Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in Afghanistan
Since 2001, Afghanistan has lost about 1,870 hectares of forest (about 2,600 football pitches): under 1% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to logging, so much of it can grow back. About 232 hectares (12%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 234,000 ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 1,870 haunder 1% of it, about 2,600 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 232 hadeforestation, 12% of the loss
- Worst year
- 2003238 ha lost
Map
Where Afghanistan has lost forest
Every square kilometre of Afghanistan as satellites saw it from 2000 to 2025. Yellow and green were forest; red to white marks where it has been lost since 2001, and when.
- Forest cover in 2000
- 0%25%50%75%100%How much of the land was forest: dark purple had little or none, yellow was dense forest.
- Year the forest was lost
- 200120132025Where forest was cut down, burned or cleared since 2001: red for the early years, through orange, to white for the most recent. Solid where a fifth or more of a place's forest went, fainter where 8% or more did.
- Cities
- The capital (the larger dot) and the biggest cities, to help you find your way.
Year by year
Forest lost in Afghanistan, year by year
The worst year was 2003, when about 238 hectares of forest were lost, mostly to wildfires.
Hectares of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 67 ha | 25 ha | 92 ha |
| 2002 | 50 ha | 119 ha | 169 ha |
| 2003 | 12 ha | 226 ha | 238 ha |
| 2004 | 24 ha | 187 ha | 211 ha |
| 2005 | 14 ha | 216 ha | 230 ha |
| 2006 | 11 ha | 148 ha | 158 ha |
| 2007 | 10 ha | 186 ha | 196 ha |
| 2008 | 8 ha | 107 ha | 115 ha |
| 2009 | 10 ha | 78 ha | 88 ha |
| 2010 | 4 ha | 80 ha | 85 ha |
| 2011 | 9 ha | 100 ha | 109 ha |
| 2012 | 11 ha | 28 ha | 39 ha |
| 2013 | under 1 ha | 1 ha | 2 ha |
| 2014 | under 1 ha | 3 ha | 3 ha |
| 2015 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2016 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2017 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2018 | under 1 ha | 26 ha | 26 ha |
| 2019 | under 1 ha | 17 ha | 18 ha |
| 2020 | under 1 ha | 37 ha | 37 ha |
| 2021 | under 1 ha | 27 ha | 27 ha |
| 2022 | under 1 ha | 6 ha | 7 ha |
| 2023 | under 1 ha | 6 ha | 7 ha |
| 2024 | under 1 ha | 7 ha | 7 ha |
| 2025 | under 1 ha | 5 ha | 5 ha |
The satellite method improved in 2011, so compare recent years with each other rather than with the 2000s. Hover over or tap a year for its figures.
Causes
What is causing deforestation in Afghanistan?
- 12%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 76%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- 12%cause unknown
- Logging54% · 1,000 ha
Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.
- Wildfires21% · 383 ha
Can grow back. Forest burned. It often grows back, though fire is sometimes used to clear land for good.
- Farms, pasture and plantations12% · 232 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Storms, floods and other natural causes1.4% · 26 ha
Can grow back. Trees killed by storms, floods, landslides, pests or disease.
- Unknown causes12% · 225 ha
Cause unknown. The satellites saw the trees go, but not why.
Also, each under 1%: mining and energy.
Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
Is all forest loss deforestation?
No. When forest is cleared for farms, mines or towns, it is gone for good: that is deforestation. When it is logged or burned, it usually grows back. We count both as forest lost, but only the first as deforestation, so a country with a bad fire year isn't shown as clearing its forest for good.
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation in Afghanistan
How much forest has Afghanistan lost since 2001?
Since 2001, Afghanistan has lost about 1,870 hectares of forest (about 2,600 football pitches): under 1% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to logging, so much of it can grow back. About 232 hectares (12%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
What is causing deforestation in Afghanistan?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are logging (54%), wildfires (21%), farms, pasture and plantations (12%). About 232 hectares was deforestation, meaning forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns. Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
What was the worst year for forest loss in Afghanistan?
The worst year was 2003, when about 238 hectares of forest were lost, mostly to wildfires.
How is forest loss measured?
We use satellite maps from the University of Maryland (Hansen and colleagues) that show, for every 30 × 30 m patch of land on Earth, the year its trees were cut down, burned or died, from 2001 to 2025. We add up those patches in Afghanistan, counting only places that were at least 30% covered by trees in 2000. The cause of each loss comes from a map made by the World Resources Institute and Google DeepMind. All figures are estimates.