Agriculture-driven deforestation in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Agriculture-driven deforestation was 2,532 hectares in 2024. ▼ Falling
Agriculture-driven deforestation in Zimbabwe, 2001–2024
Source: Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 2,532 hectares for agriculture-driven deforestation in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 20.9% on the previous year and down 43.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agriculture-driven deforestation in Zimbabwe peaked at 12,410 hectares in 2009 and was at its lowest, 2,532 hectares, in 2024.
That places Zimbabwe 61st out of 187 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Agriculture-driven deforestation in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 4,581 hectares | — |
| 2002 | 5,077 hectares | +10.8% |
| 2003 | 3,619 hectares | -28.7% |
| 2004 | 4,134 hectares | +14.2% |
| 2005 | 7,714 hectares | +86.6% |
| 2006 | 6,328 hectares | -18.0% |
| 2007 | 5,745 hectares | -9.2% |
| 2008 | 3,889 hectares | -32.3% |
| 2009 | 12,410 hectares | +219.1% |
| 2010 | 5,013 hectares | -59.6% |
| 2011 | 4,649 hectares | -7.3% |
| 2012 | 7,678 hectares | +65.2% |
| 2013 | 3,862 hectares | -49.7% |
| 2014 | 4,452 hectares | +15.3% |
| 2015 | 4,582 hectares | +2.9% |
| 2016 | 4,785 hectares | +4.4% |
| 2017 | 10,325 hectares | +115.8% |
| 2018 | 3,150 hectares | -69.5% |
| 2019 | 4,595 hectares | +45.9% |
| 2020 | 3,068 hectares | -33.2% |
| 2021 | 5,738 hectares | +87.0% |
| 2022 | 3,698 hectares | -35.5% |
| 2023 | 3,202 hectares | -13.4% |
| 2024 | 2,532 hectares | -20.9% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 2,532 hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 1,953 hectares, 1.3× the median. (44 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 2,532 hectares is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 3,723 hectares, 68% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Agriculture-driven deforestation in Zimbabwe 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +219.1% | 3,889 hectares | 12,410 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5,944 hectares | 3,619 hectares | 12,410 hectares | 9 |
| 2010s | 5,309 hectares | 3,150 hectares | 10,325 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,648 hectares | 2,532 hectares | 5,738 hectares | 5 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
- 58 Gabon 2,999 hectares compare
- 59 South Sudan 2,790 hectares compare
- 60 Bangladesh 2,593 hectares compare
- 62 French Guiana 2,155 hectares compare
- 63 Russia 2,050 hectares compare
- 64 Burundi 1,934 hectares compare
More environment data for Zimbabwe
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.93 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 3.29 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.311 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.06 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.19 % 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 1.53 % 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 Zimbabwe?
- Agriculture-driven deforestation in Zimbabwe was 2,532 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 Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 12,410 hectares in 2009.
- What is the lowest agriculture-driven deforestation recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,532 hectares in 2024.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for agriculture-driven deforestation?
- Zimbabwe ranks 61st out of 187 countries with data for 2024.
- Is agriculture-driven deforestation rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 43.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zimbabwe 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.