Drivers of deforestation in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico: Drivers of deforestation was 36.39 hectares in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Drivers of deforestation in Puerto Rico, 2002–2023
Source: Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Puerto Rico recorded 36.39 hectares for drivers of deforestation in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 837.9% on the previous year and up 313.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drivers of deforestation in Puerto Rico peaked at 44.29 hectares in 2002 and was at its lowest, 3.88 hectares, in 2022.
Puerto Rico ranks 101st of 166 countries on this measure, 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 Puerto Rico, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 44.29 hectares | — |
| 2003 | 30.73 hectares | -30.6% |
| 2004 | 42.89 hectares | +39.6% |
| 2005 | 38.65 hectares | -9.9% |
| 2006 | 13.51 hectares | -65.0% |
| 2018 | 8.8 hectares | -34.9% |
| 2019 | 6.41 hectares | -27.2% |
| 2020 | 7.58 hectares | +18.3% |
| 2021 | 5.35 hectares | -29.4% |
| 2022 | 3.88 hectares | -27.5% |
| 2023 | 36.39 hectares | +837.9% |
Puerto Rico compared with similar countries
- Puerto Rico's 36.39 hectares is below the median for high income countries, which is 69.88 hectares, 52% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Puerto Rico's 36.39 hectares is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 220.38 hectares, 17% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 34.01 hectares | 13.51 hectares | 44.29 hectares | 5 |
| 2010s | 7.61 hectares | 6.41 hectares | 8.8 hectares | 2 |
| 2020s | 13.3 hectares | 3.88 hectares | 36.39 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Puerto Rico
More environment data for Puerto Rico
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.4091 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.5906 Percentage change (2025)
- Temperature change 1.16 °C (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.268 °C (2025)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Value US$ 864.98 million USD (2024)
- Land area equipped for irrigation — Area 22.04 1000 ha (2024)
- Land area equipped for irrigation — Share in Cropland 30.48 % (2024)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Value Standard 864.98 million SLC (2024)
- Value Added (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing) — Share of GDP US$ 0.6901 % (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is drivers of deforestation in Puerto Rico?
- Drivers of deforestation in Puerto Rico was 36.39 hectares in 2023, according to Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest drivers of deforestation recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The highest recorded value was 44.29 hectares in 2002.
- What is the lowest drivers of deforestation recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.88 hectares in 2022.
- How does Puerto Rico rank for drivers of deforestation?
- Puerto Rico ranks 101st out of 166 countries with data for 2023.
- Is drivers of deforestation rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
- Over the last ten years it is up 313.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Puerto Rico 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 — 11 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.