Tanzania has recently recorded a fire incident in the Katavi Region, which adds to the country's environmental concerns. Over the years, Tanzania has experienced a significant change in tree cover. The total area of Tanzania spans over 94 million hectares, with approximately 26.40 million hectares covered by trees. However, the country has seen a net loss of 4.37 million hectares of tree cover, which is a reduction of 11.30% from the stable tree cover extent.
Shifting agriculture has been the predominant driver of tree cover loss, responsible for the vast majority of the decline. Forestry activities, wildfires, and urbanization also contribute to the loss, but to a much lesser extent. The impact of these losses is substantial, with millions of metric tons of CO2 emissions associated with the deforestation.
Explore country profileThe latest incident in Katavi Region is a stark reminder of the ongoing environmental challenges Tanzania faces. The trend over the past two decades shows a persistent issue with tree cover loss, which has implications for biodiversity, climate change, and local communities. The recent fire alert, although isolated, is part of a broader pattern of environmental stress in the region.
