Tree Cover Loss in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone: Tree Cover Loss was 104,934 hectares in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
104,934 hectares
Change on year
down 19.7%
World rank
34th
of 189 countries
All-time high
232,762 hectares
in 2015
All-time low
4,020 hectares
in 2004
Years of data
25
2001–2025

Tree Cover Loss in Sierra Leone, 2001–2025

050.0k100.0k150.0k200.0k250.0k2001201320252001: 18.6k hectares2002: 15.3k hectares2003: 9.1k hectares2004: 4.0k hectares2005: 6.9k hectares2006: 28.5k hectares2007: 21.9k hectares2008: 20.9k hectares2009: 30.5k hectares2010: 8.8k hectares2011: 33.9k hectares2012: 16.4k hectares2013: 170.3k hectares2014: 161.5k hectares2015: 232.8k hectares2016: 177.7k hectares2017: 232.8k hectares2018: 188.2k hectares2019: 175.5k hectares2020: 154.6k hectares2021: 113.0k hectares2022: 119.9k hectares2023: 99.7k hectares2024: 130.7k hectares2025: 104.9k hectares

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 Sierra Leone is 104,934 hectares, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of down 19.7% on the previous year and down 54.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, tree cover loss in Sierra Leone peaked at 232,762 hectares in 2015 and was at its lowest, 4,020 hectares, in 2004.

That places Sierra Leone 34th out of 189 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 17,308 hectares 4,020 hectares 30,546 hectares 9
2010s 139,774 hectares 8,782 hectares 232,762 hectares 10
2020s 120,481 hectares 99,682 hectares 154,641 hectares 6

Countries ranked near Sierra Leone

  1. 31 Nigeria 118,263 hectares compare
  2. 32 Ghana 116,555 hectares compare
  3. 33 Thailand 111,551 hectares compare
  4. 35 Guinea 104,703 hectares compare
  5. 36 South Korea 86,981 hectares compare
  6. 37 Belarus 78,911 hectares compare

See the full ranking of 190 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Sierra Leone

All data for Sierra Leone →

Frequently asked questions

What is tree cover loss in Sierra Leone?
Tree cover loss in Sierra Leone was 104,934 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 Sierra Leone?
The highest recorded value was 232,762 hectares in 2015.
What is the lowest tree cover loss recorded in Sierra Leone?
The lowest recorded value was 4,020 hectares in 2004.
How does Sierra Leone rank for tree cover loss?
Sierra Leone ranks 34th out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
Is tree cover loss rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
Over the last ten years it is down 54.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sierra Leone 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

Indicator
Tree Cover Loss (hectares)
Unit
hectares
Source
Global Forest Watch. Tree Cover Loss (Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
190 places, 4,725 data points, 2001–2025
Last refreshed

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.