Drivers of deforestation in Malawi
Malawi: Drivers of deforestation was 2,714 hectares in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Drivers of deforestation in Malawi, 2001–2023
Source: Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2023, drivers of deforestation in Malawi stood at 2,714 hectares.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 1,758.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drivers of deforestation in Malawi peaked at 3,087 hectares in 2021 and was at its lowest, 87.84 hectares, in 2004.
That places Malawi 43rd out of 166 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.
Drivers of deforestation in Malawi, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 256.48 hectares | — |
| 2002 | 114.24 hectares | -55.5% |
| 2003 | 182.64 hectares | +59.9% |
| 2004 | 87.84 hectares | -51.9% |
| 2005 | 137.63 hectares | +56.7% |
| 2006 | 122.01 hectares | -11.3% |
| 2007 | 182.42 hectares | +49.5% |
| 2008 | 666.85 hectares | +265.6% |
| 2009 | 997.99 hectares | +49.7% |
| 2010 | 267.19 hectares | -73.2% |
| 2011 | 145.06 hectares | -45.7% |
| 2012 | 134.23 hectares | -7.5% |
| 2013 | 146 hectares | +8.8% |
| 2014 | 413.53 hectares | +183.2% |
| 2015 | 222.15 hectares | -46.3% |
| 2016 | 441.97 hectares | +99.0% |
| 2017 | 604.22 hectares | +36.7% |
| 2018 | 627.69 hectares | +3.9% |
| 2019 | 676.85 hectares | +7.8% |
| 2020 | 1,485 hectares | +119.5% |
| 2021 | 3,087 hectares | +107.8% |
| 2022 | 2,649 hectares | -14.2% |
| 2023 | 2,714 hectares | +2.4% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 2,714 hectares is above the median for low income countries, which is 550.07 hectares, 4.9× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 2,714 hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 751.37 hectares, 3.6× the median. (43 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 305.34 hectares | 87.84 hectares | 997.99 hectares | 9 |
| 2010s | 367.89 hectares | 134.23 hectares | 676.85 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,484 hectares | 1,485 hectares | 3,087 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
More environment data for Malawi
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.9153 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.8098 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.07 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.65 % 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 5.3 % 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 drivers of deforestation in Malawi?
- Drivers of deforestation in Malawi was 2,714 hectares in 2023, according to Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest drivers of deforestation recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 3,087 hectares in 2021.
- What is the lowest drivers of deforestation recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 87.84 hectares in 2004.
- How does Malawi rank for drivers of deforestation?
- Malawi ranks 43rd out of 166 countries with data for 2023.
- Is drivers of deforestation rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1,758.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Drivers of deforestation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 23 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimates of commodity-driven deforestation, measured in hectares per year. This includes deforestation caused by the production of agricultural products and forestry, which account for approximately 90% of the world's deforestation.