Daily Deforestation in the Congo Basin

Estimating the Loss

Precise daily tree-cutting figures for the Congo Basin are not officially tracked. However, annual deforestation rates provide a stark estimate:

• Annual loss: ~1.3 million acres (approx. 5,260 km²)
• Daily equivalent: ~3,500 acres (14 km²) per day

Drivers include slash-and-burn agriculture, logging, mining, and infrastructure expansion. The Congo Basin is the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest, making its protection critical for global climate and biodiversity.