Botswana Forest Area

Botswana’s forest area accounted for 25.87 percent of its total land coverage in 2025, ranking the country 114th globally, a decline from its highest level of 33.18 percent recorded in 1990. Over a 35-year period, the nation experienced a consistent reduction in forest cover, reflecting an average annual loss that underscores growing environmental pressures. This downward trend contrasts with peer countries such as Benin, which reported 25.59 percent forest coverage in 2025, slightly below Botswana, and Chile at 25.34 percent, indicating similar challenges in forest conservation among mid-ranked nations. The most recent figure of 25.87 percent marks a historical trough, suggesting that deforestation, land-use changes, and climate variability have had a cumulative impact on woodland ecosystems. Unlike El Salvador, which has shown modest recovery in forest cover in recent decades, Botswana has not yet demonstrated a reversal in its forest loss trend. Without targeted reforestation initiatives, stronger land management policies, and community-based conservation efforts, the current trajectory of declining forest area is likely to persist in the coming years.