Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in Morocco
Since 2001, Morocco has lost about 62,700 hectares of forest (about 88,000 football pitches): 9.2% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to wildfires, so much of it can grow back. About 18,000 hectares (29%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 681,000 ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 62,700 ha9.2% of it, about 88,000 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 18,000 hadeforestation, 29% of the loss
- Worst year
- 202212,000 ha lost
Map
Where Morocco has lost forest
Every square kilometre of Morocco 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 Morocco, year by year
Forest loss is speeding up: about 4,350 hectares a year in 2021–2025, up from 2,260 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2022, when about 12,000 hectares of forest were lost, mostly to wildfires.
Hectares of forest lost each year
Show the figures as a table
| Year | Cleared for good | Can grow back | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 717 ha | 1,150 ha | 1,870 ha |
| 2002 | 1,700 ha | 2,230 ha | 3,920 ha |
| 2003 | 839 ha | 1,210 ha | 2,040 ha |
| 2004 | 525 ha | 916 ha | 1,440 ha |
| 2005 | 567 ha | 957 ha | 1,520 ha |
| 2006 | 652 ha | 1,570 ha | 2,220 ha |
| 2007 | 1,270 ha | 1,220 ha | 2,490 ha |
| 2008 | 1,390 ha | 1,990 ha | 3,380 ha |
| 2009 | 453 ha | 743 ha | 1,200 ha |
| 2010 | 365 ha | 621 ha | 986 ha |
| 2011 | 1,700 ha | 1,690 ha | 3,390 ha |
| 2012 | 568 ha | 1,130 ha | 1,690 ha |
| 2013 | 333 ha | 505 ha | 838 ha |
| 2014 | 619 ha | 1,060 ha | 1,680 ha |
| 2015 | 494 ha | 462 ha | 956 ha |
| 2016 | 721 ha | 1,330 ha | 2,050 ha |
| 2017 | 667 ha | 1,680 ha | 2,350 ha |
| 2018 | 644 ha | 1,400 ha | 2,050 ha |
| 2019 | 348 ha | 906 ha | 1,250 ha |
| 2020 | 423 ha | 3,180 ha | 3,610 ha |
| 2021 | 402 ha | 1,140 ha | 1,540 ha |
| 2022 | 422 ha | 11,600 ha | 12,000 ha |
| 2023 | 480 ha | 3,590 ha | 4,070 ha |
| 2024 | 465 ha | 975 ha | 1,440 ha |
| 2025 | 1,190 ha | 1,480 ha | 2,670 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 Morocco?
- 29%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 69%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- 2.6%cause unknown
- Wildfires61% · 38,500 ha
Can grow back. Forest burned. It often grows back, though fire is sometimes used to clear land for good.
- Farms, pasture and plantations26% · 16,400 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Logging7.1% · 4,480 ha
Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.
- Towns and roads1.2% · 764 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Mining and energy1.2% · 752 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for mines, oil and gas, power lines and dams.
- Unknown causes2.6% · 1,620 ha
Cause unknown. The satellites saw the trees go, but not why.
Also, each under 1%: storms, floods and other natural 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oriental | 1,840 ha | 8.9% | 379 ha |
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 Morocco
How much forest has Morocco lost since 2001?
Since 2001, Morocco has lost about 62,700 hectares of forest (about 88,000 football pitches): 9.2% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to wildfires, so much of it can grow back. About 18,000 hectares (29%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
Is deforestation in Morocco getting worse?
Forest loss is speeding up: about 4,350 hectares a year in 2021–2025, up from 2,260 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 Morocco?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are wildfires (61%), farms, pasture and plantations (26%), logging (7.1%). About 18,000 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 Morocco?
The worst year was 2022, when about 12,000 hectares of forest were lost, mostly to wildfires.
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 Morocco, 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.