TANZANIA

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Tanzania Forest Figures

Forest Cover
Total forest area: 35,257,000 ha
% of land area: 39.9%

Primary forest cover: n/a
% of land area: n/a
% total forest area: n/a

Deforestation Rates, 2000-2005
Annual change in forest cover: -412,200 ha
Annual deforestation rate: -1.1%
Change in defor. rate since '90s: 11.0%
Total forest loss since 1990: -6,184,000 ha
Total forest loss since 1990:-14.9%

Primary or "Old-growth" forests
Annual loss of primary forests: n/a
Annual deforestation rate: n/a
Change in deforestation rate since '90s: n/a
Primary forest loss since 1990: n/a
Primary forest loss since 1990:n/a

Forest Classification
Public: 99.8%
Private: 0.2%
Other: n/a
Use
Production: 71%
Protection: n/a
Conservation: 6%
Social services: n/a
Multiple purpose: 22.9%
None or unknown: n/a

Forest Area Breakdown
Total area: 35,257,000 ha
Primary: n/a
Modified natural: 35,107,000 ha
Semi-natural: n/a
Production plantation: 150,000 ha
Production plantation: n/a

Plantations
Plantations, 2005: 150,000 ha
% of total forest cover: 0.4%
Annual change rate (00-05): n/a

Carbon storage
Above-ground biomass: 3,636 M t
Below-ground biomass: 873 M t

Area annually affected by
Fire: 9,000 ha
Insects: n/a
Diseases: n/a

Number of tree species in IUCN red list
Number of native tree species: n/a
Critically endangered: 8
Endangered: 35
Vulnerable: 49

Wood removal 2005
Industrial roundwood: 2,833,000 m3 o.b.
Wood fuel: 25,200,000 m3 o.b.

Value of forest products, 2005
Industrial roundwood: n/a
Wood fuel: n/a
Non-wood forest products (NWFPs): n/a
Total Value: n/a


More forest statistics for Tanzania

Tanzania still has extensive forest cover, most of which is savanna woodland and montane forest, though there are scattered patches of lowland forest. Much of this forest has high biodiversity and endemism—especially in the southern highlands region. However, these forests are increasingly threatened by fuelwood collection by the rapidly expanding population, as well as by commercial felling of timber and expanding agriculture—which makes up 58 percent of the GNP.

In 2002, the Tanzanian government passed the Forest Act which banned exportation of logs starting in July 2004. However, the regulations were poorly enforced and illegal logging continued apace—by one estimate the country lost 91,000 hectares to illegal felling each year. In early 2006, the Tanzanian government reinforced the export ban logs and sandalwood in an effort to reduce deforestation. The country planted 100 million trees between 1999 and 2006.

Despite 40 percent of the country being preserved in parks, forests are being reduced rapidly in some regions. Overall forest cover fell by 15 percent between 1990 and 2005, but deforestation rates have increased significantly since 2000.

Tanzania's mountainous forests have been in the news lately with the discovery of a new species of monkey and the imminent extinction of a small yellow toad. Overall, Tanzania is home to more than 10,000 species of plants, 316 mammals, 1,056 species of birds, 335 reptiles, 116 amphibians, and 331 species of fish.

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Suggested reading - Books
Unless otherwise specified, this article was written by Rhett A. Butler [Bibliographic citation for this page]

Other resources

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Last updated: 8 Feb 2006