Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in Armenia
Since 2001, Armenia has lost about 2,230 hectares of forest (about 3,100 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 365 hectares (16%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 329,000 ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 2,230 haunder 1% of it, about 3,100 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 365 hadeforestation, 16% of the loss
- Worst year
- 2003404 ha lost
Map
Where Armenia has lost forest
Every square kilometre of Armenia 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 Armenia, year by year
The worst year was 2003, when about 404 hectares of forest were lost.
Hectares of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 10 ha | 121 ha | 131 ha |
| 2002 | 18 ha | 153 ha | 170 ha |
| 2003 | 14 ha | 390 ha | 404 ha |
| 2004 | 7 ha | 75 ha | 82 ha |
| 2005 | 3 ha | 98 ha | 101 ha |
| 2006 | 10 ha | 118 ha | 128 ha |
| 2007 | 9 ha | 46 ha | 55 ha |
| 2008 | 15 ha | 97 ha | 112 ha |
| 2009 | 33 ha | 169 ha | 202 ha |
| 2010 | 53 ha | 108 ha | 161 ha |
| 2011 | 51 ha | 122 ha | 173 ha |
| 2012 | 70 ha | 115 ha | 185 ha |
| 2013 | 10 ha | 31 ha | 42 ha |
| 2014 | 17 ha | 21 ha | 38 ha |
| 2015 | under 1 ha | 2 ha | 2 ha |
| 2016 | under 1 ha | 29 ha | 30 ha |
| 2017 | 8 ha | 34 ha | 42 ha |
| 2018 | 1 ha | 5 ha | 6 ha |
| 2019 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2020 | 4 ha | 15 ha | 19 ha |
| 2021 | 3 ha | 3 ha | 6 ha |
| 2022 | 2 ha | 5 ha | 8 ha |
| 2023 | 6 ha | 77 ha | 84 ha |
| 2024 | 9 ha | 21 ha | 30 ha |
| 2025 | 12 ha | 13 ha | 25 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 Armenia?
- 16%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 66%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- 17%cause unknown
- Logging54% · 1,210 ha
Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.
- Mining and energy10% · 231 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for mines, oil and gas, power lines and dams.
- Storms, floods and other natural causes9.1% · 203 ha
Can grow back. Trees killed by storms, floods, landslides, pests or disease.
- Farms, pasture and plantations3.6% · 80 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Wildfires3% · 67 ha
Can grow back. Forest burned. It often grows back, though fire is sometimes used to clear land for good.
- Towns and roads2.4% · 54 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Unknown causes17% · 389 ha
Cause unknown. The satellites saw the trees go, but not why.
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.
Cities that lost the most forest around them
Forest lost within 10 km of each city centre since 2001.
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation in Armenia
How much forest has Armenia lost since 2001?
Since 2001, Armenia has lost about 2,230 hectares of forest (about 3,100 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 365 hectares (16%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
What is causing deforestation in Armenia?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are logging (54%), mining and energy (10%), storms, floods and other natural causes (9.1%). About 365 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 Armenia?
The worst year was 2003, when about 404 hectares of forest were lost.
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 Armenia, 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.