Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in the Republic of the Congo
Since 2001, the Republic of the Congo has lost about 1.23 million hectares of forest (about 12,000 km²): 4.6% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to shifting farming, so much of it can grow back. About 147,000 hectares (12%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 26.8 million ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 1.23 million ha4.6% of it, about 12,000 km²
- Cleared for good
- 147,000 hadeforestation, 12% of the loss
- Worst year
- 2024116,000 ha lost
Map
Where the Republic of the Congo has lost forest
Every square kilometre of the Republic of the Congo 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 the Republic of the Congo, year by year
Forest loss has stayed about the same: about 74,800 hectares a year in 2021–2025, against 76,600 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2024, when about 116,000 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 | 3,590 ha | 23,700 ha | 27,300 ha |
| 2002 | 4,920 ha | 19,500 ha | 24,400 ha |
| 2003 | 4,310 ha | 14,600 ha | 18,900 ha |
| 2004 | 2,150 ha | 11,700 ha | 13,800 ha |
| 2005 | 2,900 ha | 16,200 ha | 19,100 ha |
| 2006 | 3,400 ha | 19,100 ha | 22,500 ha |
| 2007 | 5,470 ha | 24,800 ha | 30,200 ha |
| 2008 | 4,670 ha | 13,200 ha | 17,900 ha |
| 2009 | 3,220 ha | 15,800 ha | 19,100 ha |
| 2010 | 9,150 ha | 35,900 ha | 45,000 ha |
| 2011 | 6,840 ha | 21,700 ha | 28,500 ha |
| 2012 | 6,260 ha | 26,200 ha | 32,500 ha |
| 2013 | 7,280 ha | 47,800 ha | 55,000 ha |
| 2014 | 8,530 ha | 65,800 ha | 74,400 ha |
| 2015 | 5,330 ha | 42,900 ha | 48,200 ha |
| 2016 | 8,660 ha | 107,000 ha | 115,000 ha |
| 2017 | 8,000 ha | 56,700 ha | 64,700 ha |
| 2018 | 7,170 ha | 55,900 ha | 63,100 ha |
| 2019 | 8,450 ha | 66,300 ha | 74,800 ha |
| 2020 | 7,800 ha | 57,600 ha | 65,400 ha |
| 2021 | 5,800 ha | 52,600 ha | 58,400 ha |
| 2022 | 6,220 ha | 53,900 ha | 60,100 ha |
| 2023 | 5,580 ha | 62,200 ha | 67,800 ha |
| 2024 | 7,510 ha | 108,000 ha | 116,000 ha |
| 2025 | 3,650 ha | 67,900 ha | 71,500 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 the Republic of the Congo?
- 12%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 86%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- 1.9%cause unknown
- Shifting farming66% · 812,000 ha
Can grow back. Small patches cleared to grow crops for a few seasons, then left to grow back.
- Farms, pasture and plantations10% · 125,000 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Wildfires10% · 124,000 ha
Can grow back. Forest burned. It often grows back, though fire is sometimes used to clear land for good.
- Logging8.2% · 101,000 ha
Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.
- Storms, floods and other natural causes2.1% · 26,300 ha
Can grow back. Trees killed by storms, floods, landslides, pests or disease.
- Unknown causes1.9% · 23,400 ha
Cause unknown. The satellites saw the trees go, but not why.
Also, each under 1%: mining and energy, towns and roads.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Impfondo | 9,150 ha | 34% | 2,420 ha |
| Dolisie | 2,910 ha | 18% | 437 ha |
| Pointe-Noire | 1,660 ha | 40% | 1,650 ha |
| Nkayi | 1,030 ha | 13% | 968 ha |
| Brazzaville | 323 ha | 17% | 218 ha |
Satellite timelapses of cities in the Republic of the Congo
A satellite photo a year since 2017, with the forest lost marked on it, and the figures for each city.
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation in the Republic of the Congo
How much forest has the Republic of the Congo lost since 2001?
Since 2001, the Republic of the Congo has lost about 1.23 million hectares of forest (about 12,000 km²): 4.6% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to shifting farming, so much of it can grow back. About 147,000 hectares (12%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
Is deforestation in the Republic of the Congo getting worse?
Forest loss has stayed about the same: about 74,800 hectares a year in 2021–2025, against 76,600 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 the Republic of the Congo?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are shifting farming (66%), farms, pasture and plantations (10%), wildfires (10%). About 147,000 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 the Republic of the Congo?
The worst year was 2024, when about 116,000 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 the Republic of the Congo, 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.