Annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Somalia
Somalia: Annual area burnt by wildfires by region was 3,091 hectares in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Somalia, 2002–2025
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2025, annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Somalia stood at 3,091 hectares.
That represents a change of down 77.3% on the previous year and up 27.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Somalia peaked at 140,816 hectares in 2003 and was at its lowest, 21.47 hectares, in 2017.
That places Somalia 123rd out of 225 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Somalia, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 23,570 hectares | — |
| 2003 | 140,816 hectares | +497.5% |
| 2004 | 20,564 hectares | -85.4% |
| 2005 | 26,704 hectares | +29.9% |
| 2006 | 7,556 hectares | -71.7% |
| 2007 | 37,415 hectares | +395.2% |
| 2008 | 26,618 hectares | -28.9% |
| 2009 | 12,300 hectares | -53.8% |
| 2010 | 24,278 hectares | +97.4% |
| 2011 | 3,671 hectares | -84.9% |
| 2012 | 66,308 hectares | +1706.4% |
| 2013 | 71,996 hectares | +8.6% |
| 2014 | 15,348 hectares | -78.7% |
| 2015 | 2,426 hectares | -84.2% |
| 2016 | 5,946 hectares | +145.1% |
| 2017 | 21.47 hectares | -99.6% |
| 2018 | 429.32 hectares | +1900.0% |
| 2019 | 2,748 hectares | +540.0% |
| 2020 | 16,894 hectares | +514.8% |
| 2021 | 5,667 hectares | -66.5% |
| 2022 | 1,288 hectares | -77.3% |
| 2023 | 3,349 hectares | +160.0% |
| 2024 | 13,609 hectares | +306.4% |
| 2025 | 3,091 hectares | -77.3% |
Somalia compared with similar countries
- Somalia's 3,091 hectares is below the median for low income countries, which is 582,455 hectares, 1% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Somalia's 3,091 hectares is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.23 million hectares, 0% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Somalia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | +1900.0% | 21.47 hectares | 429.32 hectares |
| 2012 | +1706.4% | 3,671 hectares | 66,308 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 36,943 hectares | 7,556 hectares | 140,816 hectares | 8 |
| 2010s | 19,317 hectares | 21.47 hectares | 71,996 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 7,316 hectares | 1,288 hectares | 16,894 hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Somalia
- 120 Tajikistan 3,435 hectares compare
- 121 New Zealand 3,413 hectares compare
- 122 Morocco 3,220 hectares compare
- 124 Panama 2,984 hectares compare
- 125 Poland 2,791 hectares compare
- 126 French Guiana 2,211 hectares compare
More reference data data for Somalia
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2685 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - Manure Management 1,290 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.8842 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CH4) - Burning - Crop residues 0.4444 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Burning - Crop residues 0.0115 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Agricultural 11,378 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.78 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O (AR5) - Burning - Crop 3.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 40,976 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 42.94 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Somalia?
- Annual area burnt by wildfires by region in Somalia was 3,091 hectares in 2025, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual area burnt by wildfires by region recorded in Somalia?
- The highest recorded value was 140,816 hectares in 2003.
- What is the lowest annual area burnt by wildfires by region recorded in Somalia?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.47 hectares in 2017.
- How does Somalia rank for annual area burnt by wildfires by region?
- Somalia ranks 123rd out of 225 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual area burnt by wildfires by region rising or falling in Somalia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Somalia data come from?
- The figures come from Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual area burnt by wildfires by region. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total land area burnt by wildfires each year, in hectares, across all land cover types.