Deforestation statistics for Costa Rica

Costa Rica: Demographic data

Population (2022)	5,094,118
Annual population growth rate (2022)	0.90%
Population density (people/sq km)	100
Net migration	4,200
Fertility rate	1.8
Median age	33
Urban population share	80%

Costa Rica: Land cover and land use change data

Land area (sq km): 51,060

Tree cover (30%)
Tree cover extent in 2000 (ha): 3,913,052
Tree cover extent as % of land area: 76.60%

Tree cover loss from 2001-20 (ha): 253,188
Tree cover extent as % of 2000 tree cover: 6.50%

Tropical primary forest
Primary forest extent in 2001 (ha): 1,485,836
Primary forest extent as % of land area: 29.10%
Primary forest extent as % of 2000 tree cover: 38.00%

Primary forest loss from 2002-20 (ha): 26,170
Primary forest loss from 2002-20 as % of 2001 primary forest cover: 1.80%

Primary forest extent in 2020 (ha): 1,459,666
Primary forest extent in 2020 as % of land area: 28.60%
Primary forest extent in 2020 as % of 2000 tree cover area: 37%

Costa Rica: Annual forest and tree cover data

Costa Rica: Tropical primary forest loss by year All figures in hectares

Year: Hectares
2002: 752
2003: 591
2004: 603
2005: 868
2006: 713
2007: 845
2008: 1,311
2009: 1,998
2010: 1,107
2011: 998
2012: 754
2013: 760
2014: 958
2015: 221
2016: 1,581
2017: 7,695
2018: 1,708
2019: 1,427
2020: 1,279

Costa Rica: Tree cover loss by year 30% tree cover threshold; all figures in hectares

Year: Hectares
2001: 15,462
2002: 13,289
2003: 8,261
2004: 9,767
2005: 16,563
2006: 10,059
2007: 11,448
2008: 21,875
2009: 22,465
2010: 13,145
2011: 10,496
2012: 10,367
2013: 7,786
2014: 10,934
2015: 3,300
2016: 13,791
2017: 22,096
2018: 12,338
2019: 11,486
2020: 8,261

Tree cover loss by year at the subnational level (administrative level 1)

Sub-national admin area 1	Tree cover extent (2001) ha	Tree cover loss (2001-05) ha	Tree cover loss (2006-10) ha	Tree cover loss (2011-15) ha	Tree cover loss (2016-20) ha	Tree cover loss (2001-20) ha	Tree cover loss (2001-20) %
Alajuela	684,562	15,879	22,139	7,665	17,420	63,103	9.2%
Cartago	265,156	1,634	2,362	979	1,955	6,930	2.6%
Guanacaste	609,257	12,479	11,335	5,185	5,445	34,444	5.7%
Heredia	220,259	3,027	3,732	2,370	3,905	13,034	5.9%
Limón	819,973	7,220	9,453	9,599	19,540	45,813	5.6%
Puntarenas	911,103	15,841	22,947	13,432	15,803	68,022	7.5%
San José	402,740	7,263	7,023	3,653	3,903	21,842	5.4%

Tree cover loss by year at the subnational level (administrative level 2)

Sub-national admin area 1	Admin area 2	Tree cover extent (2000) ha	Tree cover loss (2001-05) ha	Tree cover loss (2006-10) ha	Tree cover loss (2011-15) ha	Tree cover loss (2016-20) ha	Tree cover loss (2001-20) ha	Tree cover loss (2001-20) %
Alajuela	Alajuela	6,945	6	57	3	7	72	1.0%
Alajuela	Poás	975	1	0	1	2	5	0.5%
Alajuela	San Carlos	50,958	78	231	104	2,388	2,801	5.5%
Alajuela	San Ramón	48,811	32	62	38	40	171	0.4%
Alajuela	Upala	22,566	101	309	106	301	817	3.6%
Alajuela	Valverde Vega	5,173	2	3	3	10	19	0.4%
Alajuela	Alfaro Ruiz	2,616	1	2	1	3	8	0.3%
Alajuela	Grecia	5,237	8	26	3	47	84	1.6%
Alajuela	Guatuso	9,478	26	62	34	79	200	2.1%
Alajuela	Los Chiles	2,127	6	17	6	1,088	1,117	52.5%
Alajuela	Naranjo	291	0	0	0	0	0	0.1%
Alajuela	Orotina	87	0	0	0	0	1	1.0%
Cartago	Alvarado	1,734	1	1	2	29	33	1.9%
Cartago	Cartago	6,598	1	11	3	9	24	0.4%
Cartago	El Guarco	9,372	5	4	10	5	24	0.3%
Cartago	Jiménez	17,497	6	13	14	90	123	0.7%
Cartago	La Unión	180	1	0	3	0	4	2.2%
Cartago	Oreamuno	11,435	2	4	4	0	10	0.1%
Cartago	Paraíso	32,002	9	10	6	36	61	0.2%
Cartago	Turrialba	102,872	183	638	131	260	1,213	1.2%
Guanacaste	Abangares	9,409	36	46	25	30	136	1.5%
Guanacaste	Santa Cruz	813	1	1	4	0	6	0.7%
Guanacaste	Tilarán	10,451	35	51	18	25	129	1.2%
Guanacaste	Bagaces	10,888	16	37	22	136	211	1.9%
Guanacaste	Cañas	5,317	34	63	37	42	176	3.3%
Guanacaste	Carrillo	142	0	2	0	0	2	1.8%
Guanacaste	La Cruz	13,560	75	174	50	309	609	4.5%
Guanacaste	Liberia	20,319	44	66	21	54	185	0.9%
Guanacaste	Nandayure	2,671	1	3	1	3	8	0.3%
Guanacaste	Nicoya	2,118	1	0	0	1	3	0.1%
Heredia	Barva	1,584	0	1	0	0	1	0.1%
Heredia	Sarapiquí	74,076	190	426	306	668	1,590	2.1%
Heredia	Heredia	24,070	4	23	6	3	35	0.1%
Heredia	San Isidro	277	0	0	0	5	5	1.7%
Heredia	San Rafael	1,649	2	0	0	1	4	0.3%
Heredia	Santa Bárbara	838	0	3	14	5	23	2.7%
Limón	Guácimo	14,588	39	63	35	218	356	2.4%
Limón	Limón	115,740	241	501	577	983	2,301	2.0%
Limón	Matina	35,721	134	212	251	371	967	2.7%
Limón	Pococí	99,184	289	459	247	3,390	4,385	4.4%
Limón	Siquirres	22,841	116	216	210	292	835	3.7%
Limón	Talamanca	229,876	244	514	491	811	2,060	0.9%
Puntarenas	Aguirre	15,892	44	108	48	76	275	1.7%
Puntarenas	Parrita	8,070	18	30	12	30	90	1.1%
Puntarenas	Puntarenas	14,277	16	50	12	48	127	0.9%
Puntarenas	Buenos Aires	60,740	211	356	111	319	998	1.6%
Puntarenas	Corredores	5,071	32	79	56	73	240	4.7%
Puntarenas	Coto Brus	36,955	59	91	41	41	232	0.6%
Puntarenas	Esparza	502	0	0	0	7	7	1.5%
Puntarenas	Garabito	4,492	8	24	7	17	56	1.2%
Puntarenas	Golfito	74,607	90	203	163	345	802	1.1%
Puntarenas	Montes de Oro	2,911	5	9	6	4	24	0.8%
Puntarenas	Osa	85,628	106	214	205	363	889	1.0%
San José	Acosta	5,992	13	24	19	21	76	1.3%
San José	Mora	670	0	3	0	1	4	0.6%
San José	Moravia	1,526	0	0	0	0	1	0.1%
San José	Pérez Zeledón	64,694	132	232	88	242	695	1.1%
San José	Puriscal	3,866	9	18	9	13	49	1.3%
San José	Santa Ana	147	0	0	0	0	0	0.0%
San José	Tarrazú	11,426	30	93	33	144	299	2.6%
San José	Turrubares	5,856	6	2	5	1	14	0.2%
San José	Alajuelita	168	0	0	0	0	0	0.1%
San José	Vásquez de Coronado	15,448	2	10	20	7	39	0.2%
San José	Aserrí	2,780	7	8	5	5	25	0.9%
San José	Desamparados	913	7	16	4	4	31	3.4%
San José	Dota	28,615	46	83	49	177	355	1.2%
San José	Escazú	83	0	0	0	0	0	0.0%
San José	Goicoechea	245	0	0	0	0	0	0.0%
San José	León Cortés	1,174	2	8	7	11	28	2.4%

Primary forest loss by year at the subnational level (administrative level 2)

Sub-national admin area 1	Primary forest extent (2000) ha	Primary forest loss (2001-05) ha	Primary forest loss (2006-10) ha	Primary forest loss (2011-15) ha	Primary forest loss (2016-20) ha	Primary forest loss (2001-20) ha	Primary forest loss (2001-20) %
Alajuela	155,263	262	769	300	3,966	5,296	3.4%
Cartago	181,690	208	681	173	430	1,492	0.8%
Guanacaste	75,688	243	442	179	600	1,465	1.9%
Heredia	102,495	196	454	326	682	1,658	1.6%
Limón	517,950	1,062	1,966	1,811	6,065	10,904	2.1%
Puntarenas	309,146	589	1,165	662	1,324	3,739	1.2%
San José	143,603	254	497	239	625	1,615	1.1%

Primary forest loss by year at the subnational area (administrative level 2)

Sub-national admin area 1	Admin area 2	Primary forest extent (2001) ha	Primary forest loss (2001-05) ha	Primary forest loss (2006-10) ha	Primary forest loss (2011-15) ha	Primary forest loss (2016-20) ha	Primary forest loss (2001-20) ha	Primary forest loss (2001-20) %
Alajuela	Alajuela	6,945	6	57	3	7	72	1.0%
Alajuela	Poás	975	1	0	1	2	5	0.5%
Alajuela	San Carlos	50,958	78	231	104	2,388	2,801	5.5%
Alajuela	San Ramón	48,811	32	62	38	40	171	0.4%
Alajuela	Upala	22,566	101	309	106	301	817	3.6%
Alajuela	Valverde Vega	5,173	2	3	3	10	19	0.4%
Alajuela	Alfaro Ruiz	2,616	1	2	1	3	8	0.3%
Alajuela	Grecia	5,237	8	26	3	47	84	1.6%
Alajuela	Guatuso	9,478	26	62	34	79	200	2.1%
Alajuela	Los Chiles	2,127	6	17	6	1,088	1,117	52.5%
Alajuela	Naranjo	291	0	0	0	0	0	0.1%
Alajuela	Orotina	87	0	0	0	0	1	1.0%
Cartago	Alvarado	1,734	1	1	2	29	33	1.9%
Cartago	Cartago	6,598	1	11	3	9	24	0.4%
Cartago	El Guarco	9,372	5	4	10	5	24	0.3%
Cartago	Jiménez	17,497	6	13	14	90	123	0.7%
Cartago	La Unión	180	1	0	3	0	4	2.2%
Cartago	Oreamuno	11,435	2	4	4	0	10	0.1%
Cartago	Paraíso	32,002	9	10	6	36	61	0.2%
Cartago	Turrialba	102,872	183	638	131	260	1,213	1.2%
Guanacaste	Abangares	9,409	36	46	25	30	136	1.5%
Guanacaste	Santa Cruz	813	1	1	4	0	6	0.7%
Guanacaste	Tilarán	10,451	35	51	18	25	129	1.2%
Guanacaste	Bagaces	10,888	16	37	22	136	211	1.9%
Guanacaste	Cañas	5,317	34	63	37	42	176	3.3%
Guanacaste	Carrillo	142	0	2	0	0	2	1.8%
Guanacaste	La Cruz	13,560	75	174	50	309	609	4.5%
Guanacaste	Liberia	20,319	44	66	21	54	185	0.9%
Guanacaste	Nandayure	2,671	1	3	1	3	8	0.3%
Guanacaste	Nicoya	2,118	1	0	0	1	3	0.1%
Heredia	Barva	1,584	0	1	0	0	1	0.1%
Heredia	Sarapiquí	74,076	190	426	306	668	1,590	2.1%
Heredia	Heredia	24,070	4	23	6	3	35	0.1%
Heredia	San Isidro	277	0	0	0	5	5	1.7%
Heredia	San Rafael	1,649	2	0	0	1	4	0.3%
Heredia	Santa Bárbara	838	0	3	14	5	23	2.7%
Limón	Guácimo	14,588	39	63	35	218	356	2.4%
Limón	Limón	115,740	241	501	577	983	2,301	2.0%
Limón	Matina	35,721	134	212	251	371	967	2.7%
Limón	Pococí	99,184	289	459	247	3,390	4,385	4.4%
Limón	Siquirres	22,841	116	216	210	292	835	3.7%
Limón	Talamanca	229,876	244	514	491	811	2,060	0.9%
Puntarenas	Aguirre	15,892	44	108	48	76	275	1.7%
Puntarenas	Parrita	8,070	18	30	12	30	90	1.1%
Puntarenas	Puntarenas	14,277	16	50	12	48	127	0.9%
Puntarenas	Buenos Aires	60,740	211	356	111	319	998	1.6%
Puntarenas	Corredores	5,071	32	79	56	73	240	4.7%
Puntarenas	Coto Brus	36,955	59	91	41	41	232	0.6%
Puntarenas	Esparza	502	0	0	0	7	7	1.5%
Puntarenas	Garabito	4,492	8	24	7	17	56	1.2%
Puntarenas	Golfito	74,607	90	203	163	345	802	1.1%
Puntarenas	Montes de Oro	2,911	5	9	6	4	24	0.8%
Puntarenas	Osa	85,628	106	214	205	363	889	1.0%
San José	Acosta	5,992	13	24	19	21	76	1.3%
San José	Mora	670	0	3	0	1	4	0.6%
San José	Moravia	1,526	0	0	0	0	1	0.1%
San José	Pérez Zeledón	64,694	132	232	88	242	695	1.1%
San José	Puriscal	3,866	9	18	9	13	49	1.3%
San José	Santa Ana	147	0	0	0	0	0	0.0%
San José	Tarrazú	11,426	30	93	33	144	299	2.6%
San José	Turrubares	5,856	6	2	5	1	14	0.2%
San José	Alajuelita	168	0	0	0	0	0	0.1%
San José	Vásquez de Coronado	15,448	2	10	20	7	39	0.2%
San José	Aserrí	2,780	7	8	5	5	25	0.9%
San José	Desamparados	913	7	16	4	4	31	3.4%
San José	Dota	28,615	46	83	49	177	355	1.2%
San José	Escazú	83	0	0	0	0	0	0.0%
San José	Goicoechea	245	0	0	0	0	0	0.0%
San José	León Cortés	1,174	2	8	7	11	28	2.4%

2019 forest data for Costa Rica | Archived forest data for Costa Rica | Forest data for Costa Rica

Data Source: Tree cover loss: Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA via Global Forest Watch. Administrative boundaries: Global Administrative Areas database (GADM), version 3.6.

Citation: Mongabay. "Deforestation statistics for [selected country name]". Accessed on [date] from worldrainforests.com.

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