0.416
African migration
urban food systems
urban waste
environmental security
Africa
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
317,715
1,453
169
Ranking Based On Selection: 13
Jennifer Fitchett
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
3,051
2,700
0.885
Biometeorology: Climatology
Phenology
Palaeoclimatology
Climate Change
Tourism
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
325,372
1,494
101
Ranking Based On Selection: 14
Gijsbert Hoogendoorn
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,964
1,890
0.638
Tourism Geographies
Second Homes
Urban Tourism
Tourism
Geography
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
334,812
1,541
16
Ranking Based On Selection: 15
Werner Nel
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,861
2,158
0.754
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
348,617
1,614
106
Ranking Based On Selection: 16
Kowiyou Yessoufou
University of Johannesburg
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,722
2,124
0.780
Ecology
biodiversity and extinction risk
invasion ecology
evolutionary diversification
Environmental Management
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
352,641
1,640
186
Ranking Based On Selection: 17
Richard Ballard
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,684
874
0.326
Geography
Identity studies
Development
Urban studies
South Africa
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
361,365
1,685
46
Ranking Based On Selection: 18
Ian Meiklejohn
Rhodes University
Grahamstown, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,602
2,015
0.774
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
366,461
1,716
148
Ranking Based On Selection: 19
Trevor Hill
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,556
1,205
0.471
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
387,727
1,836
57
Ranking Based On Selection: 20
Mbulisi Sibanda
University of the Western Cape
Bellville, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,375
2,045
0.861
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
435,319
2,107
274
Ranking Based On Selection: 21
Helen De Klerk
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
2,031
839
0.413
Spatial Analysis
Biogeography
Species Modelling
Fire Ecology
ecotones
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
469,863
2,300
290
Ranking Based On Selection: 22
Sanette Ferreira
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,822
915
0.502
tourism and crime
tourism and transfrontier parks
small towns and regional development
Hallmark events
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
475,247
2,320
295
Ranking Based On Selection: 23
Zahn Munch
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,792
678
0.378
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
496,613
2,441
239
Ranking Based On Selection: 24
Serena Coetzee
University of Pretoria
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,680
1,012
0.602
spatial data infrastructures
address data
standards
open principles
geovisualization
* Total Citation Counts Rankings
Rankings
515,686
2,563
91
Ranking Based On Selection: 25
Ashley Gunter
University of South Africa
Pretoria, South Africa
Citation Metrics
Total
Last 6 Years
Last 6 Years / Total
1,588
1,418
0.893
International education
African development
Geography Education