Tanzania has recently reported a fire incident in the Ruvuma Region, an event that adds to the country's ongoing environmental challenges. Over the past two decades, Tanzania has experienced a significant shift in its tree cover landscape. The country, which spans over 94 million hectares, has a tree cover extent of approximately 26.40 million hectares. However, the net change in tree cover has been negative, with a loss of over 4.30 million hectares and a gain of just 557,235 hectares, resulting in a net loss of around 3.80 million hectares, marking an 11.30% decrease.
Shifting agriculture has been identified as the primary driver of tree cover loss, accounting for the vast majority of the area affected. Forestry activities, wildfires, and urbanization also contribute to the loss but to a much lesser extent. The cumulative impact of these factors has led to substantial gross emissions of CO2 equivalent, with shifting agriculture being the leading cause.
Explore country profileThe latest fire incident, though isolated, is a reminder of the persistent threat of wildfires in the region. While the direct impact of this single event may be limited, it underscores the importance of addressing the broader issues of land use and environmental management that continue to affect Tanzania's natural resources.
