Forests play a vital role as the lifeblood of our planet, particularly in today’s world where global warming is a pressing concern. These biodiverse habitats, found in Africa and beyond, are bustling with activity and are crucial for sustaining life as we know it. Therefore, preserving forests is imperative for the survival of humanity.
From the lush rainforests of the Congo Basin to the iconic savannas of the Serengeti, Africa’s forests boast a remarkable ecosystem. Beyond harboring a diverse array of plant and animal species, these forests provide essential ecosystem services crucial for sustaining life on Earth.
These regions naturally regulate the climate, sequester carbon, purify water and air, prevent soil erosion, and sustain the livelihoods of millions of people. Despite the concerning rate of deforestation across Africa, the continent retains significant forested areas.
Unfortunately, not all of Africa can boast of this feature. While some countries have done an exceptional job of preserving their forest areas, some have not. Additionally, some regions on the continent simply don’t support this type of ecosystem and as a result, have very low biodiversity.
According to Our World in Data, a data and research platform dedicated to solving some of the world’s biggest problems, a forest area is any territory that has planted or naturally occurring tree stands that are at least five meters tall; this definition does not include tree stands used in agricultural production systems.
The platform also highlighted the countries with the largest and smallest forest areas juxtaposed against their overall land area and based on their most recent findings, which date back to 2020.
With that said below are the African countries with the smallest forest areas.
10 countries in Africa with the smallest forest area
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| 1. | Egypt | < 0.1% |
| 2. | Libya | 0.1% |
| 3. | Mauritania | 0.3% |
| 4. | Djibouti | 0.3% |
| 5. | Algeria | 0.8% |
| 6. | Niger | 0.9% |
| 7. | Lesotho | 1.1% |
| 8. | Western Sahara | 2.5% |
| 9. | Chad | 3.4% |
| 10. | Tunisia | 4.5% |
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