TROPICAL RAINFORESTS: Deforestation rates tables and charts

Belize Forest Information and Data

According to the U.N. FAO, 61.1% or about 1,393,000 ha of Belize is forested, according to FAO. Of this 43.0% ( 599,000 ) is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse and carbon-dense form of forest. Belize had 2,000 ha of planted forest.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2010, Belize lost an average of 9,650 ha or 0.61% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, Belize lost 12.2% of its forest cover, or around 193,000 ha.

Belize's forests contain 171 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass. Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Belize has some 877 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 1.7% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 2.1% are threatened. Belize is home to at least 2894 species of vascular plants, of which 5.2% are endemic. 28.6% of Belize is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

2011 Update

In May 2011, Sassan Saatchi of Caltech's Jet Propulsion Lab and colleagues published a paper in PNAS with
new carbon stock estimates for global tropical forests.

Forest definition (canopy cover %)10% tree cover25% tree cover30% tree cover
Forest Area (M ha)222
Aboveground forest carbon (Mt C)158147144
Belowground forest carbon (Mt C)444140
Total forest carbon (Mt C)202188184
Average Carbon Density (t C/ha)102105106
M=million, t=metric tons; all figures are mean carbon stock values

Belize Environmental profile | Belize pictures

The following contains data relating to forest cover in Belize

Previous version of this profile (2009)

SECTIONS:

Forest Cover | Breakdown of forest types | Change in Forest Cover | Deforestation | Primary forest | Planted forest | Forest designation | Forest ownership | Growing stock | Carbon stock | Disturbances affecting forest land | Removals | Removals Value | Employment | Forest policy | Human resources | Revenue | Agreements | Protected areas | Biodiversity - Wildlife | Biodiversity - Plants | Environment | Land use / Resources | Economy | Population / Demographics | Infrastructure | Health | References | Books










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Belize: Forest Cover, 2010
Total Land Area (1000 ha)2281
Total Forest Area (1000 ha)1393
Percent Forest Cover61
Primary Forest Cover (1000 ha)599
Primary Forest, % total forest43
Other wooded land (1000 ha)113
Percent other wooded land5




Belize: Breakdown of forest types, 2010
Primary forest (1000 ha | % of forest area)59943
Other naturally regenerated forest (1000 ha | % of forest area)79257
Planted Forest (1000 ha | % of forest area)2n.s.


Belize: Trends in Total (Net) Forest Cover, 1990-2010
TOTAL FOREST COVER (1000 ha)
1990200020052010
1586148914411393
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation
1990-20002000-20052005-2010
-10-10-10
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation
1990-20002000-20052005-2010
-0.63-0.65-0.68


Belize: Trends in Natural Forest Cover (Deforestation), 1990-2010
FOREST COVER (excluding planted forests) (1000 ha)
1990200020052010
1584148714391391
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation
1990-20002000-20052005-2010
-10-10-10
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation
1990-20002000-20052005-2010
-0.6-0.61-0.65


Belize: Trends in Primary or Old Growth Forest Cover, 1990-2010
PRIMARY FOREST COVER (1000 ha)
1990200020052010
599599599599
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation
1990-20002000-20052005-2010
000
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation
1990-20002000-20052005-2010
000


Belize: Trends in Planted Forest Cover, 1990-2010
PLANTED FOREST COVER (1000 ha)
1990200020052010
2222
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation
1990-20002000-20052005-2010
n.s.0n.s.
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation
1990-20002000-20052005-2010
0.4500.85


Belize: Primary designated function (percent)
ProductionProtection of soil and waterConservation of biodiversitySocial servicesMultiple useOtherNone or unknown
004300057


Belize: Forest ownership and management rights 2005 (percent)
OWNERSHIP PATTERN
Public ownershipPrivate ownershipOther
---


PRIVATE OWNERSHIP
IndividualsBusiness entities and institutionsLocal, indigenous and tribal communities
---


HOLDER OF MANAGEMENT RIGHTS OF PUBLIC FORESTS
Public administrationIndividualsBusiness entities and InstitutionsCommunitiesOther
-----
Belize: Growing stock in forest
GROWING STOCK IN FOREST
Total
(million m3)
Per hectare
(m3)
Coniferous
(million m3)
Broadleaved
(million m3)
% commercial species
226162---
GROWING STOCK IN FOREST
Total (million m3)Per hectare (m3)Coniferous (million m3)Broadleaved (million m3)% commercial species
--


Belize: Trends in carbon stock in living forest biomass 1990-2010
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(million metric tons)
1990200020052010
195184178171
CARBON STOCK IN LIVING FOREST BIOMASS
(per hectare in tons)
2000
123
ANNUAL CHANGE
(1 000 t/yr)
1990200020052010
-1-1-1
ANNUAL CHANGE PER HECTARE
(t/ha/yr)
1990200020052010
n.s.n.s.n.s.


Belize: Area of forest affected by fire and other disturbances 2005
FOREST FIRE
1000 ha% wild fire (not managed burn)
--


EXCLUDING FOREST FIRE
InsectsDiseasesOther biotic agentsAbiotic factorsTotal (excluding fire)% of 2005 forest area
------


Belize: Trends in removals of wood products 1990-2005
INDUSTRIAL ROUNDWOOD
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark)
199020002005percent of which from forest 2005
717159-
WOODFUEL
Total volume (1 000 m3 over bark)
199020002005percent of which from forest 2005
145145270-


Belize: Value of wood and NWFP removals 2005
Value of removals
(million US$)
Value per ha forest
(US$)
Industrial roundwoodWoodfuelNWFPTotal
-----


Belize: Employment in forestry 1990-2005
TOTAL
(1000 full-time employees)
199020002005
---
IN PRIMARY PRODUCTION OF GOODS-FORESTRY
(1000 full-time employees)
199020002005
---
IN MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS-CONSERVATION
(1000 full-time employees)
199020002005
---


Belize: Forest policy and legal framework 2008
National forest policy (year): - (-)
Sub-national forest policy: -
National forest program (year) - status: - (-) -
National forest law (year): - (-) Sub-national forest law: -

Belize: Human resources within public forest institutions 2000-2008
200020052008
#% female#% female#% female
------


Belize: Forest revenue and public expenditure on forestry 2005
Forest revenuePublic expenditure (1000 US$)
Domestic fundingExternal fundingTotal
(1000 US$)Operational expenditureTransfer paymentsOperational expenditureTransfer paymentsOperational expenditureTransfer payments
-------


Belize: Status of ratification of international conventions and agreements as of 1 January 2010
  • CbD:
  • UNFCCC:
  • Kyoto Protocol:
  • UNCCD:
  • ITTA:
  • CITeS:
  • Ramsar:
  • World Heritage Convention:
  • NlbI: [an error occurred while processing this directive] Belize: Environment
    Environment - current issuesdeforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal
    Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
    signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
    Natural hazardsfrequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)


    Belize: Land use / Resources
    Land use (%)arable land: 2.85%
    permanent crops: 1.71%
    other: 95.44% (2001)
    Natural resourcesarable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower


    Belize: Economy
    Economy - overview:In this small, essentially private enterprise economy the tourism industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to sturdy GDP growth averaging nearly 5% in 1999-2005. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and foreign debt. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors.
    GDP - per capita$6,800 (2005 est.)
    GDP - real growth rate (%)3.8% (2005 est.)
    Agriculture - productsbananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments
    GDP - composition by sector (%)agriculture: 22.5%, industry: 23%, services: 54.5% (2004 est.)
    Industries garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
    Economic aid - recipientNA
    Debt - external$1.362 billion (June 2004 est.)
    Population below poverty line (%)33% (1999 est.)
    Labor force - by occupation (%)agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.)


    Belize: Population / Demographics
    Population (July 2005)279,457
    Population growth rate (%) (2005)2.33%
    Population density (people/sq km) (2005)12.3
    Percent rural (2003)51.7%
    Median age (years)total: 19.35 years
    Total fertility rate (children born/woman)3.68 (2005 est.)
    Ethnic groups (%)mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%


    [an error occurred while processing this directive]--> Belize: Infrastructure
    Telephones - main lines in use33,300 (2003)
    Telephones - mobile cellular60,400 (2003)
    Roadways (km)total: 2,872 km
    paved: 488 km
    unpaved: 2,384 km (1999)


    Belize: Health
    Life expectancy at birth (years)total population: 68.44 years
    male: 66.54 years
    female: 70.44 years (2005 est.)
    Infant mortality rate25.69 deaths/1,000 live births
    HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%)2.4% (2003 est.)

    Belize : References & Data Sources
     Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
     Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005 & 2010) and the State of the World's Forests (2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2001)
     Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
     Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
     RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
     World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
     The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
     Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
     With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com



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