Deforestation · 10 km around the city · 2001–2025
Deforestation around Pekanbaru
Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Pekanbaru has lost about 5,150 hectares of forest (about 7,200 football pitches): 42% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (over 99%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for farms, pasture and plantations.
- Forest in 2000
- 12,300 hawithin 10 km of the centre
- Forest lost since 2001
- 5,150 ha42% of it, about 7,200 football pitches
- Cleared for good
- 5,150 hadeforestation, over 99% of the loss
- Worst year
- 2017501 ha lost
Satellite timelapse
2017: satellite photo from June 2017 of a 5 × 5 km area about 7 km 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 Pekanbaru, year by year
Forest loss is slowing down: about 112 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 232 hectares a year in 2016–2020. The worst year was 2017, when about 501 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 | 123 ha | under 1 ha | 123 ha |
| 2002 | 100 ha | under 1 ha | 100 ha |
| 2003 | 48 ha | under 1 ha | 49 ha |
| 2004 | 295 ha | under 1 ha | 295 ha |
| 2005 | 270 ha | under 1 ha | 270 ha |
| 2006 | 200 ha | under 1 ha | 200 ha |
| 2007 | 223 ha | under 1 ha | 223 ha |
| 2008 | 309 ha | under 1 ha | 309 ha |
| 2009 | 464 ha | under 1 ha | 464 ha |
| 2010 | 296 ha | under 1 ha | 296 ha |
| 2011 | 158 ha | under 1 ha | 158 ha |
| 2012 | 215 ha | under 1 ha | 215 ha |
| 2013 | 187 ha | under 1 ha | 187 ha |
| 2014 | 316 ha | under 1 ha | 316 ha |
| 2015 | 229 ha | under 1 ha | 229 ha |
| 2016 | 185 ha | under 1 ha | 185 ha |
| 2017 | 501 ha | under 1 ha | 501 ha |
| 2018 | 133 ha | under 1 ha | 133 ha |
| 2019 | 171 ha | under 1 ha | 171 ha |
| 2020 | 168 ha | under 1 ha | 168 ha |
| 2021 | 127 ha | under 1 ha | 127 ha |
| 2022 | 59 ha | under 1 ha | 59 ha |
| 2023 | 117 ha | under 1 ha | 117 ha |
| 2024 | 101 ha | under 1 ha | 101 ha |
| 2025 | 157 ha | under 1 ha | 157 ha |
Forest gained and lost, 2000–2020
- Forest in 2000
- 14,400 ha
- Forest in 2020
- 12,800 ha
- Overall change
- −1,670 haless forest than in 2000
Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Pekanbaru shrank from about 14,400 hectares to 12,800 hectares, a net loss of about 1,670 hectares (−12%). New forest grew on about 1,240 hectares, but 2,920 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 Pekanbaru?
- over 99%cleared for good (deforestation)
- Farms, pasture and plantations65% · 3,350 ha
Cleared for good. Forest cleared for crops, cattle pasture or tree plantations: the biggest cause of deforestation in the world.
- Towns and roads35% · 1,800 ha
Cleared for good. Forest replaced by houses, buildings and roads.
Also, each under 1%: 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore, Singapore | 468 ha | 12% | 461 ha |
| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 1,250 ha | 25% | 1,250 ha |
| Batam | 2,820 ha | 36% | 2,680 ha |
| Jambi City | 5,870 ha | 35% | 5,860 ha |
| Palembang | 5,540 ha | 44% | 5,180 ha |
| Pontianak | 5,880 ha | 34% | 5,870 ha |
Use this data
Put Pekanbaru's forest loss on your site
Free to embed, with a link back to the full figures.
Frequently asked
Questions about deforestation around Pekanbaru
How much forest has Pekanbaru lost since 2001?
Since 2001, the area within 10 km of Pekanbaru has lost about 5,150 hectares of forest (about 7,200 football pitches): 42% of the forest it had in 2000. Most of it (over 99%) was deforestation, forest cleared for good, mainly for farms, pasture and plantations.
Is deforestation around Pekanbaru getting worse?
Forest loss is slowing down: about 112 hectares a year in 2021–2025, down from 232 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 Pekanbaru?
The main causes of forest loss since 2001 are farms, pasture and plantations (65%), towns and roads (35%). About 5,150 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 Pekanbaru?
The worst year was 2017, when about 501 hectares of forest were lost.
Is the forest around Pekanbaru growing or shrinking?
Comparing satellite maps from 2000 and 2020, the forest around Pekanbaru shrank from about 14,400 hectares to 12,800 hectares, a net loss of about 1,670 hectares (−12%). New forest grew on about 1,240 hectares, but 2,920 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 Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru, 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 Pekanbaru, 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.