Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in Iran
Since 2001, Iran has lost about 4,270 hectares of forest (about 6,000 football pitches): under 1% of the forest it had in 2000. The biggest cause was logging (27%), after which forest can grow back. About 1,370 hectares (32%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 1.75 million ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 4,270 haunder 1% of it, about 6,000 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 1,370 hadeforestation, 32% of the loss
- Worst year
- 2002559 ha lost
Map
Where Iran has lost forest
Every square kilometre of Iran 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 Iran, year by year
Forest loss has stayed about the same: about 81 hectares a year in 2021–2025, against 69 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2002, when about 559 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 | 133 ha | 198 ha | 331 ha |
| 2002 | 184 ha | 375 ha | 559 ha |
| 2003 | 153 ha | 176 ha | 329 ha |
| 2004 | 77 ha | 202 ha | 279 ha |
| 2005 | 82 ha | 94 ha | 176 ha |
| 2006 | 52 ha | 91 ha | 143 ha |
| 2007 | 51 ha | 82 ha | 133 ha |
| 2008 | 100 ha | 274 ha | 374 ha |
| 2009 | 43 ha | 149 ha | 192 ha |
| 2010 | 94 ha | 106 ha | 199 ha |
| 2011 | 58 ha | 183 ha | 240 ha |
| 2012 | 107 ha | 302 ha | 409 ha |
| 2013 | 27 ha | 46 ha | 73 ha |
| 2014 | 16 ha | 64 ha | 79 ha |
| 2015 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2016 | under 1 ha | 2 ha | 2 ha |
| 2017 | 56 ha | 54 ha | 110 ha |
| 2018 | 3 ha | 66 ha | 68 ha |
| 2019 | 20 ha | 124 ha | 144 ha |
| 2020 | 5 ha | 15 ha | 20 ha |
| 2021 | 4 ha | 17 ha | 21 ha |
| 2022 | 29 ha | 66 ha | 95 ha |
| 2023 | 31 ha | 107 ha | 137 ha |
| 2024 | 33 ha | 39 ha | 72 ha |
| 2025 | 11 ha | 70 ha | 81 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 Iran?
- 32%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 38%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- 30%cause unknown
- Logging27% · 1,140 ha
Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.
- Farms, pasture and plantations19% · 808 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Towns and roads8.1% · 347 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Wildfires8% · 343 ha
Can grow back. Forest burned. It often grows back, though fire is sometimes used to clear land for good.
- Mining and energy4.9% · 211 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for mines, oil and gas, power lines and dams.
- Storms, floods and other natural causes2.9% · 124 ha
Can grow back. Trees killed by storms, floods, landslides, pests or disease.
- Unknown causes30% · 1,260 ha
Cause unknown. The satellites saw the trees go, but not why.
Also, each under 1%: shifting farming.
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.
Provinces that lost the most
| Province | Forest lost | Share of its forest | Cleared for good |
|---|---|---|---|
| Māzandarān | 1,590 ha | under 1% | 514 ha |
| Golestan | 1,440 ha | under 1% | 464 ha |
| Gilan Province | 812 ha | under 1% | 189 ha |
| Ardabil Province | 190 ha | under 1% | 150 ha |
| North Khorasan | 74 ha | under 1% | 17 ha |
| East Azerbaijan | 40 ha | under 1% | 5 ha |
| Khuzestan | 35 ha | under 1% | 13 ha |
| West Azerbaijan | 26 ha | under 1% | 6 ha |
| Semnan | 24 ha | under 1% | 3 ha |
| Zanjan | 14 ha | under 1% | 1 ha |
| Kermanshah Province | 6 ha | under 1% | 2 ha |
| Razavi Khorasan | 6 ha | under 1% | under 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sari | 55 ha | 1.1% | 42 ha |
| Gorgān | 41 ha | under 1% | 23 ha |
| Qā’em Shahr | 31 ha | 1% | 18 ha |
| Āmol | 29 ha | 2.2% | 13 ha |
| Chālūs | 23 ha | under 1% | 18 ha |
| Pārsābād | 10 ha | under 1% | 5 ha |
| Gonbad-e Kāvūs | 7 ha | 6.3% | 1 ha |
| Ahvaz | 7 ha | — | 6 ha |
| Marāgheh | 4 ha | 2.6% | 2 ha |
| Mīāndoāb | 2 ha | — | 1 ha |
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation in Iran
How much forest has Iran lost since 2001?
Since 2001, Iran has lost about 4,270 hectares of forest (about 6,000 football pitches): under 1% of the forest it had in 2000. The biggest cause was logging (27%), after which forest can grow back. About 1,370 hectares (32%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
Is deforestation in Iran getting worse?
Forest loss has stayed about the same: about 81 hectares a year in 2021–2025, against 69 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 Iran?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are logging (27%), farms, pasture and plantations (19%), towns and roads (8.1%). About 1,370 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 Iran?
The worst year was 2002, when about 559 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 Iran, 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.