Algeria has witnessed a consistent challenge to its tree cover over the years, with the latest incident being a fire alert in Ouargla Province. Despite the country's vast land area of over 230 million hectares, tree cover only extends to approximately 1.22 million hectares. The historical data reveals a fluctuating pattern of tree cover loss due to various drivers, with shifting agriculture being a significant contributor.
The total tree cover loss from 2001 to 2023 amounts to over 220,000 hectares, with the highest annual loss recorded in 2017 at nearly 46,000 hectares. Notably, the year 2023 saw a substantial increase in tree cover loss, totaling over 22,000 hectares. Shifting agriculture accounted for a considerable portion of this loss, followed by forestry activities and wildfires. Urbanization also played a role, albeit to a lesser extent.
Explore country profileThe net change in tree cover over the years shows a slight positive trend, with a net gain of over 25,000 hectares, which represents a change of approximately 1.43%. This data indicates that while there are ongoing efforts to increase tree cover, the losses due to human activities and natural events like wildfires continue to pose a significant threat to Algeria's tree cover.
