Imported deforestation in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe: Imported deforestation was 2,264 hectares in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Imported deforestation in Zimbabwe, 2005–2023
Source: Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Zimbabwe recorded 2,264 hectares for imported deforestation in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.3% on the previous year and down 54.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, imported deforestation in Zimbabwe peaked at 6,800 hectares in 2015 and was at its lowest, 1,397 hectares, in 2005.
That places Zimbabwe 98th 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.
Imported deforestation in Zimbabwe, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 1,397 hectares | — |
| 2006 | 1,746 hectares | +25.0% |
| 2007 | 1,951 hectares | +11.8% |
| 2008 | 2,504 hectares | +28.3% |
| 2009 | 3,903 hectares | +55.9% |
| 2010 | 6,574 hectares | +68.4% |
| 2011 | 5,943 hectares | -9.6% |
| 2012 | 6,128 hectares | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 4,976 hectares | -18.8% |
| 2014 | 5,532 hectares | +11.2% |
| 2015 | 6,800 hectares | +22.9% |
| 2016 | 4,697 hectares | -30.9% |
| 2017 | 3,707 hectares | -21.1% |
| 2018 | 2,564 hectares | -30.8% |
| 2019 | 1,876 hectares | -26.8% |
| 2020 | 1,825 hectares | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 1,481 hectares | -18.8% |
| 2022 | 2,415 hectares | +63.0% |
| 2023 | 2,264 hectares | -6.3% |
Zimbabwe compared with similar countries
- Zimbabwe's 2,264 hectares is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 2,331 hectares, 97% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Zimbabwe's 2,264 hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1,888 hectares, 1.2× the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2,300 hectares | 1,397 hectares | 3,903 hectares | 5 |
| 2010s | 4,880 hectares | 1,876 hectares | 6,800 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,997 hectares | 1,481 hectares | 2,415 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zimbabwe
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 imported deforestation in Zimbabwe?
- Imported deforestation in Zimbabwe was 2,264 hectares in 2023, according to Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest imported deforestation recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The highest recorded value was 6,800 hectares in 2015.
- What is the lowest imported deforestation recorded in Zimbabwe?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,397 hectares in 2005.
- How does Zimbabwe rank for imported deforestation?
- Zimbabwe ranks 98th out of 178 countries with data for 2023.
- Is imported deforestation rising or falling in Zimbabwe?
- Over the last ten years it is down 54.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zimbabwe data come from?
- The figures come from Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Imported deforestation. 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
Imported deforestation is the amount of deforestation in other countries that is driven by the production of food and forestry products that are imported. This is measured in hectares.