Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in Singapore
Since 2001, Singapore has lost about 2,220 hectares of forest (about 3,100 football pitches): 17% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (99%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for towns and roads.
- Forest in 2000
- 13,000 ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 2,220 ha17% of it, about 3,100 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 2,200 hadeforestation, 99% of the loss
- Worst year
- 2018258 ha lost
Map
Where Singapore has lost forest
Every square kilometre of Singapore 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 Singapore, year by year
Forest loss is slowing down: about 108 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 170 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2018, when about 258 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 | 16 ha | under 1 ha | 16 ha |
| 2002 | 66 ha | under 1 ha | 66 ha |
| 2003 | 16 ha | under 1 ha | 16 ha |
| 2004 | 22 ha | under 1 ha | 22 ha |
| 2005 | 45 ha | 1 ha | 47 ha |
| 2006 | 41 ha | 1 ha | 42 ha |
| 2007 | 53 ha | under 1 ha | 54 ha |
| 2008 | 11 ha | under 1 ha | 11 ha |
| 2009 | 132 ha | 1 ha | 133 ha |
| 2010 | 33 ha | 3 ha | 36 ha |
| 2011 | 43 ha | under 1 ha | 43 ha |
| 2012 | 67 ha | 2 ha | 68 ha |
| 2013 | 25 ha | under 1 ha | 25 ha |
| 2014 | 167 ha | 1 ha | 168 ha |
| 2015 | 86 ha | under 1 ha | 87 ha |
| 2016 | 100 ha | under 1 ha | 100 ha |
| 2017 | 174 ha | 1 ha | 175 ha |
| 2018 | 257 ha | 1 ha | 258 ha |
| 2019 | 211 ha | under 1 ha | 211 ha |
| 2020 | 104 ha | 1 ha | 105 ha |
| 2021 | 177 ha | under 1 ha | 177 ha |
| 2022 | 91 ha | 1 ha | 93 ha |
| 2023 | 164 ha | 1 ha | 165 ha |
| 2024 | 47 ha | under 1 ha | 47 ha |
| 2025 | 56 ha | 1 ha | 57 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 Singapore?
- 99%cleared for good (deforestation)
- under 1%cause unknown
- Towns and roads80% · 1,770 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Farms, pasture and plantations12% · 256 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Mining and energy7.8% · 174 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for mines, oil and gas, power lines and dams.
Also, each under 1%: logging, unknown 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodlands | 1,570 ha | 18% | 1,560 ha |
| Punggol | 1,510 ha | 26% | 1,490 ha |
| Jurong Town | 1,250 ha | 16% | 1,240 ha |
| Ang Mo Kio New Town | 1,140 ha | 14% | 1,130 ha |
| Ulu Bedok | 657 ha | 25% | 634 ha |
| Singapore | 468 ha | 12% | 461 ha |
Satellite timelapses of cities in Singapore
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 Singapore
How much forest has Singapore lost since 2001?
Since 2001, Singapore has lost about 2,220 hectares of forest (about 3,100 football pitches): 17% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (99%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for towns and roads.
Is deforestation in Singapore getting worse?
Forest loss is slowing down: about 108 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 170 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 Singapore?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are towns and roads (80%), farms, pasture and plantations (12%), mining and energy (7.8%). About 2,200 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 Singapore?
The worst year was 2018, when about 258 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 Singapore, 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.