Deforestation · 2001–2025
Deforestation in Trinidad and Tobago
Since 2001, Trinidad and Tobago has lost about 25,400 hectares of forest (about 36,000 football pitches): 6.6% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (92%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for farms, pasture and plantations.
- Forest in 2000
- 383,000 ha
- Forest lost since 2001
- 25,400 ha6.6% of it, about 36,000 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 23,300 hadeforestation, 92% of the loss
- Worst year
- 20103,380 ha lost
Map
Where Trinidad and Tobago has lost forest
Every square kilometre of Trinidad and Tobago 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 Trinidad and Tobago, year by year
Forest loss is slowing down: about 615 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 884 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2010, when about 3,380 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 | 1,570 ha | 245 ha | 1,820 ha |
| 2002 | 645 ha | 76 ha | 721 ha |
| 2003 | 678 ha | 24 ha | 702 ha |
| 2004 | 634 ha | 90 ha | 724 ha |
| 2005 | 1,030 ha | 192 ha | 1,220 ha |
| 2006 | 1,550 ha | 195 ha | 1,740 ha |
| 2007 | 941 ha | 108 ha | 1,050 ha |
| 2008 | 1,130 ha | 97 ha | 1,230 ha |
| 2009 | 1,270 ha | 88 ha | 1,360 ha |
| 2010 | 3,090 ha | 293 ha | 3,380 ha |
| 2011 | 327 ha | 41 ha | 368 ha |
| 2012 | 642 ha | 51 ha | 693 ha |
| 2013 | 687 ha | 41 ha | 728 ha |
| 2014 | 1,430 ha | 83 ha | 1,510 ha |
| 2015 | 603 ha | 54 ha | 657 ha |
| 2016 | 1,270 ha | 53 ha | 1,320 ha |
| 2017 | 631 ha | 87 ha | 718 ha |
| 2018 | 863 ha | 43 ha | 906 ha |
| 2019 | 587 ha | 54 ha | 641 ha |
| 2020 | 781 ha | 52 ha | 833 ha |
| 2021 | 279 ha | 20 ha | 299 ha |
| 2022 | 348 ha | 20 ha | 368 ha |
| 2023 | 793 ha | 41 ha | 834 ha |
| 2024 | 1,040 ha | 46 ha | 1,080 ha |
| 2025 | 456 ha | 36 ha | 492 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 Trinidad and Tobago?
- 92%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 7.6%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- under 1%cause unknown
- Farms, pasture and plantations65% · 16,400 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Towns and roads20% · 5,010 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Mining and energy7.3% · 1,850 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for mines, oil and gas, power lines and dams.
- Shifting farming3.8% · 976 ha
Can grow back. Small patches cleared to grow crops for a few seasons, then left to grow back.
- Storms, floods and other natural causes2.7% · 690 ha
Can grow back. Trees killed by storms, floods, landslides, pests or disease.
- Logging1.1% · 267 ha
Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.
Also, each under 1%: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Claro | 2,340 ha | 7.8% | 2,250 ha |
| Point Fortin | 1,680 ha | 11% | 1,610 ha |
| Arima | 1,200 ha | 6.1% | 1,110 ha |
| Port of Spain | 562 ha | 4.6% | 383 ha |
| Mon Repos | 313 ha | 11% | 295 ha |
Satellite timelapses of cities in Trinidad and Tobago
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 Trinidad and Tobago
How much forest has Trinidad and Tobago lost since 2001?
Since 2001, Trinidad and Tobago has lost about 25,400 hectares of forest (about 36,000 football pitches): 6.6% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (92%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for farms, pasture and plantations.
Is deforestation in Trinidad and Tobago getting worse?
Forest loss is slowing down: about 615 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 884 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 Trinidad and Tobago?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are farms, pasture and plantations (65%), towns and roads (20%), mining and energy (7.3%). About 23,300 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 Trinidad and Tobago?
The worst year was 2010, when about 3,380 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 Trinidad and Tobago, 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.