Deforestation · 10 km around the city · 2001–2025
Deforestation around Kisangani
Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Kisangani has lost about 15,900 hectares of forest (about 22,000 football pitches): 64% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to shifting farming, so much of it can grow back. About 5,320 hectares (34%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
- Forest in 2000
- 24,900 hawithin 10 km of the centre
- Forest lost since 2001
- 15,900 ha64% of it, about 22,000 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 5,320 hadeforestation, 34% of the loss
- Worst year
- 20141,370 ha lost
Satellite timelapse
2017: satellite photo from July 2017 of a 5 × 5 km area about 7 km south-west 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 Kisangani, year by year
Forest loss is slowing down: about 634 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 859 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2014, when about 1,370 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 | 119 ha | 298 ha | 417 ha |
| 2002 | 91 ha | 200 ha | 290 ha |
| 2003 | 31 ha | 57 ha | 88 ha |
| 2004 | 59 ha | 99 ha | 158 ha |
| 2005 | 334 ha | 598 ha | 932 ha |
| 2006 | 93 ha | 128 ha | 220 ha |
| 2007 | 94 ha | 81 ha | 175 ha |
| 2008 | 316 ha | 455 ha | 771 ha |
| 2009 | 405 ha | 656 ha | 1,060 ha |
| 2010 | 203 ha | 316 ha | 519 ha |
| 2011 | 37 ha | 67 ha | 104 ha |
| 2012 | 448 ha | 264 ha | 712 ha |
| 2013 | 345 ha | 536 ha | 881 ha |
| 2014 | 506 ha | 859 ha | 1,370 ha |
| 2015 | 202 ha | 501 ha | 703 ha |
| 2016 | 345 ha | 802 ha | 1,150 ha |
| 2017 | 303 ha | 723 ha | 1,030 ha |
| 2018 | 189 ha | 586 ha | 775 ha |
| 2019 | 151 ha | 657 ha | 808 ha |
| 2020 | 119 ha | 421 ha | 540 ha |
| 2021 | 178 ha | 554 ha | 732 ha |
| 2022 | 108 ha | 364 ha | 472 ha |
| 2023 | 228 ha | 557 ha | 785 ha |
| 2024 | 370 ha | 541 ha | 911 ha |
| 2025 | 44 ha | 228 ha | 272 ha |
Forest gained and lost, 2000–2020
- Forest in 2000
- 14,600 ha
- Forest in 2020
- 9,150 ha
- Overall change
- −5,470 haless forest than in 2000
Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Kisangani shrank from about 14,600 hectares to 9,150 hectares, a net loss of about 5,470 hectares (−37%). New forest grew on about 416 hectares, but 5,890 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 Kisangani?
- 34%cleared for good (deforestation)
- 66%can grow back (fire, logging, storms)
- Shifting farming66% · 10,500 ha
Can grow back. Small patches cleared to grow crops for a few seasons, then left to grow back.
- Towns and roads17% · 2,720 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
- Farms, pasture and plantations16% · 2,600 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kananga | 3,520 ha | 27% | 902 ha |
Use this data
Put Kisangani's forest loss on your site
Free to embed, with a link back to the full figures.
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation around Kisangani
How much forest has Kisangani lost since 2001?
Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Kisangani has lost about 15,900 hectares of forest (about 22,000 football pitches): 64% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it was lost to shifting farming, so much of it can grow back. About 5,320 hectares (34%) was deforestation: forest cleared for good for farms, mines or towns.
Is deforestation around Kisangani getting worse?
Forest loss is slowing down: about 634 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 859 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 Kisangani?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are shifting farming (66%), towns and roads (17%), farms, pasture and plantations (16%). About 5,320 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 Kisangani?
The worst year was 2014, when about 1,370 hectares of forest were lost.
Is the forest around Kisangani growing or shrinking?
Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Kisangani shrank from about 14,600 hectares to 9,150 hectares, a net loss of about 5,470 hectares (−37%). New forest grew on about 416 hectares, but 5,890 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 Kisangani 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 Kisangani, 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 Kisangani, 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.