Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in South Sudan
Since 2001, South Sudan has lost about 155,000 hectares of forest (about 220,000 football pitches): 1.3% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (57%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for farms, pasture and plantations.
- Forest in 2000
- 11.5 million ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 155,000 ha1.3% of it, about 220,000 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 88,800 hadeforestation, 57% of the loss
- Worst year
- 200510,600 ha lost
Map
Where South Sudan has lost forest
Every square kilometre of South Sudan 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 South Sudan, year by year
Forest loss is speeding up: about 5,690 hectares a year in 2021–2025, up from 4,130 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2005, when about 10,600 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 | 2,750 ha | 2,180 ha | 4,930 ha |
| 2002 | 4,660 ha | 3,560 ha | 8,230 ha |
| 2003 | 1,290 ha | 787 ha | 2,070 ha |
| 2004 | 6,360 ha | 4,130 ha | 10,500 ha |
| 2005 | 6,650 ha | 3,960 ha | 10,600 ha |
| 2006 | 5,340 ha | 3,670 ha | 9,000 ha |
| 2007 | 6,060 ha | 3,510 ha | 9,570 ha |
| 2008 | 6,010 ha | 3,080 ha | 9,080 ha |
| 2009 | 4,810 ha | 3,290 ha | 8,100 ha |
| 2010 | 2,730 ha | 1,140 ha | 3,870 ha |
| 2011 | 6,030 ha | 3,030 ha | 9,060 ha |
| 2012 | 4,100 ha | 2,650 ha | 6,760 ha |
| 2013 | 2,330 ha | 2,670 ha | 5,000 ha |
| 2014 | 3,070 ha | 3,800 ha | 6,870 ha |
| 2015 | 1,380 ha | 1,150 ha | 2,530 ha |
| 2016 | 2,170 ha | 2,020 ha | 4,200 ha |
| 2017 | 3,830 ha | 3,310 ha | 7,140 ha |
| 2018 | 1,380 ha | 1,460 ha | 2,840 ha |
| 2019 | 2,470 ha | 1,490 ha | 3,960 ha |
| 2020 | 1,200 ha | 1,290 ha | 2,490 ha |
| 2021 | 1,700 ha | 1,500 ha | 3,210 ha |
| 2022 | 2,010 ha | 1,770 ha | 3,780 ha |
| 2023 | 3,640 ha | 3,080 ha | 6,720 ha |
| 2024 | 3,030 ha | 2,910 ha | 5,930 ha |
| 2025 | 3,820 ha | 4,990 ha | 8,820 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 South Sudan?
- 57%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 37%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- 5.8%cause unknown
- Farms, pasture and plantations54% · 83,300 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Shifting farming33% · 51,400 ha
Can grow back. Small patches cleared to grow crops for a few seasons, then left to grow back.
- Towns and roads3.5% · 5,390 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Storms, floods and other natural causes3.2% · 4,970 ha
Can grow back. Trees killed by storms, floods, landslides, pests or disease.
- Unknown causes5.8% · 8,970 ha
Cause unknown. The satellites saw the trees go, but not why.
Also, each under 1%: wildfires, logging, mining and energy.
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.
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation in South Sudan
How much forest has South Sudan lost since 2001?
Since 2001, South Sudan has lost about 155,000 hectares of forest (about 220,000 football pitches): 1.3% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (57%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for farms, pasture and plantations.
Is deforestation in South Sudan getting worse?
Forest loss is speeding up: about 5,690 hectares a year in 2021–2025, up from 4,130 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 South Sudan?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are farms, pasture and plantations (54%), shifting farming (33%), towns and roads (3.5%). About 88,800 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 South Sudan?
The worst year was 2005, when about 10,600 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 South Sudan, 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.