By Pallavi Rao
Forests are critical natural resources, often caught in the crosshairs of economic development. Thanks to expanding human settlement, agriculture, and industry, the world lost nearly 1 million square kilometers (kmĀ²) of forest cover since 2001.
But where has most of this deforestation occurred?
We rank the countries by the total decrease in their forest area between 2001 and 2021, measured in square kilometers along with their percentage decrease for context. All of this data was sourced from theĀ World Bank.
A caveat to this data: countries are ranked byĀ totalĀ forest loss, so countries with theĀ largest forestsĀ feature predominantly on this list.
Which Country Has Lost the Most Forests (2001-2021)?
BrazilĀ has lost more than half a million square kilometers of forest in the last two decades. Agricultural expansion for beef and soy production alongside mining and infrastructure growth are the primary drivers behind this large scale deforestation.
This has also causedĀ periodic firesĀ in the Amazon rainforest, drawing repeated alarm from around the world. In fact, Brazil has lost as much forest cover as theĀ next four countriesĀ combined.
The table below lists the countries included in this graphic, as well as several others further down the ranking.
| Rank | Country | Region | 2001ā21 Change (in km2) |
% of Forest Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Ā Brazil |
South America | -517,464 | -9% |
| 2 |  Ā DRC |
Africa | -181,721 | -13% |
| 3 |  Ā Angola |
Africa | -111,012 | -14% |
| 4 |  Ā Sudan |
Africa | -106,213 | -37% |
| 5 |  Ā Indonesia |
Asia | -95,903 | -9% |
| 6 |  Ā Tanzania |
Africa | -80,220 | -15% |
| 7 |  Ā Paraguay |
South America | -68,266 | -30% |
| 8 |  Ā Myanmar |
Asia | -62,712 | -18% |
| 9 |  Ā Argentina |
South America | -45,979 | -14% |
| 10 |  Ā Mozambique |
Africa | -44,688 | -11% |
| 11 |  Ā Bolivia |
South America | -42,791 | -8% |
| 12 |  Ā Colombia |
South America | -36,001 | -6% |
| 13 |  Ā Nigeria |
Africa | -32,661 | -13% |
| 14 |  Ā Peru |
South America | -30,155 | -4% |
| 15 |  Ā Cambodia |
Asia | -28,491 | -26% |
| 16 |  Ā Venezuela |
South America | -28,130 | -6% |
| 17 |  Ā Mexico |
North America | -26,732 | -4% |
| 18 |  Ā Zambia |
Africa | -23,924 | -5% |
| 19 |  Ā Botswana |
Africa | -23,660 | -14% |
| 20 |  Ā Cote d’Ivoire |
Africa | -22,577 | -45% |
What is quickly apparent is how most of the countries on this list are fromĀ AfricaĀ andĀ South America. A study found a correlation where developing economies tend to haveĀ higher deforestation ratesĀ than advanced economies. Former colonies have also experienced more forest loss than those that were not colonized.
In Asia,Ā IndonesiaāsĀ burgeoningĀ palm oil industryĀ is a key driver to deforestation, though efforts are now being made to reverse its impact. Meanwhile,Ā CambodiaĀ experiencedĀ rapid clear-cuttingĀ for its growing rubber plantations and timber industry.
Finally,Ā MyanmarĀ has long contended with illegal logging, but the countryās ongoing civil war is styming conversation efforts.
