Consumption-based deforestation per person in Congo

Congo: Consumption-based deforestation per person was 11.93 square meters in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
11.93 square meters
Change on year
up 12.5%
World rank
28th
of 178 countries
All-time high
65.8 square meters
in 2012
All-time low
10.54 square meters
in 2005
Years of data
19
2005–2023

Consumption-based deforestation per person in Congo, 2005–2023

2040602005201420232005: 10.5 square meters2006: 10.6 square meters2007: 17.6 square meters2008: 11.8 square meters2009: 12.5 square meters2010: 15.5 square meters2011: 17.3 square meters2012: 65.8 square meters2013: 15.4 square meters2014: 46.4 square meters2015: 27 square meters2016: 22.7 square meters2017: 19.5 square meters2018: 20 square meters2019: 19.8 square meters2020: 15.7 square meters2021: 19.6 square meters2022: 10.6 square meters2023: 11.9 square meters

Source: Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in square meters.

Analysis

In 2023, consumption-based deforestation per person in Congo stood at 11.93 square meters.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.5% on the previous year and down 22.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, consumption-based deforestation per person in Congo peaked at 65.8 square meters in 2012 and was at its lowest, 10.54 square meters, in 2005.

Congo ranks 28th of 178 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 12.59 square meters 10.54 square meters 17.55 square meters 5
2010s 26.94 square meters 15.43 square meters 65.8 square meters 10
2020s 14.47 square meters 10.61 square meters 19.64 square meters 4

Countries ranked near Congo

  1. 25 Argentina 12.88 square meters compare
  2. 26 Malaysia 12.47 square meters compare
  3. 27 Ecuador 11.97 square meters compare
  4. 29 Equatorial Guinea 11.25 square meters compare
  5. 30 Qatar 11.1 square meters compare
  6. 31 New Zealand 10.68 square meters compare

See the full ranking of 178 places →

More environment data for Congo

All data for Congo →

Frequently asked questions

What is consumption-based deforestation per person in Congo?
Consumption-based deforestation per person in Congo was 11.93 square meters in 2023, according to Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest consumption-based deforestation per person recorded in Congo?
The highest recorded value was 65.8 square meters in 2012.
What is the lowest consumption-based deforestation per person recorded in Congo?
The lowest recorded value was 10.54 square meters in 2005.
How does Congo rank for consumption-based deforestation per person?
Congo ranks 28th out of 178 countries with data for 2023.
Is consumption-based deforestation per person rising or falling in Congo?
Over the last ten years it is down 22.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Congo data come from?
The figures come from Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Consumption-based deforestation per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Consumption-based deforestation per person
Unit
square meters
Source
Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
178 places, 3,320 data points, 2005–2023
Last refreshed

Estimated average deforestation for agricultural and forestry products, per person. This is adjusted for trade, so it reflects deforestation caused by consumption, not domestic production.