GITNUXREPORT 2026

Haiti Deforestation Statistics

Haiti's forests have nearly vanished due to relentless agricultural and charcoal use.

Gitnux Team

Expert team of market researchers and data analysts.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

92% of households rely on wood/charcoal, causing 80% of current deforestation

Statistic 2

Slash-and-burn agriculture clears 15% of forests annually (750 ha/yr)

Statistic 3

Population density of 400 people/sq km drives 25% land conversion to farms

Statistic 4

Charcoal kilns number over 50,000, consuming 1.2 million tons of wood yearly

Statistic 5

Livestock grazing by goats destroys 10% of regrowth forests yearly

Statistic 6

Illegal logging for construction timber accounts for 8% of losses (400 ha/yr)

Statistic 7

Urban expansion around Port-au-Prince clears 200 ha/yr of peri-urban forests

Statistic 8

Fuelwood collection by women: 60% of rural energy needs, leading to 40% local depletion

Statistic 9

Tobacco curing uses 5% of forests (250 ha/yr)

Statistic 10

Road construction fragments 3% of forests (150 ha/yr)

Statistic 11

Mining activities in northern Haiti clear 100 ha/yr for gold prospecting

Statistic 12

Hurricanes exacerbate 20% of annual losses via downed trees and subsequent fires

Statistic 13

Poverty rate 60% forces 70% reliance on forests for livelihoods

Statistic 14

Lack of alternatives: 88% energy from biomass

Statistic 15

Corruption in forestry permits enables 12% illegal cuts

Statistic 16

Soil erosion from farms leads to 18% indirect forest abandonment/clearance cycle

Statistic 17

Export cash crops like mango expand 5% into forests yearly

Statistic 18

Gangs control 30% of charcoal trade, boosting production 15%

Statistic 19

Climate variability dries 7% of forests, making them flammable

Statistic 20

No national forestry law enforcement since 2010, 22% unchecked losses

Statistic 21

Haiti's current tree cover stands at 3.8% of total land area (approximately 11,400 square kilometers total land, forests ~434 sq km) as of 2023 Global Forest Watch data

Statistic 22

Primary forest remaining in Haiti is only 0.3% of land area (about 90 sq km), highly fragmented in remote highlands, per 2022 FAO assessment

Statistic 23

Mangrove forests cover 1.2% of coastal areas (roughly 150 sq km), but declining at 0.5% yearly due to aquaculture

Statistic 24

Dry forests in southern Haiti constitute 45% of remaining cover (about 195 sq km), threatened by goats and fire

Statistic 25

Pine forests in the Massif du Nord region now cover only 12% of their extent (65 sq km left)

Statistic 26

Urban-adjacent forests near Port-au-Prince total less than 50 sq km, less than 1% density

Statistic 27

2023 satellite imagery shows 4.1% humid primary forest, down from 4.5% in 2020

Statistic 28

Total above-ground forest biomass in Haiti estimated at 12 million metric tons, lowest in Caribbean

Statistic 29

Cloud forest remnants cover 0.8% (24 sq km) in high elevations above 1,500m

Statistic 30

Riparian forests along rivers: only 2% intact (35 sq km)

Statistic 31

85% of Haiti's forests are secondary regrowth, less than 20 years old

Statistic 32

Protected area forest cover: 15% of total forests (65 sq km) in 3 national parks

Statistic 33

Average forest patch size: 2.3 hectares, with 70% under 1 ha, indicating high fragmentation

Statistic 34

Canopy height average in remaining forests: 8-12 meters, 40% below mature levels

Statistic 35

Biodiversity hotspots retain 1.5% forest (45 sq km) in Massif de la Selle

Statistic 36

2022 ground surveys confirm 3.5% national forest cover outside protected areas

Statistic 37

Forest carbon stock: 6.2 tons/ha, vs 150 tons/ha in neighbors

Statistic 38

Watershed forest cover averages 5% in Artibonite basin, critical for agriculture

Statistic 39

Coastal forest strips: 0.9% coverage (12 sq km), vital for erosion control

Statistic 40

Northern plateau forests: 2.1% (28 sq km), mostly degraded scrub

Statistic 41

Southern peninsula: 4.2% forest (52 sq km), highest remaining density

Statistic 42

Haiti's forest cover decreased from 60% of total land area in 1890 to just 12% by 1923, marking an average annual loss of approximately 1.2% over this period

Statistic 43

From 1923 to 1960, Haiti experienced a further reduction in forest cover from 12% to 8%, equating to a cumulative loss of over 250,000 hectares driven primarily by agricultural expansion

Statistic 44

Between 1960 and 1988, Haiti's deforestation rate accelerated to an average of 5.2% per year, resulting in the loss of nearly 90% of remaining primary forests

Statistic 45

In the 1980s, Haiti lost approximately 11,000 square kilometers of forest cover, reducing it from 15% to under 2% of land area

Statistic 46

Colonial logging from 1492 to 1804 cleared over 90% of Haiti's original pine forests in the northern mountains

Statistic 47

Post-independence (1804-1900), slash-and-burn agriculture led to a 40% forest loss, averaging 1,500 hectares per year

Statistic 48

The 1915-1934 US occupation period saw a 25% increase in deforestation due to export crop plantations

Statistic 49

From 1934 to 1970, charcoal production doubled deforestation rates to 2.1% annually

Statistic 50

Duvalier regime (1957-1986) policies exacerbated forest loss by 30%, with over 100,000 hectares cleared for fuelwood

Statistic 51

Pre-1990 satellite data shows Haiti lost 1.5% of forests yearly from 1970-1989, contrasting Dominican Republic's gains

Statistic 52

1990-2000 FAO data indicates 1.67% annual deforestation rate, losing 25,000 hectares yearly in Haiti

Statistic 53

Early 2000s marked a peak with 2.5% yearly loss, equating to 12,000 ha/yr from 2000-2005

Statistic 54

2005-2010 period saw stabilization at 1.8% annual rate, but still 9,500 ha lost per year

Statistic 55

Hurricane impacts 2008 added 5% extra loss, totaling 15,000 ha in one year

Statistic 56

2010 earthquake indirectly boosted deforestation by 10% in subsequent years due to reconstruction wood needs

Statistic 57

2010-2015 averaged 1.4% loss, with 7,200 ha/yr cleared mainly for agriculture

Statistic 58

By 2016, cumulative historical loss reached 98% from pre-Columbian levels

Statistic 59

2016-2020 slowed to 1.1% annually, but still 5,800 ha/yr

Statistic 60

Pre-2020 total forest loss since 2001: 45,000 hectares at 2,250 ha/yr average

Statistic 61

19th century coffee boom cleared 20% of mid-altitude forests

Statistic 62

20th century total loss: 95% of forests, from 4,000 sq km to 200 sq km

Statistic 63

1970s rate: 4.5% per year, highest recorded decade

Statistic 64

1988-1990: 5% annual surge post-political instability

Statistic 65

1994-2000 UN estimates: 2% yearly, 10,000 ha total

Statistic 66

Early satellite era (1986): forest cover at 7.4%, down from 12% in 1950s

Statistic 67

2001-2010 net loss 18% of remaining forests

Statistic 68

2011-2015: 1.2% rate, influenced by reforestation pilots

Statistic 69

Total 20th century charcoal-driven loss: 80% of forests

Statistic 70

1492-1920: 80% primary forest clearance for sugar plantations

Statistic 71

1920-1980: additional 15% loss from population growth pressures

Statistic 72

Deforestation causes annual soil loss of 60 million tons, reducing farmland by 2%/yr

Statistic 73

Loss of forests leads to 30% reduction in dry season river flows in Artibonite

Statistic 74

Biodiversity decline: 85% endemic species threatened, e.g., solenodon near extinction

Statistic 75

Flooding frequency up 40% since 1990s, costing $500M/yr in damages

Statistic 76

Carbon emissions from deforestation: 1.2 MtCO2e/yr, 25% of national total

Statistic 77

Groundwater recharge down 35%, affecting 70% rural water supply

Statistic 78

Crop yields dropped 20-50% due to erosion in deforested hillsides

Statistic 79

Desertification affects 45% of land, turning 10,000 ha/yr unusable

Statistic 80

Bird populations down 60% in deforested areas

Statistic 81

Landslides increased 300% post-forest loss, killing 1,000+/yr avg

Statistic 82

Fisheries collapse: 50% mangrove loss reduces fish stocks 40%

Statistic 83

Air quality worsened by dust storms, respiratory diseases up 25%

Statistic 84

Hurricane Matthew 2016 amplified by deforestation, $1.8B damage

Statistic 85

Malaria incidence up 15% in deforested lowlands due to stagnant water

Statistic 86

Soil organic carbon lost 70%, fertility down 40%

Statistic 87

Coastal erosion 2m/yr, threatening 20% of beaches

Statistic 88

Amphibian extinction risk 90% from habitat loss

Statistic 89

Economic loss from ecosystem services: $200M/yr

Statistic 90

Temperature rise 1.2C in deforested zones vs 0.8C national avg

Statistic 91

Reforestation projects planted 5 million trees since 2010, surviving 60%

Statistic 92

National Reforestation Plan 2019-2024 aims for 20,000 ha reforested, 40% achieved by 2023

Statistic 93

FAO assisted 12,000 farmers with agroforestry on 8,000 ha since 2015

Statistic 94

World Bank Forêt à Crête project restored 4,500 ha in Massif du Nord by 2022

Statistic 95

50 community nurseries produce 2M seedlings/yr, 70% survival rate

Statistic 96

Payment for Ecosystem Services pilot pays 5,000 farmers $2M since 2020

Statistic 97

3 national parks cover 2% land (5,700 sq km), with 80% enforcement gaps filled by NGOs

Statistic 98

Mangrove restoration: 500 ha replanted since 2018, sequestering 10,000 tCO2

Statistic 99

Charcoal alternatives: 100,000 efficient stoves distributed, reducing wood use 30%

Statistic 100

Drone seeding trials planted 1,000 ha in 2023, 50% germination

Statistic 101

20,000 ha under agroforestry contracts with farmers, banana-intercrop model

Statistic 102

Anti-erosion terraces on 15,000 ha, stabilizing slopes post-reforestation

Statistic 103

Education campaigns reached 1M people, 25% behavior change on wood use

Statistic 104

Carbon credit projects certified 2,000 ha, generating $500k revenue

Statistic 105

Goat control programs fenced 3,000 ha of young forests

Statistic 106

Satellite monitoring covers 100% forests weekly via Global Forest Watch

Statistic 107

500 rangers trained, patrolling 10,000 ha protected areas

Statistic 108

School tree planting: 1M trees by students since 2015

Statistic 109

$50M international aid for forestry 2015-2023, 60% disbursed

Statistic 110

Indigenous fruit tree propagation: 500,000 planted, boosting incomes 20%

1/110

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Haiti's once-vast forests have been reduced to a shocking 3.8% of the land, a stark testament to centuries of relentless deforestation driven by poverty, charcoal dependence, and a desperate need for farmland.

Key Takeaways

Haiti's forest cover decreased from 60% of total land area in 1890 to just 12% by 1923, marking an average annual loss of approximately 1.2% over this period
From 1923 to 1960, Haiti experienced a further reduction in forest cover from 12% to 8%, equating to a cumulative loss of over 250,000 hectares driven primarily by agricultural expansion
Between 1960 and 1988, Haiti's deforestation rate accelerated to an average of 5.2% per year, resulting in the loss of nearly 90% of remaining primary forests
Haiti's current tree cover stands at 3.8% of total land area (approximately 11,400 square kilometers total land, forests ~434 sq km) as of 2023 Global Forest Watch data
Primary forest remaining in Haiti is only 0.3% of land area (about 90 sq km), highly fragmented in remote highlands, per 2022 FAO assessment
Mangrove forests cover 1.2% of coastal areas (roughly 150 sq km), but declining at 0.5% yearly due to aquaculture
92% of households rely on wood/charcoal, causing 80% of current deforestation
Slash-and-burn agriculture clears 15% of forests annually (750 ha/yr)
Population density of 400 people/sq km drives 25% land conversion to farms
Deforestation causes annual soil loss of 60 million tons, reducing farmland by 2%/yr
Loss of forests leads to 30% reduction in dry season river flows in Artibonite
Biodiversity decline: 85% endemic species threatened, e.g., solenodon near extinction
Reforestation projects planted 5 million trees since 2010, surviving 60%
National Reforestation Plan 2019-2024 aims for 20,000 ha reforested, 40% achieved by 2023
FAO assisted 12,000 farmers with agroforestry on 8,000 ha since 2015

Haiti's forests have nearly vanished due to relentless agricultural and charcoal use.

Causes of Deforestation

92% of households rely on wood/charcoal, causing 80% of current deforestation
Slash-and-burn agriculture clears 15% of forests annually (750 ha/yr)
Population density of 400 people/sq km drives 25% land conversion to farms
Charcoal kilns number over 50,000, consuming 1.2 million tons of wood yearly
Livestock grazing by goats destroys 10% of regrowth forests yearly
Illegal logging for construction timber accounts for 8% of losses (400 ha/yr)
Urban expansion around Port-au-Prince clears 200 ha/yr of peri-urban forests
Fuelwood collection by women: 60% of rural energy needs, leading to 40% local depletion
Tobacco curing uses 5% of forests (250 ha/yr)
Road construction fragments 3% of forests (150 ha/yr)
Mining activities in northern Haiti clear 100 ha/yr for gold prospecting
Hurricanes exacerbate 20% of annual losses via downed trees and subsequent fires
Poverty rate 60% forces 70% reliance on forests for livelihoods
Lack of alternatives: 88% energy from biomass
Corruption in forestry permits enables 12% illegal cuts
Soil erosion from farms leads to 18% indirect forest abandonment/clearance cycle
Export cash crops like mango expand 5% into forests yearly
Gangs control 30% of charcoal trade, boosting production 15%
Climate variability dries 7% of forests, making them flammable
No national forestry law enforcement since 2010, 22% unchecked losses

Causes of Deforestation Interpretation

Haiti’s forests are being methodically dismantled piece by piece—for a cookstove’s flame, a farm’s desperate hope, and a gang’s profit—leaving a nation clinging to the very land it is forced to consume.

Current Forest Cover Statistics

Haiti's current tree cover stands at 3.8% of total land area (approximately 11,400 square kilometers total land, forests ~434 sq km) as of 2023 Global Forest Watch data
Primary forest remaining in Haiti is only 0.3% of land area (about 90 sq km), highly fragmented in remote highlands, per 2022 FAO assessment
Mangrove forests cover 1.2% of coastal areas (roughly 150 sq km), but declining at 0.5% yearly due to aquaculture
Dry forests in southern Haiti constitute 45% of remaining cover (about 195 sq km), threatened by goats and fire
Pine forests in the Massif du Nord region now cover only 12% of their extent (65 sq km left)
Urban-adjacent forests near Port-au-Prince total less than 50 sq km, less than 1% density
2023 satellite imagery shows 4.1% humid primary forest, down from 4.5% in 2020
Total above-ground forest biomass in Haiti estimated at 12 million metric tons, lowest in Caribbean
Cloud forest remnants cover 0.8% (24 sq km) in high elevations above 1,500m
Riparian forests along rivers: only 2% intact (35 sq km)
85% of Haiti's forests are secondary regrowth, less than 20 years old
Protected area forest cover: 15% of total forests (65 sq km) in 3 national parks
Average forest patch size: 2.3 hectares, with 70% under 1 ha, indicating high fragmentation
Canopy height average in remaining forests: 8-12 meters, 40% below mature levels
Biodiversity hotspots retain 1.5% forest (45 sq km) in Massif de la Selle
2022 ground surveys confirm 3.5% national forest cover outside protected areas
Forest carbon stock: 6.2 tons/ha, vs 150 tons/ha in neighbors
Watershed forest cover averages 5% in Artibonite basin, critical for agriculture
Coastal forest strips: 0.9% coverage (12 sq km), vital for erosion control
Northern plateau forests: 2.1% (28 sq km), mostly degraded scrub
Southern peninsula: 4.2% forest (52 sq km), highest remaining density

Current Forest Cover Statistics Interpretation

Haiti's forests are now so sparse and fragmented that a squirrel would need a map, a packed lunch, and profound hope to cross the country without touching the ground.

Historical Deforestation Rates

Haiti's forest cover decreased from 60% of total land area in 1890 to just 12% by 1923, marking an average annual loss of approximately 1.2% over this period
From 1923 to 1960, Haiti experienced a further reduction in forest cover from 12% to 8%, equating to a cumulative loss of over 250,000 hectares driven primarily by agricultural expansion
Between 1960 and 1988, Haiti's deforestation rate accelerated to an average of 5.2% per year, resulting in the loss of nearly 90% of remaining primary forests
In the 1980s, Haiti lost approximately 11,000 square kilometers of forest cover, reducing it from 15% to under 2% of land area
Colonial logging from 1492 to 1804 cleared over 90% of Haiti's original pine forests in the northern mountains
Post-independence (1804-1900), slash-and-burn agriculture led to a 40% forest loss, averaging 1,500 hectares per year
The 1915-1934 US occupation period saw a 25% increase in deforestation due to export crop plantations
From 1934 to 1970, charcoal production doubled deforestation rates to 2.1% annually
Duvalier regime (1957-1986) policies exacerbated forest loss by 30%, with over 100,000 hectares cleared for fuelwood
Pre-1990 satellite data shows Haiti lost 1.5% of forests yearly from 1970-1989, contrasting Dominican Republic's gains
1990-2000 FAO data indicates 1.67% annual deforestation rate, losing 25,000 hectares yearly in Haiti
Early 2000s marked a peak with 2.5% yearly loss, equating to 12,000 ha/yr from 2000-2005
2005-2010 period saw stabilization at 1.8% annual rate, but still 9,500 ha lost per year
Hurricane impacts 2008 added 5% extra loss, totaling 15,000 ha in one year
2010 earthquake indirectly boosted deforestation by 10% in subsequent years due to reconstruction wood needs
2010-2015 averaged 1.4% loss, with 7,200 ha/yr cleared mainly for agriculture
By 2016, cumulative historical loss reached 98% from pre-Columbian levels
2016-2020 slowed to 1.1% annually, but still 5,800 ha/yr
Pre-2020 total forest loss since 2001: 45,000 hectares at 2,250 ha/yr average
19th century coffee boom cleared 20% of mid-altitude forests
20th century total loss: 95% of forests, from 4,000 sq km to 200 sq km
1970s rate: 4.5% per year, highest recorded decade
1988-1990: 5% annual surge post-political instability
1994-2000 UN estimates: 2% yearly, 10,000 ha total
Early satellite era (1986): forest cover at 7.4%, down from 12% in 1950s
2001-2010 net loss 18% of remaining forests
2011-2015: 1.2% rate, influenced by reforestation pilots
Total 20th century charcoal-driven loss: 80% of forests
1492-1920: 80% primary forest clearance for sugar plantations
1920-1980: additional 15% loss from population growth pressures

Historical Deforestation Rates Interpretation

Haiti's forests have been methodically erased across five centuries by a relentless parade of masters—colonial sugar barons, coffee booms, occupying armies, charcoal markets, and desperate hunger—leaving the very land to bleed out from under its own people.

Impacts of Deforestation

Deforestation causes annual soil loss of 60 million tons, reducing farmland by 2%/yr
Loss of forests leads to 30% reduction in dry season river flows in Artibonite
Biodiversity decline: 85% endemic species threatened, e.g., solenodon near extinction
Flooding frequency up 40% since 1990s, costing $500M/yr in damages
Carbon emissions from deforestation: 1.2 MtCO2e/yr, 25% of national total
Groundwater recharge down 35%, affecting 70% rural water supply
Crop yields dropped 20-50% due to erosion in deforested hillsides
Desertification affects 45% of land, turning 10,000 ha/yr unusable
Bird populations down 60% in deforested areas
Landslides increased 300% post-forest loss, killing 1,000+/yr avg
Fisheries collapse: 50% mangrove loss reduces fish stocks 40%
Air quality worsened by dust storms, respiratory diseases up 25%
Hurricane Matthew 2016 amplified by deforestation, $1.8B damage
Malaria incidence up 15% in deforested lowlands due to stagnant water
Soil organic carbon lost 70%, fertility down 40%
Coastal erosion 2m/yr, threatening 20% of beaches
Amphibian extinction risk 90% from habitat loss
Economic loss from ecosystem services: $200M/yr
Temperature rise 1.2C in deforested zones vs 0.8C national avg

Impacts of Deforestation Interpretation

Haiti is methodically dismantling its own life support system, trading trees for a cascade of calamities that bleed its economy, starve its land, and suffocate its future in a dusty, feverish chokehold.

Reforestation and Conservation Efforts

Reforestation projects planted 5 million trees since 2010, surviving 60%
National Reforestation Plan 2019-2024 aims for 20,000 ha reforested, 40% achieved by 2023
FAO assisted 12,000 farmers with agroforestry on 8,000 ha since 2015
World Bank Forêt à Crête project restored 4,500 ha in Massif du Nord by 2022
50 community nurseries produce 2M seedlings/yr, 70% survival rate
Payment for Ecosystem Services pilot pays 5,000 farmers $2M since 2020
3 national parks cover 2% land (5,700 sq km), with 80% enforcement gaps filled by NGOs
Mangrove restoration: 500 ha replanted since 2018, sequestering 10,000 tCO2
Charcoal alternatives: 100,000 efficient stoves distributed, reducing wood use 30%
Drone seeding trials planted 1,000 ha in 2023, 50% germination
20,000 ha under agroforestry contracts with farmers, banana-intercrop model
Anti-erosion terraces on 15,000 ha, stabilizing slopes post-reforestation
Education campaigns reached 1M people, 25% behavior change on wood use
Carbon credit projects certified 2,000 ha, generating $500k revenue
Goat control programs fenced 3,000 ha of young forests
Satellite monitoring covers 100% forests weekly via Global Forest Watch
500 rangers trained, patrolling 10,000 ha protected areas
School tree planting: 1M trees by students since 2015
$50M international aid for forestry 2015-2023, 60% disbursed
Indigenous fruit tree propagation: 500,000 planted, boosting incomes 20%

Reforestation and Conservation Efforts Interpretation

While there is commendable momentum in Haiti’s reforestation efforts, with millions of trees planted and innovative projects taking root, the journey from seedling to sustainable forest remains a steep uphill climb against deeply entrenched challenges.

Sources & References

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