Madagascar has witnessed a significant decline in its tree cover over the past two decades, with the latest incident being a wildfire in the Analamanga region on July 17, 2024. The island nation, known for its unique biodiversity, has seen a net loss of 1,197,277.81 hectares of tree cover, which is a 5.89% decrease from its total tree cover extent. Shifting agriculture remains the predominant driver of this loss, contributing to the vast majority of deforestation.
The data indicates that the extent of tree cover loss due to shifting agriculture has been consistently high, with a notable peak in 2017, where it accounted for approximately 95.70% of the total loss for that year. Forestry activities and wildfires also contribute to the decline, although to a much lesser extent. The impact of these losses is profound, not only on the unique ecosystems of Madagascar but also on its carbon emissions, with millions of metric tons of CO2 equivalent released into the atmosphere as a result of this deforestation.
Explore country profileThe trend shows no sign of abating, with recent years continuing to see significant tree cover loss. The latest wildfire incident, although small in scale with a single alert reported, underscores the ongoing vulnerability of Madagascar's landscapes to such disturbances. The cumulative effect of these losses over time poses a serious challenge to the environmental health and sustainability of the region.
