Annual deforestation in Iraq
Iraq: Annual deforestation was 6,600 hectares per year in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
6,600 hectares per year
World rank
46th
of 112 countries
All-time high
9,140 hectares per year
in 2010
All-time low
0 hectares per year
in 1990
Years of data
5
1990–2020
Annual deforestation in Iraq, 1990–2020
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares per year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual deforestation in Iraq is 6,600 hectares per year, measured in 2020.
That represents a change of down 27.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual deforestation in Iraq peaked at 9,140 hectares per year in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0 hectares per year, in 1990.
Iraq ranks 46th of 112 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Annual deforestation in Iraq, year by year
| Year | hectares per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0 hectares per year | — |
| 2000 | 1,330 hectares per year | — |
| 2010 | 9,140 hectares per year | +587.2% |
| 2015 | 6,610 hectares per year | -27.7% |
| 2020 | 6,600 hectares per year | -0.2% |
Iraq compared with similar countries
- Iraq's 6,600 hectares per year is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8,515 hectares per year, 78% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0 hectares per year | 0 hectares per year | 0 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2000s | 1,330 hectares per year | 1,330 hectares per year | 1,330 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2010s | 7,875 hectares per year | 6,610 hectares per year | 9,140 hectares per year | 2 |
| 2020s | 6,600 hectares per year | 6,600 hectares per year | 6,600 hectares per year | 1 |
Countries ranked near Iraq
More environment data for Iraq
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -38.03 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -26.27 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.549 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.99 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 6.65 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual deforestation in Iraq?
- Annual deforestation in Iraq was 6,600 hectares per year in 2020, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual deforestation recorded in Iraq?
- The highest recorded value was 9,140 hectares per year in 2010.
- What is the lowest annual deforestation recorded in Iraq?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 hectares per year in 1990.
- How does Iraq rank for annual deforestation?
- Iraq ranks 46th out of 112 countries with data for 2020.
- Is annual deforestation rising or falling in Iraq?
- Over the last ten years it is down 27.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iraq data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual deforestation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).