Deforestation statistics for Malawi

Total land area: Malawi

Total land area	ha
Land area	11,847,209
Tree cover in 2018	1,367,553

Forest and tree cover extent: Malawi

Extent of primary forest cover and tree cover for Malawi. All area figures are in hectares (ha)

Year	Primary forest	Tree cover (30%)
2000		1,527,272
2001	5,236
2010	5,163	1,476,615
2018	5,007	1,367,553
Primary/Total tree cover 2018	0%
Tree cover/Total land area 2018		11.5%

Primary forest loss and tree cover loss: Malawi

Annual loss of primary forest cover and tree cover for Malawi by year. All area figures are in hectares (ha)

Year	Primary forest	Tree cover (30%)
2001		2,497
2002	2	4,203
2003	10	7,138
2004	6	5,732
2005	6	5,732
2006	16	5,589
2007	10	7,519
2008	4	9,757
2009	13	4,042
2010	5	4,004
2011	3	8,245
2012	17	12,227
2013	18	10,617
2014	17	18,648
2015	22	10,846
2016	23	13,568
2017	29	15,364
2018	28	15,543
Primary loss 2002-2018	230
Tree cover loss 2001-2018		158,774
Primary loss/ Total tree cover loss	0.1%
Percent loss 2001-2018	4.4%
Loss/year (2001/2-2010)	8.11	5,621
Loss/year (2011-2018)	19.59	13,132

Biodiversity data: Malawi

Species count by taxa for Malawi. For consistency, all data for a given group comes from a single source. Amphibians - amphibiaweb; Reptiles - reptile-database; Fish - fishbase; Birds - birdlife; Mammals - IUCN; and Plants - World Conservation Monitoring Centre of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP-WCMC).

Animal / plant group	Species count
Birds	636
Amphibians	77
Reptiles	125
Fishes	470
Mammals	189
Vascular plants	3,765

Conservation data: Malawi

Data on threatened species in Malawi as of 2018, according to the IUCN Red List.

Taxa	Species count
Threatened mammals (2018)	10
Threatened birds (2018)	19
Threatened fishes (2018)	36
Threatened higher plants (2018)	34

Protected areas data: Malawi

Data on threatened species in Malawi as of 2017, according to the World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) maintained by the United Nations Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC).

Protected areas (2017)	Percentage
Terrestrial protected areas, % of total land area	22.9
Marine protected areas, % of territorial waters

Tree cover loss data for Malawi

"Tree cover threshold" is used for defining the tree cover area. For example, 75% includes only areas with more than 75% tree cover, whereas 10% includes all areas with more than 10% tree cover. 75% tree cover reflects a dense canopy.

Tree cover threshold (%)	Total area (ha)	Tree cover Extent in 2000 (ha)	% land area	Tree cover Extent in 2010 (ha)	% land area	Tree cover Extent in 2018 (ha)	% land area	Tree cover loss 2001-2018 (ha)	% tree cover loss since 2000	Avg tree cover loss/year (ha)	Avg loss/year 2001-2010 (ha)	Avg loss/year 2011-2018 (ha)
10	11847209	7123042	60.10%	6957104	58.70%	6793370	57.30%	268797	3.80%	14933	10506	20467
15	11847209	4942235	41.70%	4659148	39.30%	4502913	38.00%	254510	5.10%	14139	9828	19529
20	11847209	2469551	20.80%	2368979	20.00%	2240146	18.90%	205371	8.30%	11410	7654	16104
25	11847209	2223911	18.80%	2234295	18.90%	2110490	17.80%	196920	8.90%	10940	7312	15476
30	11847209	1527272	12.90%	1476615	12.50%	1371557	11.60%	165010	10.80%	9167	5995	13132
50	11847209	314508	2.70%	353257	3.00%	313002	2.60%	68624	21.80%	3812	2837	5032
75	11847209	16436	0.10%	7200	0.10%	4210	0.00%	6449	39.20%	358	346	374

Biomass and land use carbon emissions data for Malawi

Tree cover threshold (%)	Total area (ha)	Tree cover Extent in 2000 (ha)	Tree cover Extent in 2010 (ha)	Carbon biomass (Mt)	Biomass loss 2001-18 (Mt)	Avg biomass loss/year (Mt)	Carbon emissions 2001-18 (Mt)	Avg carbon emissions/year (Mt)
10	11847209	7123042	6957104	1039320834	32245774	1791432	59117218	3284290
15	11847209	4942235	4659148	818755423	31416370	1745354	57596631	3199813
20	11847209	2469551	2368979	513238514	28020846	1556714	51371489	2853972
25	11847209	2223911	2234295	477804382	27367412	1520412	50173625	2787424
30	11847209	1527272	1476615	367536322	24608317	1367129	45115278	2506404
50	11847209	314508	353257	105386627	12887861	715992	23627738	1312652
75	11847209	16436	7200	6974525	1528209	84901	2801710	155651

Tree cover data for subnational administrative areas in Malawi

"This data is based on a definition of 30% tree cover. Areas with less than 30% canopy cover are excluded.

Administrative area	Total area (ha)	Tree cover Extent in 2000 (ha)	Tree cover Extent in 2010 (ha)	Tree cover Extent in 2018 (ha)	% cover in 2018	Loss 2001-2018 (ha)	% loss since 2000	Avg loss/year since 2000 (ha)	Loss 2001-2010 (ha)	loss between 2000-2010	Avg loss/year 2001-2010 (ha)	Loss 2011-2018 (ha)	loss between 2011-2018	Avg loss/year 2011-2018 (ha)
Balaka	213823	2711	3570	3529	2%	120	4%	7	79	3%	8	41	1%	5
Blantyre	204076	7275	7094	6796	3%	824	11%	46	526	7%	53	298	4%	37
Chikwawa	490340	51084	48292	46207	9%	4503	9%	250	2418	5%	242	2085	4%	261
Chiradzulu	76675	2018	1665	1533	2%	226	11%	13	94	5%	9	132	8%	17
Chitipa	409950	85889	112563	107530	26%	6931	8%	385	1898	2%	190	5033	4%	629
Dedza	513589	31352	31797	29913	6%	2789	9%	155	905	3%	91	1884	6%	236
Dowa	307984	7586	5869	5836	2%	192	3%	11	159	2%	16	33	1%	4
Karonga	877002	111507	122761	118867	14%	6431	6%	357	2537	2%	254	3894	3%	487
Kasungu	802737	50377	27974	27580	3%	609	1%	34	215	0%	22	394	1%	49
Likoma	2227	80	58	58	3%	0	0%	-	0	0%	-	0	0%	-
Lilongwe	628177	44776	33592	28341	5%	6107	14%	339	856	2%	86	5251	16%	656
Machinga	389824	32610	40920	38436	10%	3109	10%	173	625	2%	63	2484	6%	311
Mangochi	909403	134861	123891	120550	13%	8009	6%	445	4668	3%	467	3341	3%	418
Mchinji	315662	13407	10505	10174	3%	580	4%	32	249	2%	25	331	3%	41
Mulanje	200953	42767	39823	35513	18%	7121	17%	396	2811	7%	281	4310	11%	539
Mwanza	74985	11587	10381	10162	14%	320	3%	18	101	1%	10	219	2%	27
Mzimba	1038854	145988	125762	111936	11%	24359	17%	1,353	10533	7%	1,053	13826	11%	1,728
Neno	158218	23459	17945	16849	11%	1708	7%	95	612	3%	61	1096	6%	137
Nkhata Bay	1143321	292565	261300	219919	19%	60314	21%	3,351	18933	6%	1,893	41381	16%	5,173
Nkhotakota	787604	126088	127597	124339	16%	4942	4%	275	1684	1%	168	3258	3%	407
Nsanje	194006	29915	33574	32478	17%	2493	8%	139	1397	5%	140	1096	3%	137
Ntcheu	326490	13141	10713	9860	3%	1669	13%	93	816	6%	82	853	8%	107
Ntchisi	172970	21633	21261	20535	12%	845	4%	47	119	1%	12	726	3%	91
Phalombe	145092	9953	9085	8064	6%	1271	13%	71	250	3%	25	1021	11%	128
Rumphi	671164	182050	198166	193463	29%	8999	5%	500	4296	2%	430	4703	2%	588
Salima	314099	7921	9782	9595	3%	481	6%	27	294	4%	29	187	2%	23
Thyolo	167971	29023	26480	21021	13%	7221	25%	401	1762	6%	176	5459	21%	682
Zomba	310013	15649	14195	12473	4%	2837	18%	158	1115	7%	112	1722	12%	215

Carbon dioxide emissions data for subnational administrative areas in Malawi

"This data is based on a definition of 30% tree cover. Areas with less than 30% canopy cover are excluded.

Administrative area	Total area (ha)	Tree cover Extent in 2000 (ha)	Tree cover Extent in 2010 (ha)	Carbon biomass (Mt)	Carbon emissions 2001-18 (Mt)	Avg carbon emissions/year 2001-18 (Mt)	Avg carbon emissions/year 2001-10 (Mt)	Avg carbon emissions/year 2011-18 (Mt)
Balaka	213823	2711	3570	493032	23476	1304	1553	993
Blantyre	204076	7275	7094	1618253	245470	13637	16223	10405
Chikwawa	490340	51084	48292	9446965	850040	47224	46413	48239
Chiradzulu	76675	2018	1665	495023	74937	4163	3113	5476
Chitipa	409950	85889	112563	19290571	1620335	90019	50602	139290
Dedza	513589	31352	31797	6884362	743140	41286	27255	58824
Dowa	307984	7586	5869	1603307	45801	2545	3849	914
Karonga	877002	111507	122761	25890656	1574829	87491	68616	111083
Kasungu	802737	50377	27974	9676207	137308	7628	4951	10975
Likoma	2227	80	58	18019	0	0	0	0
Lilongwe	628177	44776	33592	9800034	1448481	80471	26596	147816
Machinga	389824	32610	40920	8492284	864346	48019	17565	86088
Mangochi	909403	134861	123891	34954469	1954004	108556	110042	106698
Mchinji	315662	13407	10505	3027832	140753	7820	6621	9318
Mulanje	200953	42767	39823	12866380	2456965	136498	105559	175172
Mwanza	74985	11587	10381	2754365	67749	3764	1904	6089
Mzimba	1038854	145988	125762	33684234	6325116	351395	275283	446536
Neno	158218	23459	17945	5557444	375815	20879	12376	31507
Nkhata Bay	1143321	292565	261300	79741210	18002582	1000143	595579	1505850
Nkhotakota	787604	126088	127597	28859478	1257669	69871	47413	97942
Nsanje	194006	29915	33574	5396978	504338	28019	27613	28526
Ntcheu	326490	13141	10713	2867711	451778	25099	24040	26422
Ntchisi	172970	21633	21261	5160895	205317	11407	2897	22043
Phalombe	145092	9953	9085	2715580	366788	20377	8071	35760
Rumphi	671164	182050	198166	43536940	2473458	137414	123011	155419
Salima	314099	7921	9782	1604562	95030	5279	5947	4446
Thyolo	167971	29023	26480	6780862	1887105	104839	51846	171081
Zomba	310013	15649	14195	4318669	922648	51258	37494	68464

Biomass data for subnational administrative areas in Malawi

This data is based on a definition of 30% tree cover. Areas with less than 30% canopy cover are excluded.

Administrative area	Total area (ha)	Tree cover Extent in 2000 (ha)	Tree cover Extent in 2010 (ha)	Carbon biomass (Mt)	Avg biomass per ha (Mt)	Carbon emissions 2001-18 (Mt)	Avg annual emissions 2001-18 (Mt)	Avg annual emissions 2001-10 (Mt)	Avg annual emissions 2011-18 (Mt)
Balaka	213823	2711	3570	268926	99	12804	711	847	542
Blantyre	204076	7275	7094	882683	121	133896	7439	8849	5676
Chikwawa	490340	51084	48292	5152890	101	463650	25758	25316	26312
Chiradzulu	76675	2018	1665	270013	134	40871	2271	1698	2986
Chitipa	409950	85889	112563	10522130	123	883822	49101	27601	75976
Dedza	513589	31352	31797	3755107	120	405347	22519	14866	32086
Dowa	307984	7586	5869	874529	116	24988	1388	2100	499
Karonga	877002	111507	122761	14122176	127	858994	47722	37427	60590
Kasungu	802737	50377	27974	5277931	105	74895	4161	2700	5987
Likoma	2227	80	58	9829	123	0	0	0	0
Lilongwe	628177	44776	33592	5345472	120	790072	43893	14506	80626
Machinga	389824	32610	40920	4632155	142	471455	26192	9581	46956
Mangochi	909403	134861	123891	19066074	141	1065823	59212	60024	58199
Mchinji	315662	13407	10505	1651545	123	76771	4265	3612	5082
Mulanje	200953	42767	39823	7018026	164	1340158	74453	57578	95548
Mwanza	74985	11587	10381	1502381	130	36952	2053	1038	3321
Mzimba	1038854	145988	125762	18373219	126	3450063	191670	150154	243565
Neno	158218	23459	17945	3031334	129	204992	11388	6751	17186
Nkhata Bay	1143321	292565	261300	43495205	149	9819590	545533	324862	821372
Nkhotakota	787604	126088	127597	15741533	125	685999	38111	25862	53423
Nsanje	194006	29915	33574	2943807	98	275100	15283	15062	15560
Ntcheu	326490	13141	10713	1564206	119	246430	13691	13113	14413
Ntchisi	172970	21633	21261	2815034	130	111990	6222	1580	12024
Phalombe	145092	9953	9085	1481226	149	200066	11115	4403	19505
Rumphi	671164	182050	198166	23747422	130	1349154	74953	67096	84774
Salima	314099	7921	9782	875214	111	51841	2880	3244	2425
Thyolo	167971	29023	26480	3698651	127	1029332	57185	28280	93317
Zomba	310013	15649	14195	2355636	151	503262	27959	20452	37343

Archived forest data for Malawi | Forest data for Malawi

Data Source: Tree cover loss: Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA via Global Forest Watch. Administrative boundaries: Global Administrative Areas database (GADM), version 3.6.

Citation: Mongabay. "Deforestation statistics for [selected country name]". Accessed on [date] from worldrainforests.com.

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