Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in Algeria
Since 2001, Algeria has lost about 234,000 hectares of forest (about 2,300 km²): 19% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to wildfires, so much of it can grow back. About 20,600 hectares (8.8%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 1.24 million ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 234,000 ha19% of it, about 2,300 km²
- Cleared for good
- 20,600 hadeforestation, 8.8% of the loss
- Worst year
- 201744,700 ha lost
Map
Where Algeria has lost forest
Every square kilometre of Algeria 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 Algeria, year by year
Forest loss has stayed about the same: about 13,000 hectares a year in 2021–2025, against 15,600 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2017, when about 44,700 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 | 412 ha | 3,040 ha | 3,450 ha |
| 2002 | 760 ha | 2,240 ha | 3,000 ha |
| 2003 | 612 ha | 3,210 ha | 3,820 ha |
| 2004 | 918 ha | 3,440 ha | 4,360 ha |
| 2005 | 743 ha | 3,710 ha | 4,450 ha |
| 2006 | 775 ha | 4,620 ha | 5,400 ha |
| 2007 | 620 ha | 4,560 ha | 5,180 ha |
| 2008 | 855 ha | 7,010 ha | 7,860 ha |
| 2009 | 1,180 ha | 9,220 ha | 10,400 ha |
| 2010 | 542 ha | 2,010 ha | 2,550 ha |
| 2011 | 1,100 ha | 7,160 ha | 8,260 ha |
| 2012 | 944 ha | 9,910 ha | 10,900 ha |
| 2013 | 866 ha | 6,030 ha | 6,900 ha |
| 2014 | 1,080 ha | 8,310 ha | 9,390 ha |
| 2015 | 885 ha | 4,790 ha | 5,680 ha |
| 2016 | 940 ha | 7,070 ha | 8,010 ha |
| 2017 | 1,360 ha | 43,400 ha | 44,700 ha |
| 2018 | 973 ha | 4,810 ha | 5,780 ha |
| 2019 | 914 ha | 5,440 ha | 6,350 ha |
| 2020 | 818 ha | 12,200 ha | 13,000 ha |
| 2021 | 712 ha | 19,700 ha | 20,400 ha |
| 2022 | 620 ha | 12,800 ha | 13,400 ha |
| 2023 | 607 ha | 21,500 ha | 22,100 ha |
| 2024 | 676 ha | 3,720 ha | 4,390 ha |
| 2025 | 693 ha | 3,770 ha | 4,460 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 Algeria?
- 8.8%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 90%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- under 1%cause unknown
- Wildfires89% · 209,000 ha
Can grow back. Forest burned. It often grows back, though fire is sometimes used to clear land for good.
- Farms, pasture and plantations5.8% · 13,600 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Towns and roads1.6% · 3,640 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Mining and energy1.4% · 3,350 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for mines, oil and gas, power lines and dams.
- Logging1% · 2,400 ha
Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.
Also, each under 1%: storms, floods and other natural causes, shifting farming, unknown causes.
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.
Regions that lost the most
| Region | Forest lost | Share of its forest | Cleared for good |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skikda | 31,000 ha | 21% | 5,180 ha |
| Béjaïa | 28,100 ha | 26% | 1,160 ha |
| Guelma | 19,900 ha | 32% | 2,520 ha |
| Jijel | 14,600 ha | 13% | 2,710 ha |
| Tizi Ouzou | 13,800 ha | 13% | 1,360 ha |
| Annaba | 12,400 ha | 25% | 1,610 ha |
| Blida | 7,530 ha | 13% | 1,470 ha |
| Souk Ahras | 7,290 ha | 24% | 182 ha |
| Medea | 6,960 ha | 15% | 92 ha |
| Chlef | 5,540 ha | 14% | 158 ha |
| Batna | 1,700 ha | 9.6% | 10 ha |
| Bordj Bou Arréridj | 1,410 ha | 12% | 2 ha |
Cities that lost the most forest around them
Forest lost within 10 km of each city centre since 2001.
| City | Forest lost | Share of its forest | Cleared for good |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skikda | 1,570 ha | 22% | 196 ha |
| Blida | 1,410 ha | 12% | 190 ha |
| Souk Ahras | 1,210 ha | 36% | 13 ha |
| Béjaïa | 1,090 ha | 21% | 506 ha |
| Annaba | 730 ha | 17% | 63 ha |
| Guelma | 642 ha | 17% | 356 ha |
| Jijel | 491 ha | 16% | 368 ha |
| Tébessa | 449 ha | 37% | under 1 ha |
| Médéa | 374 ha | 8.2% | 53 ha |
| Tizi Ouzou | 318 ha | 4.2% | 80 ha |
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation in Algeria
How much forest has Algeria lost since 2001?
Since 2001, Algeria has lost about 234,000 hectares of forest (about 2,300 km²): 19% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to wildfires, so much of it can grow back. About 20,600 hectares (8.8%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
Is deforestation in Algeria getting worse?
Forest loss has stayed about the same: about 13,000 hectares a year in 2021–2025, against 15,600 hectares a year in 2016–2020. These are five-year averages from 2011 on, the years the satellite maps were all made the same way.
What is causing deforestation in Algeria?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are wildfires (89%), farms, pasture and plantations (5.8%), towns and roads (1.6%). About 20,600 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 Algeria?
The worst year was 2017, when about 44,700 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 Algeria, 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.