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Total area of primary forest cover, 2005
Statistics from 17 tropical countries for which the United Nations has somewhat reliable figures for primary forest cover. Total deforestation statistics typically fail to distinguish between general deforestation, reforestation through plantations, and the loss of biologically important primary forests (also called old-growth forests). Looking at primary forest loss figures for these countries reveals an alarming increase in deforestation of these endangered ecosystems.
Since the close of the 1990s, rates of primary forest loss have increased in the tropics. Between 2000 and 2005, deforestation rates of primary forest rose 25.6% (from 0.67% per year to 0.84% annually) for these 17 countries in the table below.
Primary forest cover. Sorted by area of primary forest cover. You can sort by other criteria by clicking on column header links.
Region | | | | Total land | | | | Total forest cover | | | | Primary forest cover |
| | | | Area | | | | Area, 2005 | | Area, 2005 | | Annual change 1990-2005 | | Total change 1990-2005 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 | | Annual Change 2000-2005 | | | | Area, 2005 | | Area, 2005 | | Annual change 1990-2005 | | Total change 1990-2005 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 | | Annual Change 2000-2005 | | Rate of Change 1990-2000 vs 2000-2005 |
Country | | | | (1000 ha) | | | | (1000 ha) | | % | | ha | | % | | % | | % | | | | (1000 ha) | | % | | ha | | % | | % | | % | | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Brazil | | | | 851,488 | | | | 477,698 | | 57.2 | | -2821933 | | -8.1 | | -0.52 | | -0.63 | | | | 415,890 | | 48.8 | | -2974867 | | -9.7 | | -0.59 | | -0.80 | | 34.99 |
Peru | | | | 128,522 | | | | 68,742 | | 53.7 | | -94267 | | -2.0 | | -0.13 | | -0.14 | | | | 61,065 | | 47.5 | | -123000 | | -2.9 | | -0.11 | | -0.36 | | 214.69 |
Colombia | | | | 113,891 | | | | 60,728 | | 58.5 | | -47400 | | -1.2 | | -0.08 | | -0.08 | | | | 53,062 | | 46.6 | | -52800 | | -1.5 | | -0.09 | | -0.11 | | 11.03 |
Indonesia | | | | 190,457 | | | | 88,495 | | 48.8 | | -1871467 | | -24.1 | | -1.61 | | -1.91 | | | | 48,702 | | 25.6 | | -1447800 | | -30.8 | | -2.06 | | -2.59 | | 25.88 |
Bolivia | | | | 109,858 | | | | 58,740 | | 54.2 | | -270333 | | -6.5 | | -0.43 | | -0.45 | | | | 29,360 | | 26.7 | | -135200 | | -6.5 | | -0.43 | | -0.45 | | 4.50 |
Papua New Guinea | | | | 46,284 | | | | 29,437 | | 65 | | -139067 | | -6.6 | | -0.44 | | -0.46 | | | | 25,211 | | 54.5 | | -266600 | | -13.7 | | -0.94 | | -0.95 | | 0.50 |
Madagascar | | | | 58,704 | | | | 12,838 | | 22.1 | | -56933 | | -6.2 | | -0.49 | | -0.28 | | | | 10,347 | | 17.6 | | -10400 | | -1.5 | | -0.12 | | -0.07 | | -43.61 |
French Guiana | | | | 9,000 | | | | 8,063 | | 91.8 | | -1867 | | -0.3 | | -0.03 | | 0.00 | | | | 7,701 | | 85.6 | | -13867 | | -2.6 | | -0.19 | | -0.15 | | -17.37 |
Congo | | | | 34,200 | | | | 22,471 | | 65.8 | | -17000 | | -1.1 | | -0.07 | | -0.08 | | | | 7,464 | | 21.8 | | -5600 | | -1.1 | | -0.07 | | -0.07 | | 0.75 |
Panama | | | | 7,552 | | | | 4,294 | | 57.7 | | -5467 | | -1.9 | | -0.16 | | -0.06 | | | | 3,023 | | 40.0 | | -45533 | | -18.4 | | -1.26 | | -1.33 | | 5.84 |
Guatemala | | | | 10,889 | | | | 3,938 | | 36.3 | | -54000 | | -17.1 | | -1.14 | | -1.28 | | | | 1,957 | | 18.0 | | -26800 | | -17.0 | | -1.14 | | -1.28 | | 12.82 |
Senegal | | | | 19,672 | | | | 8,673 | | 45 | | -45000 | | -7.2 | | -0.48 | | -0.51 | | | | 1,598 | | 8.1 | | -10733 | | -9.2 | | -0.60 | | -0.67 | | 10.43 |
Nigeria | | | | 92,377 | | | | 11,089 | | 12.2 | | -409667 | | -35.7 | | -2.38 | | -3.12 | | | | 326 | | 0.4 | | -82000 | | -79.0 | | -5.27 | | -11.14 | | 111.41 |
Cambodia | | | | 18,104 | | | | 10,447 | | 59.2 | | -166600 | | -19.3 | | -1.09 | | -1.90 | | | | 322 | | 1.8 | | -29600 | | -58.0 | | -4.05 | | -5.88 | | 45.22 |
Brunei | | | | 577 | | | | 278 | | 52.8 | | -2333 | | -11.2 | | -0.80 | | -0.69 | | | | 278 | | 48.2 | | -2333 | | -11.2 | | -0.80 | | -0.69 | | -13.06 |
Sri Lanka | | | | 6,561 | | | | 1,933 | | 29.9 | | -27800 | | -17.7 | | -1.14 | | -1.43 | | | | 167 | | 2.5 | | -6000 | | -35.0 | | -2.33 | | -3.05 | | 30.46 |
Viet Nam | | | | 33,169 | | | | 12,931 | | 39.7 | | 237867 | | 38.1 | | 2.52 | | 2.06 | | | | 85 | | 0.3 | | -19933 | | -77.9 | | -5.13 | | -10.91 | | 112.64 |
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Total | | | | 1,731,305 | | | | 880,795 | | 43.5 | | -5793267 | | -8.3 | | -0.57 | | -0.62 | | | | 666558 | | 38.5 | | -5253067 | | -10.6 | | -0.67 | | -0.84 | | 25.6 |
These figures are derived from data provided in "Forest Resources Assessment 2005" by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
A negative number for "Annual change" and/or "total change" reflects deforestation. A positive number in these columns suggests that forest is regrowing or, more likely, plantations are being established. "n/a" means data is not available.
More detailed figures for specific countries can be found at Country by Country Deforestation Rates
Other pages in this section:
Selection of information sources
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