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ANGOLA
Angola Forest Figures
Forest CoverTotal forest area: 59,104,000 ha % of land area: 47.4%
Primary forest cover: n/a % of land area: 0% % total forest area: n/a
Deforestation Rates, 2000-2005Annual change in forest cover: -124,800 ha Annual deforestation rate: -0.2% Change in defor. rate since '90s: 2.1% Total forest loss since 1990: -1,872,000 ha Total forest loss since 1990:-3.1%
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 ClassificationPublic: 100% Private: 0% Other: 0% Use Production: 4% Protection: n/a Conservation: 3.2% Social services: n/a Multiple purpose: n/a None or unknown: 92.9
Forest Area BreakdownTotal area: 59,104,000 ha Primary: n/a Modified natural: 58,973,000 ha Semi-natural: n/a Production plantation: 131,000 ha Production plantation: n/a
PlantationsPlantations, 2005: 131,000 ha % of total forest cover: 0.2% Annual change rate (00-05): -564,000 ha
Carbon storageAbove-ground biomass: 7,605 M t Below-ground biomass: 2,053 M t
Area annually affected byFire: n/a Insects: n/a Diseases: n/a
Number of tree species in IUCN red listNumber of native tree species: n/a Critically endangered: 0 Endangered: 2 Vulnerable: 19
Angola's rainforests, located in the north of the country, are most threatened by subsistence agriculture which provides food for almost 90 percent of the population. Overgrazing and cutting forest for fuelwood are also significant causes of forest clearing and degradation.
Overall, Angola has a low deforestation rate relative to its total forest cover. Between 1990 and 2005, the country lost only 3 percent of its forests and the rate of forest conversion has kept fairly steady.
Some areas are reportedly showing the effects of land clearing, including severe soil erosion, heavy siltation of rivers and dams, and desertification.
More than 20 years of civil war have let much of Angola damaged. The government, which has hired pricey mercenararies from South Africa to put down uprisings in the resource-rich Cabinda and other areas, is heavily indebted and had sold a number of timber concessions to foreign timber companies. Oil and minerals are also important sources of revenue that could have an adverse impact on the environment.
On paper 10 percent of Angola is protected. The country has some 5,185 species of plants, 930 birds, 235 mammals, 296 reptiles, and 85 amphibians.
Contact me if you have suggestions on other rainforest-related environmental sites and resources for this country.
Image copyright Google Earth, MDA EarthSet, DigitalGlobe 2005
Indigenous people, forest communities in Africa control less than 2% of forest land
(05/28/2009) Less than 2 percent of Africa’s tropical forests are under community control, hindering efforts to slow deforestation and alleviate rural poverty, reports a new assessment from the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), a global coalition of non-governmental and community organizations.
