plate 036 · Planet · 2025 data
Tropical forests lost a record 6.7 million hectares in 2024
Tropical primary forest loss per year, million hectares, as stated by WRI's Global Forest Review.
6.7 Mha
2024 loss was the highest on record (since 2002), with fire the leading driver for the first time.
+81%
Loss jumped from 3.7 Mha in 2023 to 6.7 Mha in 2024.
4.3 Mha
2025 loss fell 36% from the 2024 record, but still topped 2023.
Source
WRI / University of Maryland, Global Forest Review (Global Forest Watch) tree cover loss updates 2023, 2024 and Forest Pulse 2025 ·Data 2025 ·Fact
the numbers
| Year | Tropical primary forest loss (Mha) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 3.7 |
| 2024 | 6.7 |
| 2025 | 4.3 |
source notes & method
Only years with explicitly stated totals are shown: 2023 (gfr.wri.org/global-tree-cover-loss-data-2023), 2024 (data-2024 page), 2025 (gfr.wri.org/gfr/forest-pulse). Earlier years omitted because no explicit figure was retrieved. Loss includes fire-driven loss, not only deforestation.
Published 19 Oct 2026
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