Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in Mauritius
Since 2001, Mauritius has lost about 2,580 hectares of forest (about 3,600 football pitches): 4.2% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (89%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for farms, pasture and plantations.
- Forest in 2000
- 62,100 ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 2,580 ha4.2% of it, about 3,600 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 2,310 hadeforestation, 89% of the loss
- Worst year
- 2014464 ha lost
Map
Where Mauritius has lost forest
Every square kilometre of Mauritius 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 Mauritius, year by year
The worst year was 2014, when about 464 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 | 117 ha | 21 ha | 138 ha |
| 2002 | 114 ha | 20 ha | 134 ha |
| 2003 | 101 ha | 6 ha | 107 ha |
| 2004 | 234 ha | 28 ha | 262 ha |
| 2005 | 113 ha | 21 ha | 134 ha |
| 2006 | 109 ha | 10 ha | 119 ha |
| 2007 | 99 ha | 10 ha | 109 ha |
| 2008 | 146 ha | 19 ha | 165 ha |
| 2009 | 207 ha | 13 ha | 220 ha |
| 2010 | 15 ha | 3 ha | 18 ha |
| 2011 | 359 ha | 16 ha | 375 ha |
| 2012 | 99 ha | 27 ha | 126 ha |
| 2013 | 166 ha | 20 ha | 186 ha |
| 2014 | 415 ha | 49 ha | 464 ha |
| 2015 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2016 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2017 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2018 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2019 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2020 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2021 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2022 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2023 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2024 | under 1 ha | under 1 ha | under 1 ha |
| 2025 | 12 ha | 11 ha | 23 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 Mauritius?
- 89%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 8%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- 2.6%cause unknown
- Farms, pasture and plantations87% · 2,250 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Logging3.6% · 94 ha
Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.
- Shifting farming2.2% · 57 ha
Can grow back. Small patches cleared to grow crops for a few seasons, then left to grow back.
- Storms, floods and other natural causes2.2% · 57 ha
Can grow back. Trees killed by storms, floods, landslides, pests or disease.
- Towns and roads2% · 51 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Unknown causes2.6% · 67 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.
| City | Forest lost | Share of its forest | Cleared for good |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vacoas | 462 ha | 3.7% | 401 ha |
| Bel Air Rivière Sèche | 392 ha | 5.7% | 380 ha |
| Port Louis | 154 ha | 2.5% | 142 ha |
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation in Mauritius
How much forest has Mauritius lost since 2001?
Since 2001, Mauritius has lost about 2,580 hectares of forest (about 3,600 football pitches): 4.2% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (89%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for farms, pasture and plantations.
What is causing deforestation in Mauritius?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are farms, pasture and plantations (87%), logging (3.6%), shifting farming (2.2%). About 2,310 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 Mauritius?
The worst year was 2014, when about 464 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 Mauritius, 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.