Deforestation embedded in trade in Congo
Congo: Deforestation embedded in trade was 321.59 hectares in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Deforestation embedded in trade in Congo, 2005–2023
Source: Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2023, deforestation embedded in trade in Congo stood at 321.59 hectares.
The figure is up 144.7% on the previous year and down 81.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, deforestation embedded in trade in Congo peaked at 26,158 hectares in 2012 and was at its lowest, -718.68 hectares, in 2022.
That places Congo 113th out of 178 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Deforestation embedded in trade in Congo, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 689.77 hectares | — |
| 2006 | 1,168 hectares | +69.3% |
| 2007 | 4,050 hectares | +246.8% |
| 2008 | 1,879 hectares | -53.6% |
| 2009 | 2,021 hectares | +7.6% |
| 2010 | 2,513 hectares | +24.3% |
| 2011 | 3,212 hectares | +27.8% |
| 2012 | 26,158 hectares | +714.3% |
| 2013 | 1,695 hectares | -93.5% |
| 2014 | 16,265 hectares | +859.5% |
| 2015 | 7,470 hectares | -54.1% |
| 2016 | 4,736 hectares | -36.6% |
| 2017 | 2,433 hectares | -48.6% |
| 2018 | 2,640 hectares | +8.5% |
| 2019 | 2,585 hectares | -2.1% |
| 2020 | -349.47 hectares | -113.5% |
| 2021 | 2,376 hectares | -779.8% |
| 2022 | -718.68 hectares | -130.3% |
| 2023 | 321.59 hectares | -144.7% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 321.59 hectares is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 966.34 hectares, 33% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Congo's 321.59 hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 315.58 hectares, 1.0× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Deforestation embedded in trade in Congo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | +859.5% | 1,695 hectares | 16,265 hectares |
| 2021 | +779.8% | -349.47 hectares | 2,376 hectares |
| 2012 | +714.3% | 3,212 hectares | 26,158 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1,962 hectares | 689.77 hectares | 4,050 hectares | 5 |
| 2010s | 6,971 hectares | 1,695 hectares | 26,158 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 407.27 hectares | -718.68 hectares | 2,376 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More environment data for Congo
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -9.96 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.68 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.202 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.13 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8453 % 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 -0.4756 % 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 deforestation embedded in trade in Congo?
- Deforestation embedded in trade in Congo was 321.59 hectares in 2023, according to Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest deforestation embedded in trade recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 26,158 hectares in 2012.
- What is the lowest deforestation embedded in trade recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was -718.68 hectares in 2022.
- How does Congo rank for deforestation embedded in trade?
- Congo ranks 113th out of 178 countries with data for 2023.
- Is deforestation embedded in trade rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 81.0%. 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 Deforestation embedded in trade. 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
Deforestation driven by imported goods minus exported goods from agriculture and forest plantations. Net importers of deforestation are countries who contribute to net deforestation in other countries – the deforestation that they cause in other countries is given as a positive value.