Agriculture-driven deforestation in Botswana
Botswana: Agriculture-driven deforestation was 1.23 hectares in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Agriculture-driven deforestation in Botswana, 2001–2024
Source: Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for agriculture-driven deforestation in Botswana is 1.23 hectares, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 48.5% on the previous year and down 85.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agriculture-driven deforestation in Botswana peaked at 77.2 hectares in 2001 and was at its lowest, 0 hectares, in 2015.
Botswana ranks 167th of 187 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Agriculture-driven deforestation in Botswana, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 77.2 hectares | — |
| 2002 | 17.51 hectares | -77.3% |
| 2003 | 5.45 hectares | -68.9% |
| 2004 | 30.26 hectares | +455.3% |
| 2005 | 29.74 hectares | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 21.02 hectares | -29.3% |
| 2007 | 22.73 hectares | +8.1% |
| 2008 | 10.44 hectares | -54.1% |
| 2009 | 29.03 hectares | +178.2% |
| 2010 | 27.09 hectares | -6.7% |
| 2011 | 14.81 hectares | -45.3% |
| 2012 | 11.53 hectares | -22.1% |
| 2013 | 8.59 hectares | -25.5% |
| 2014 | 8.75 hectares | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 0 hectares | -100.0% |
| 2016 | 0.7276 hectares | — |
| 2017 | 0.6532 hectares | -10.2% |
| 2018 | 1.75 hectares | +167.9% |
| 2019 | 0.0722 hectares | -95.9% |
| 2020 | 1.02 hectares | +1313.0% |
| 2021 | 1.28 hectares | +25.5% |
| 2022 | 1.86 hectares | +45.5% |
| 2023 | 2.4 hectares | +28.6% |
| 2024 | 1.23 hectares | -48.5% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 1.23 hectares is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 460.26 hectares, 0% of the median. (51 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 1.23 hectares is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3,723 hectares, 0% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Agriculture-driven deforestation in Botswana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1313.0% | 0.0722 hectares | 1.02 hectares |
| 2004 | +455.3% | 5.45 hectares | 30.26 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 27.04 hectares | 5.45 hectares | 77.2 hectares | 9 |
| 2010s | 7.4 hectares | 0 hectares | 27.09 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.56 hectares | 1.02 hectares | 2.4 hectares | 5 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
More environment data for Botswana
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 6.04 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 6.49 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.381 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.443 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -4.05 % 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 0.3323 % 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 agriculture-driven deforestation in Botswana?
- Agriculture-driven deforestation in Botswana was 1.23 hectares in 2024, according to Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest agriculture-driven deforestation recorded in Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 77.2 hectares in 2001.
- What is the lowest agriculture-driven deforestation recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 hectares in 2015.
- How does Botswana rank for agriculture-driven deforestation?
- Botswana ranks 167th out of 187 countries with data for 2024.
- Is agriculture-driven deforestation rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 85.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Botswana data come from?
- The figures come from Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Agriculture-driven deforestation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Long-term, permanent tree cover loss for small- to large-scale agriculture.