TROPICAL RAINFORESTS: Deforestation rates tables and charts

DR Congo Forest Information and Data

According to the U.N. FAO, 68.0% or about 154,135,000 ha of Democratic Republic of the Congo is forested, according to FAO. Of this #VALUE! ( #VALUE! ) is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse and carbon-dense form of forest. Democratic Republic of the Congo had 59,000 ha of planted forest.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2010, Democratic Republic of the Congo lost an average of 311,400 ha or 0.19% per year. In total, between 1990 and 2010, Democratic Republic of the Congo lost 3.9% of its forest cover, or around 6,228,000 ha.

Democratic Republic of the Congo's forests contain 19,639 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass. Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Congo, Dem Rep has some 2100 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 6.6% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 3.5% are threatened. Congo, Dem Rep is home to at least 11007 species of vascular plants, of which 10.0% are endemic. 5.1% of Congo, Dem Rep 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)205177164
Aboveground forest carbon (Mt C)18,93017,80517,314
Belowground forest carbon (Mt C)5,2134,8574,700
Total forest carbon (Mt C)24,14322,66222,014
Average Carbon Density (t C/ha)118128134
M=million, t=metric tons; all figures are mean carbon stock values

Congo, Dem Rep Environmental profile

The following contains data relating to forest cover in DR Congo

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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[an error occurred while processing this directive] DR Congo: Forest Cover, 2010
Total Land Area (1000 square kilometers)35473
Total Forest Area (1000 ha)20433
Percent Forest Cover20036
Primary Forest Cover (1000 ha)No
Primary Forest, % total forestYes
Other wooded land (1000 ha)19838
Percent other wooded land19639




DR Congo: Breakdown of forest types, 2010
Primary forest (1000 ha | % of forest area)NoYes
Other naturally regenerated forest (1000 ha | % of forest area)2009In implementation
Planted Forest (1000 ha | % of forest area)2002No


DR Congo: Trends in Total (Net) Forest Cover, 1990-2010
TOTAL FOREST COVER (1000 ha)
1990200020052010
n.s.n.s.-
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation
1990-20002000-20052005-2010
---
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation
1990-20002000-20052005-2010
---


DR Congo: Trends in Natural Forest Cover (Deforestation), 1990-2010
FOREST COVER (excluding planted forests) (1000 ha)
1990200020052010
----
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation
1990-20002000-20052005-2010
-YesYes
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation
1990-20002000-20052005-2010
YesYes


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


DR Congo: Trends in Planted Forest Cover, 1990-2010
PLANTED FOREST COVER (1000 ha)
1990200020052010
----
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (1000 ha)
Negative number represents deforestation
1990-20002000-20052005-2010
---
ANNUAL CHANGE RATE (percent)
Negative number represents deforestation
1990-20002000-20052005-2010
--


DR Congo: Primary designated function (percent)
ProductionProtection of soil and waterConservation of biodiversitySocial servicesMultiple useOtherNone or unknown
------


DR Congo: Forest ownership and management rights 2005 (percent)
OWNERSHIP PATTERN
Public ownershipPrivate ownershipOther
367918


PRIVATE OWNERSHIP
IndividualsBusiness entities and institutionsLocal, indigenous and tribal communities
205-51451


HOLDER OF MANAGEMENT RIGHTS OF PUBLIC FORESTS
Public administrationIndividualsBusiness entities and InstitutionsCommunitiesOther
7459281580--
[an error occurred while processing this directive] DR Congo: Environment
Environment - current issuespoaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage
Environment - international agreementsparty to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Natural hazardsperiodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes


DR Congo: Land use / Resources
Land use (%)arable land: 2.96%
permanent crops: 0.52%
other: 96.52% (2001)
Natural resourcescobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber


DR Congo: Economy
Economy - overview:The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The war, which began in August 1998, dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of perhaps 3.5 million people from war, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions improved in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government has reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors, with President KABILA implementing reforms. Much economic activity lies outside the GDP data. Economic stability improved in 2003-05, although an uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of openness in government policy continues to hamper growth. In 2005, renewed activity in the mining sector, the source of most exports, boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth. Business and economic prospects are expected to improve once a new government is installed after elections.
GDP - per capita$800 (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate (%)6.5% (2005 est.)
Agriculture - productscoffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products
GDP - composition by sector (%)agriculture: 55%, industry: 11%, services: 34% (2000 est.)
Industries mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair
Economic aid - recipient$2.2 billion (FY03/04)
Debt - external$10.6 billion (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line (%)NA
Labor force - by occupation (%)NA


DR Congo: Population / Demographics
Population (July 2005)60,085,804
Population growth rate (%) (2005)2.98%
Population density (people/sq km) (2005)26.5
Median age (years)total: 15.8 years
Total fertility rate (children born/woman)6.54 (2005 est.)
Ethnic groups (%)over 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the population


Largest Cities in Congo Dem Republic

Cities and urban areas in Congo Dem Republic with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.

CityCountryCity PopulationUrban Area Population
KinshasaCongo Dem Republic63011007527500
LubumbashiCongo Dem Republic10746001074600
Mbuji-MayiCongo Dem Republic9058001054400
KolweziCongo Dem Republic803900803900
KanangaCongo Dem Republic539600539600
KisanganiCongo Dem Republic510300818800
LikasiCongo Dem Republic375100375100
BomaCongo Dem Republic352200352200
TshikapaCongo Dem Republic319600319600
BukavuCongo Dem Republic236400504600
MatadiCongo Dem Republic224700224700
KikwitCongo Dem Republic222500222500
MbandakaCongo Dem Republic206800206800
Mwene-DituCongo Dem Republic198800198800
UviraCongo Dem Republic194500194500
ButemboCongo Dem Republic148900148900
GomaCongo Dem Republic148400148400
IsiroCongo Dem Republic135600135600
BuniaCongo Dem Republic129000129000
GemenaCongo Dem Republic120000120000
KinduCongo Dem Republic119000119000
BandunduCongo Dem Republic116700116700
KalemieCongo Dem Republic108200108200
IleboCongo Dem Republic104800104800


DR Congo: Infrastructure
Telephones - main lines in use10,000 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular1 million (2003)
Roadways (km)total: 157,000 km (including 30 km of expressways) (1999)


DR Congo: Health
Life expectancy at birth (years)total population: 51.1 years
male: 49.68 years
female: 52.56 years (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate92.87 deaths/1,000 live births
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate (%)4.2% (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseasesdegree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, plague, and African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) are high risks in some locations
water contact disease: schistosomiasis (2004)

DR Congo : 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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