Deforestation · 10 km around the city · 2001–2025
Deforestation around Gqeberha
Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Gqeberha has lost about 2,350 hectares of forest (about 3,300 football pitches): 55% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to wildfires, so much of it can grow back. About 198 hectares (8.4%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 4,260 hawithin 10 km of the centre
- Forest lost since 2001
- 2,350 ha55% of it, about 3,300 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 198 hadeforestation, 8.4% of the loss
- Worst year
- 2017432 ha lost
Satellite timelapse
2017: satellite photo from March 2017 of a 5 × 5 km area about 7 km south of the city centre.
Satellite photos of the same 5 × 5 km area, one per year, all taken in the same season so the colours compare. You can see forest being cleared and towns spreading, though not single trees. Download the before/after image (free to reuse with credit to Airleaf).
Year by year
Forest lost around Gqeberha, year by year
Forest loss is slowing down: about 130 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 188 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2017, when about 432 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 | 6 ha | 7 ha | 13 ha |
| 2002 | 5 ha | 57 ha | 61 ha |
| 2003 | 2 ha | 89 ha | 91 ha |
| 2004 | 10 ha | 9 ha | 19 ha |
| 2005 | 9 ha | 46 ha | 55 ha |
| 2006 | 10 ha | 30 ha | 40 ha |
| 2007 | 10 ha | 11 ha | 21 ha |
| 2008 | 12 ha | 10 ha | 21 ha |
| 2009 | 4 ha | 16 ha | 20 ha |
| 2010 | 2 ha | 8 ha | 10 ha |
| 2011 | 6 ha | 36 ha | 42 ha |
| 2012 | 4 ha | 4 ha | 8 ha |
| 2013 | 10 ha | 217 ha | 227 ha |
| 2014 | 3 ha | 82 ha | 86 ha |
| 2015 | 14 ha | 29 ha | 43 ha |
| 2016 | 5 ha | 58 ha | 62 ha |
| 2017 | 24 ha | 409 ha | 432 ha |
| 2018 | 13 ha | 36 ha | 49 ha |
| 2019 | 15 ha | 314 ha | 329 ha |
| 2020 | 6 ha | 62 ha | 69 ha |
| 2021 | 7 ha | 17 ha | 24 ha |
| 2022 | 12 ha | 9 ha | 22 ha |
| 2023 | 4 ha | 24 ha | 28 ha |
| 2024 | 4 ha | 409 ha | 413 ha |
| 2025 | 4 ha | 162 ha | 165 ha |
Forest gained and lost, 2000–2020
- Forest in 2000
- 1,780 ha
- Forest in 2020
- 1,390 ha
- Overall change
- −392 haless forest than in 2000
Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Gqeberha shrank from about 1,780 hectares to 1,390 hectares, a net loss of about 392 hectares (−22%). New forest grew on about 210 hectares, but 602 hectares were lost.
These 2000 and 2020 maps, from the University of Maryland, count any land with trees taller than 5 m as forest, including plantations and orchards. Forest that was cut or burned and had grown back by 2020 counts in both years, so the loss here is smaller than the yearly figures.
Causes
What is causing deforestation around Gqeberha?
- 8.4%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 92%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- Wildfires83% · 1,940 ha
Can grow back. Forest burned. It often grows back, though fire is sometimes used to clear land for good.
- Logging8.8% · 206 ha
Can grow back. Trees cut for timber or paper. The land usually stays forest and grows back.
- Towns and roads7.1% · 167 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Farms, pasture and plantations1.2% · 29 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
Also, each under 1%: mining and energy, unknown causes.
Causes for 2025 are estimates, based on what caused forest loss in the same places up to 2024.
Nearby cities losing forest
| City | Forest lost (10 km) | Share of its forest | Cleared for good |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town | 642 ha | 15% | 139 ha |
Use this data
Put Gqeberha's forest loss on your site
Free to embed, with a link back to the full figures.
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation around Gqeberha
How much forest has Gqeberha lost since 2001?
Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Gqeberha has lost about 2,350 hectares of forest (about 3,300 football pitches): 55% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to wildfires, so much of it can grow back. About 198 hectares (8.4%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
Is deforestation around Gqeberha getting worse?
Forest loss is slowing down: about 130 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 188 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 around Gqeberha?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are wildfires (83%), logging (8.8%), towns and roads (7.1%). About 198 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 around Gqeberha?
The worst year was 2017, when about 432 hectares of forest were lost, mostly to wildfires.
Is the forest around Gqeberha growing or shrinking?
Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Gqeberha shrank from about 1,780 hectares to 1,390 hectares, a net loss of about 392 hectares (−22%). New forest grew on about 210 hectares, but 602 hectares were lost. These 2000 and 2020 maps, from the University of Maryland, count any land with trees taller than 5 m as forest, including plantations and orchards. Forest that was cut or burned and had grown back by 2020 counts in both years, so the loss here is smaller than the yearly figures.
Can I see satellite images of Gqeberha over the years?
Yes. The timelapse at the top of this page has a satellite photo for every year from 2017 to 2026 of a 5 × 5 km area near Gqeberha, where the most forest was lost. Press play to watch it change, or turn on "Show cleared forest" to see exactly where trees 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 within 10 km of the centre of Gqeberha, 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.