Annual deforestation in Malawi
Malawi: Annual deforestation was 42,000 hectares per year in 2020. ▬ Flat
Latest (2020)
42,000 hectares per year
World rank
27th
of 112 countries
All-time high
42,000 hectares per year
in 1990
All-time low
42,000 hectares per year
in 1990
Years of data
5
1990–2020
Annual deforestation in Malawi, 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
Malawi recorded 42,000 hectares per year for annual deforestation in 2020. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual deforestation in Malawi peaked at 42,000 hectares per year in 1990 and was at its lowest, 42,000 hectares per year, in 1990.
That places Malawi 27th out of 112 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
Annual deforestation in Malawi, year by year
| Year | hectares per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 42,000 hectares per year | — |
| 2000 | 42,000 hectares per year | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 42,000 hectares per year | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 42,000 hectares per year | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 42,000 hectares per year | +0.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 42,000 hectares per year is below the median for low income countries, which is 95,920 hectares per year, 44% of the median. (14 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 42,000 hectares per year is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46,520 hectares per year, 90% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 42,000 hectares per year | 42,000 hectares per year | 42,000 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2000s | 42,000 hectares per year | 42,000 hectares per year | 42,000 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2010s | 42,000 hectares per year | 42,000 hectares per year | 42,000 hectares per year | 2 |
| 2020s | 42,000 hectares per year | 42,000 hectares per year | 42,000 hectares per year | 1 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More environment data for Malawi
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.9153 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.8098 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.07 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.65 % 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 5.3 % 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 Malawi?
- Annual deforestation in Malawi was 42,000 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 Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 42,000 hectares per year in 1990.
- What is the lowest annual deforestation recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 42,000 hectares per year in 1990.
- How does Malawi rank for annual deforestation?
- Malawi ranks 27th out of 112 countries with data for 2020.
- Is annual deforestation rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Malawi 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.
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