Agriculture-driven deforestation in Tanzania
Tanzania: Agriculture-driven deforestation was 177,886 hectares in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
177,886 hectares
Change on year
down 6.6%
World rank
9th
of 187 countries
All-time high
190,479 hectares
in 2023
All-time low
54,193 hectares
in 2004
Years of data
24
2001–2024
Agriculture-driven deforestation in Tanzania, 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 Tanzania is 177,886 hectares, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 6.6% on the previous year and up 12.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agriculture-driven deforestation in Tanzania peaked at 190,479 hectares in 2023 and was at its lowest, 54,193 hectares, in 2004.
Tanzania ranks 9th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 24 years of available data.
Agriculture-driven deforestation in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 65,360 hectares | — |
| 2002 | 66,707 hectares | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 68,120 hectares | +2.1% |
| 2004 | 54,193 hectares | -20.4% |
| 2005 | 74,677 hectares | +37.8% |
| 2006 | 72,484 hectares | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 103,912 hectares | +43.4% |
| 2008 | 143,455 hectares | +38.1% |
| 2009 | 127,500 hectares | -11.1% |
| 2010 | 119,310 hectares | -6.4% |
| 2011 | 120,570 hectares | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 129,159 hectares | +7.1% |
| 2013 | 141,099 hectares | +9.2% |
| 2014 | 157,533 hectares | +11.6% |
| 2015 | 84,851 hectares | -46.1% |
| 2016 | 127,124 hectares | +49.8% |
| 2017 | 161,074 hectares | +26.7% |
| 2018 | 145,138 hectares | -9.9% |
| 2019 | 119,380 hectares | -17.7% |
| 2020 | 156,842 hectares | +31.4% |
| 2021 | 137,824 hectares | -12.1% |
| 2022 | 134,387 hectares | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 190,479 hectares | +41.7% |
| 2024 | 177,886 hectares | -6.6% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 177,886 hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,953 hectares, 91.1× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 177,886 hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3,723 hectares, 47.8× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 86,268 hectares | 54,193 hectares | 143,455 hectares | 9 |
| 2010s | 130,524 hectares | 84,851 hectares | 161,074 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 159,484 hectares | 134,387 hectares | 190,479 hectares | 5 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More environment data for Tanzania
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -7.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -7.29 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.06 % 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 5.16 % 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agriculture-driven deforestation in Tanzania?
- Agriculture-driven deforestation in Tanzania was 177,886 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 190,479 hectares in 2023.
- What is the lowest agriculture-driven deforestation recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 54,193 hectares in 2004.
- How does Tanzania rank for agriculture-driven deforestation?
- Tanzania ranks 9th out of 187 countries with data for 2024.
- Is agriculture-driven deforestation rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.