Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Since 2001, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has lost about 22.5 million hectares of forest (about 220,000 km²): 11% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to shifting farming, so much of it can grow back. About 3.48 million hectares (16%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 200 million ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 22.5 million ha11% of it, about 220,000 km²
- Cleared for good
- 3.48 million hadeforestation, 16% of the loss
- Worst year
- 20171.47 million ha lost
Map
Where the Democratic Republic of the Congo has lost forest
Every square kilometre of the Democratic Republic of the Congo 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 the Democratic Republic of the Congo, year by year
Forest loss has stayed about the same: about 1.3 million hectares a year in 2021–2025, against 1.36 million hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2017, when about 1.47 million 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 | 77,900 ha | 379,000 ha | 457,000 ha |
| 2002 | 92,900 ha | 424,000 ha | 517,000 ha |
| 2003 | 76,400 ha | 199,000 ha | 276,000 ha |
| 2004 | 75,600 ha | 326,000 ha | 402,000 ha |
| 2005 | 93,300 ha | 394,000 ha | 487,000 ha |
| 2006 | 86,000 ha | 369,000 ha | 455,000 ha |
| 2007 | 101,000 ha | 363,000 ha | 464,000 ha |
| 2008 | 75,000 ha | 332,000 ha | 407,000 ha |
| 2009 | 136,000 ha | 502,000 ha | 638,000 ha |
| 2010 | 162,000 ha | 653,000 ha | 815,000 ha |
| 2011 | 112,000 ha | 320,000 ha | 432,000 ha |
| 2012 | 166,000 ha | 469,000 ha | 634,000 ha |
| 2013 | 117,000 ha | 808,000 ha | 925,000 ha |
| 2014 | 183,000 ha | 1.16 million ha | 1.34 million ha |
| 2015 | 117,000 ha | 815,000 ha | 933,000 ha |
| 2016 | 162,000 ha | 1.23 million ha | 1.39 million ha |
| 2017 | 189,000 ha | 1.29 million ha | 1.47 million ha |
| 2018 | 178,000 ha | 1.2 million ha | 1.38 million ha |
| 2019 | 152,000 ha | 1.07 million ha | 1.23 million ha |
| 2020 | 189,000 ha | 1.13 million ha | 1.32 million ha |
| 2021 | 183,000 ha | 1.07 million ha | 1.25 million ha |
| 2022 | 167,000 ha | 1.06 million ha | 1.23 million ha |
| 2023 | 197,000 ha | 1.13 million ha | 1.33 million ha |
| 2024 | 203,000 ha | 1.18 million ha | 1.38 million ha |
| 2025 | 190,000 ha | 1.1 million ha | 1.29 million 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 the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
- 16%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 84%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- Shifting farming82% · 18.3 million ha
Can grow back. Small patches cleared to grow crops for a few seasons, then left to grow back.
- Farms, pasture and plantations15% · 3.32 million ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Wildfires1.1% · 248,000 ha
Can grow back. Forest burned. It often grows back, though fire is sometimes used to clear land for good.
Also, each under 1%: logging, towns and roads, storms, floods and other natural causes, mining and energy, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Équateur | 4.52 million ha | 12% | 503,000 ha |
| East Kasai | 1.73 million ha | 14% | 108,000 ha |
| Maniema | 1.44 million ha | 12% | 38,200 ha |
| South Kivu | 823,000 ha | 15% | 184,000 ha |
| North Kivu | 726,000 ha | 13% | 195,000 ha |
| Bas-Congo | 723,000 ha | 21% | 145,000 ha |
| Kinshasa | 81,800 ha | 21% | 17,000 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindu | 16,900 ha | 60% | 2,770 ha |
| Kisangani | 15,900 ha | 64% | 5,320 ha |
| Lisala | 11,600 ha | 49% | 8,020 ha |
| Bumba | 11,200 ha | 49% | 2,380 ha |
| Ilebo | 10,400 ha | 37% | 627 ha |
| Isiro | 10,100 ha | 33% | 782 ha |
| Butembo | 10,000 ha | 42% | 2,490 ha |
| Beni | 9,820 ha | 36% | 5,320 ha |
| Mbandaka | 6,430 ha | 28% | 2,220 ha |
| Gemena | 4,270 ha | 15% | 4,030 ha |
Satellite timelapses of cities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
A satellite photo a year since 2017, with the forest lost marked on it, and the figures for each city.
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
How much forest has the Democratic Republic of the Congo lost since 2001?
Since 2001, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has lost about 22.5 million hectares of forest (about 220,000 km²): 11% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to shifting farming, so much of it can grow back. About 3.48 million hectares (16%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
Is deforestation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo getting worse?
Forest loss has stayed about the same: about 1.3 million hectares a year in 2021–2025, against 1.36 million 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 the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are shifting farming (82%), farms, pasture and plantations (15%), wildfires (1.1%). About 3.48 million 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 the Democratic Republic of the Congo?
The worst year was 2017, when about 1.47 million 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 the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 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.