Tree Cover Loss in Rwanda
Rwanda: Tree Cover Loss was 3,758 hectares in 2025. ▲ Rising
Tree Cover Loss in Rwanda, 2001–2025
Source: Global Forest Watch. Tree Cover Loss (Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA). Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for tree cover loss in Rwanda is 3,758 hectares, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 69.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tree cover loss in Rwanda peaked at 4,291 hectares in 2018 and was at its lowest, 746 hectares, in 2006.
That places Rwanda 105th out of 190 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Tree Cover Loss in Rwanda, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1,517 hectares | — |
| 2002 | 941 hectares | -38.0% |
| 2003 | 1,061 hectares | +12.8% |
| 2004 | 1,122 hectares | +5.7% |
| 2005 | 822 hectares | -26.7% |
| 2006 | 746 hectares | -9.2% |
| 2007 | 1,430 hectares | +91.7% |
| 2008 | 1,101 hectares | -23.0% |
| 2009 | 1,382 hectares | +25.5% |
| 2010 | 2,450 hectares | +77.3% |
| 2011 | 926 hectares | -62.2% |
| 2012 | 1,091 hectares | +17.8% |
| 2013 | 2,473 hectares | +126.7% |
| 2014 | 2,890 hectares | +16.9% |
| 2015 | 2,217 hectares | -23.3% |
| 2016 | 2,778 hectares | +25.3% |
| 2017 | 2,731 hectares | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 4,291 hectares | +57.1% |
| 2019 | 2,516 hectares | -41.4% |
| 2020 | 3,187 hectares | +26.7% |
| 2021 | 2,922 hectares | -8.3% |
| 2022 | 2,536 hectares | -13.2% |
| 2023 | 3,036 hectares | +19.7% |
| 2024 | 3,605 hectares | +18.7% |
| 2025 | 3,758 hectares | +4.2% |
Rwanda compared with similar countries
- Rwanda's 3,758 hectares is below the median for low income countries, which is 8,372 hectares, 45% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Rwanda's 3,758 hectares is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 8,252 hectares, 46% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1,125 hectares | 746 hectares | 1,517 hectares | 9 |
| 2010s | 2,436 hectares | 926 hectares | 4,291 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 3,174 hectares | 2,536 hectares | 3,758 hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Rwanda
- 102 Kazakhstan 3,963 hectares compare
- 103 Albania 3,825 hectares compare
- 104 Bosnia and Herzegovina 3,791 hectares compare
- 106 Switzerland 3,729 hectares compare
- 107 Denmark 3,702 hectares compare
- 108 Bhutan 3,446 hectares compare
More agriculture & rural data for Rwanda
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 5.79 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.203 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 228.16 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.6953 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6909 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 20.3% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 20.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.8% (2022)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.9% (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tree cover loss in Rwanda?
- Tree cover loss in Rwanda was 3,758 hectares in 2025, according to Global Forest Watch. Tree Cover Loss (Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA).
- What is the highest tree cover loss recorded in Rwanda?
- The highest recorded value was 4,291 hectares in 2018.
- What is the lowest tree cover loss recorded in Rwanda?
- The lowest recorded value was 746 hectares in 2006.
- How does Rwanda rank for tree cover loss?
- Rwanda ranks 105th out of 190 countries with data for 2025.
- Is tree cover loss rising or falling in Rwanda?
- Over the last ten years it is up 69.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Rwanda data come from?
- The figures come from Global Forest Watch. Tree Cover Loss (Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA), published as part of Tree Cover Loss (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Shows year-by-year tree cover loss, defined as stand level replacement of vegetation greater than 5 meters, within the selected area. The tree cover loss data set is a collaboration of the University of Maryland, Google, USGS, and NASA, and uses Landsat satellite images to map annual tree cover loss at a 30 × 30 meter resolution. Note that “tree cover loss” is not the same as “deforestation” – tree cover loss includes change in both natural and planted forest, and does not need to be human caused. The data from 2011 onward were produced with an updated methodology that may capture additional loss. Comparisons between the original 2001-2010 data and future years should be performed with caution.