Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in Gabon
Since 2001, Gabon has lost about 571,000 hectares of forest (about 5,700 km²): 2.3% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to shifting farming, so much of it can grow back. About 124,000 hectares (22%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 24.4 million ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 571,000 ha2.3% of it, about 5,700 km²
- Cleared for good
- 124,000 hadeforestation, 22% of the loss
- Worst year
- 201447,900 ha lost
Map
Where Gabon has lost forest
Every square kilometre of Gabon 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 Gabon, year by year
Forest loss has stayed about the same: about 23,500 hectares a year in 2021–2025, against 29,400 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2014, when about 47,900 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 | 2,050 ha | 12,700 ha | 14,800 ha |
| 2002 | 2,360 ha | 11,500 ha | 13,800 ha |
| 2003 | 1,870 ha | 14,700 ha | 16,600 ha |
| 2004 | 1,350 ha | 8,670 ha | 10,000 ha |
| 2005 | 2,530 ha | 14,900 ha | 17,500 ha |
| 2006 | 4,460 ha | 14,600 ha | 19,100 ha |
| 2007 | 2,160 ha | 14,200 ha | 16,300 ha |
| 2008 | 3,240 ha | 13,500 ha | 16,800 ha |
| 2009 | 1,670 ha | 16,600 ha | 18,200 ha |
| 2010 | 1,730 ha | 8,660 ha | 10,400 ha |
| 2011 | 4,440 ha | 13,500 ha | 18,000 ha |
| 2012 | 6,030 ha | 11,500 ha | 17,500 ha |
| 2013 | 15,100 ha | 29,200 ha | 44,200 ha |
| 2014 | 11,500 ha | 36,400 ha | 47,900 ha |
| 2015 | 11,200 ha | 14,100 ha | 25,300 ha |
| 2016 | 11,000 ha | 20,700 ha | 31,800 ha |
| 2017 | 13,200 ha | 25,000 ha | 38,200 ha |
| 2018 | 4,940 ha | 22,000 ha | 27,000 ha |
| 2019 | 3,970 ha | 24,200 ha | 28,100 ha |
| 2020 | 2,860 ha | 19,100 ha | 22,000 ha |
| 2021 | 2,270 ha | 16,100 ha | 18,400 ha |
| 2022 | 4,000 ha | 25,200 ha | 29,200 ha |
| 2023 | 2,960 ha | 16,700 ha | 19,600 ha |
| 2024 | 4,350 ha | 24,300 ha | 28,600 ha |
| 2025 | 3,100 ha | 18,800 ha | 21,900 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 Gabon?
- 22%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 74%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- 4.5%cause unknown
- Shifting farming55% · 315,000 ha
Can grow back. Small patches cleared to grow crops for a few seasons, then left to grow back.
- Farms, pasture and plantations17% · 97,600 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Logging16% · 91,700 ha
Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.
- Mining and energy2.6% · 14,600 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for mines, oil and gas, power lines and dams.
- Storms, floods and other natural causes2.4% · 13,500 ha
Can grow back. Trees killed by storms, floods, landslides, pests or disease.
- Towns and roads2.1% · 12,100 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Unknown causes4.5% · 25,800 ha
Cause unknown. The satellites saw the trees go, but not why.
Also, each under 1%: wildfires.
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.
| City | Forest lost | Share of its forest | Cleared for good |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franceville | 7,100 ha | 26% | 472 ha |
| Moanda | 6,910 ha | 24% | 660 ha |
| Oyem | 5,520 ha | 18% | 1,070 ha |
| Libreville | 1,510 ha | 20% | 1,340 ha |
| Port-Gentil | 164 ha | 4.7% | 144 ha |
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation in Gabon
How much forest has Gabon lost since 2001?
Since 2001, Gabon has lost about 571,000 hectares of forest (about 5,700 km²): 2.3% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to shifting farming, so much of it can grow back. About 124,000 hectares (22%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
Is deforestation in Gabon getting worse?
Forest loss has stayed about the same: about 23,500 hectares a year in 2021–2025, against 29,400 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 Gabon?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are shifting farming (55%), farms, pasture and plantations (17%), logging (16%). About 124,000 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 Gabon?
The worst year was 2014, when about 47,900 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 Gabon, 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.