Annual forest expansion in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Annual forest expansion was 610 hectares per year in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Annual forest expansion in Democratic Republic of Congo, 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
Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 610 hectares per year for annual forest expansion in 2020.
The figure is down 67.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual forest expansion in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 1,850 hectares per year in 2010 and was at its lowest, 430 hectares per year, in 1990.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 63rd out of 110 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
Annual forest expansion in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | hectares per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 430 hectares per year | — |
| 2000 | 600 hectares per year | +39.5% |
| 2010 | 1,850 hectares per year | +208.3% |
| 2015 | 1,080 hectares per year | -41.6% |
| 2020 | 610 hectares per year | -43.5% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 610 hectares per year is below the median for low income countries, which is 4,330 hectares per year, 14% of the median. (12 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 610 hectares per year is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,500 hectares per year, 41% of the median. (24 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 430 hectares per year | 430 hectares per year | 430 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2000s | 600 hectares per year | 600 hectares per year | 600 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2010s | 1,465 hectares per year | 1,080 hectares per year | 1,850 hectares per year | 2 |
| 2020s | 610 hectares per year | 610 hectares per year | 610 hectares per year | 1 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More environment data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.26 % 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 5.2 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 0.338 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual forest expansion in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Annual forest expansion in Democratic Republic of Congo was 610 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 forest expansion recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 1,850 hectares per year in 2010.
- What is the lowest annual forest expansion recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 430 hectares per year in 1990.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for annual forest expansion?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 63rd out of 110 countries with data for 2020.
- Is annual forest expansion rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 67.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo 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 forest expansion. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Forest expansion is the sum of afforestation (the establishment of forest through planting and/or deliberate seeding) and natural forest expansion (expansion of forests through natural succession on land that, until then, was under another land use).