SOMALIA

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Somalia Forest Figures

Forest Cover
Total forest area: 7,131,000 ha
% of land area: 11.4%

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

Deforestation Rates, 2000-2005
Annual change in forest cover: -76,800 ha
Annual deforestation rate: -1.0%
Change in defor. rate since '90s: 10.3%
Total forest loss since 1990: -1,151,000 ha
Total forest loss since 1990:-13.9%

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: 100%
Private: n/a
Other: n/a
Use
Production: n.s.%
Protection: n/a
Conservation: n/a
Social services: n/a
Multiple purpose: 100%
None or unknown: n/a

Forest Area Breakdown
Total area: 7,131,000 ha
Primary: n/a
Modified natural: 7,128,000 ha
Semi-natural: n/a
Production plantation: 3,000 ha
Production plantation: n/a

Plantations
Plantations, 2005: 3,000 ha
% of total forest cover: n.s.%
Annual change rate (00-05): n/a

Carbon storage
Above-ground biomass: 624 M t
Below-ground biomass: 150 M t

Area annually affected by
Fire: n/a
Insects: n/a
Diseases: n/a

Number of tree species in IUCN red list
Number of native tree species: n/a
Critically endangered: 0
Endangered: 3
Vulnerable: 14

Wood removal 2005
Industrial roundwood: 132,000 m3 o.b.
Wood fuel: 12,202,000 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 Somalia

Somalia is a failed state and little is known about the current condition of its forests, which cover only a tiny portion of the country. U.N. data suggest that Somalia loses about 1 percent of its forests each year, mostly due to subsistence activities like fuelwood collection, agriculture, and use for building materials.

A recent story from Reuters ("Uphill struggle to preserve Somalia's wildlife," 11 Jan 2006 by Ed Stoddard) gave some insight into Somalia's environmental status. According to the article, Somalia had 40,000 elephants in 1980 but these are almost all gone today. There may be 500-750 lions in the country.

At last count by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre of the United Nations Environment Programme, there were 642 species of birds listed for Somalia, 222 mammals, 182 reptiles, 32 amphibians, and 3,028 species of plants.

Desertification is a problem in Somalia.

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

Other resources

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

Somalia CIA-World Factbook Profile
FAO-Forestry Profile
World Resources Institute


Last updated: 4 Feb 2006