Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in New Caledonia
Since 2001, New Caledonia has lost about 31,500 hectares of forest (about 44,000 football pitches): 2.2% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to wildfires, so much of it can grow back. About 6,130 hectares (19%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 1.41 million ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 31,500 ha2.2% of it, about 44,000 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 6,130 hadeforestation, 19% of the loss
- Worst year
- 20204,040 ha lost
Map
Where New Caledonia has lost forest
Every square kilometre of New Caledonia 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 New Caledonia, year by year
Forest loss is slowing down: about 987 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 2,050 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2020, when about 4,040 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 | 302 ha | 361 ha | 663 ha |
| 2002 | 306 ha | 305 ha | 611 ha |
| 2003 | 161 ha | 712 ha | 873 ha |
| 2004 | 403 ha | 1,090 ha | 1,500 ha |
| 2005 | 301 ha | 1,120 ha | 1,420 ha |
| 2006 | 248 ha | 1,860 ha | 2,110 ha |
| 2007 | 350 ha | 618 ha | 968 ha |
| 2008 | 195 ha | 315 ha | 510 ha |
| 2009 | 369 ha | 594 ha | 963 ha |
| 2010 | 211 ha | 323 ha | 534 ha |
| 2011 | 246 ha | 446 ha | 692 ha |
| 2012 | 246 ha | 576 ha | 822 ha |
| 2013 | 695 ha | 1,540 ha | 2,230 ha |
| 2014 | 454 ha | 1,530 ha | 1,980 ha |
| 2015 | 243 ha | 232 ha | 475 ha |
| 2016 | 172 ha | 1,100 ha | 1,270 ha |
| 2017 | 189 ha | 931 ha | 1,120 ha |
| 2018 | 236 ha | 2,770 ha | 3,010 ha |
| 2019 | 159 ha | 640 ha | 799 ha |
| 2020 | 130 ha | 3,910 ha | 4,040 ha |
| 2021 | 88 ha | 522 ha | 610 ha |
| 2022 | 32 ha | 317 ha | 349 ha |
| 2023 | 91 ha | 489 ha | 580 ha |
| 2024 | 213 ha | 1,480 ha | 1,700 ha |
| 2025 | 86 ha | 1,610 ha | 1,700 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 New Caledonia?
- 19%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 74%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- 6.7%cause unknown
- Wildfires61% · 19,200 ha
Can grow back. Forest burned. It often grows back, though fire is sometimes used to clear land for good.
- Farms, pasture and plantations11% · 3,400 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Storms, floods and other natural causes8.9% · 2,800 ha
Can grow back. Trees killed by storms, floods, landslides, pests or disease.
- Mining and energy5.2% · 1,640 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for mines, oil and gas, power lines and dams.
- Logging4% · 1,280 ha
Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.
- Towns and roads3.4% · 1,090 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Unknown causes6.7% · 2,130 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nouméa | 212 ha | 7.8% | 201 ha |
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation in New Caledonia
How much forest has New Caledonia lost since 2001?
Since 2001, New Caledonia has lost about 31,500 hectares of forest (about 44,000 football pitches): 2.2% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to wildfires, so much of it can grow back. About 6,130 hectares (19%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
Is deforestation in New Caledonia getting worse?
Forest loss is slowing down: about 987 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 2,050 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 New Caledonia?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are wildfires (61%), farms, pasture and plantations (11%), storms, floods and other natural causes (8.9%). About 6,130 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 New Caledonia?
The worst year was 2020, when about 4,040 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 New Caledonia, 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.