Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Zambia
Zambia: Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre was 5.84 hectares per square kilometre in 2023. ▼ Falling
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Zambia, 2002–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in hectares per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Zambia is 5.84 hectares per square kilometre, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 7.1% on the previous year and down 8.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Zambia peaked at 7.74 hectares per square kilometre in 2005 and was at its lowest, 4.57 hectares per square kilometre, in 2020.
Zambia ranks 9th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Zambia, year by year
| Year | hectares per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 5.98 hectares per square kilometre | — |
| 2003 | 6.99 hectares per square kilometre | +16.9% |
| 2004 | 7.53 hectares per square kilometre | +7.8% |
| 2005 | 7.74 hectares per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 6.18 hectares per square kilometre | -20.2% |
| 2007 | 7.08 hectares per square kilometre | +14.6% |
| 2008 | 6.5 hectares per square kilometre | -8.2% |
| 2009 | 5.65 hectares per square kilometre | -13.0% |
| 2010 | 6.11 hectares per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 2011 | 6.31 hectares per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 6.68 hectares per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 2013 | 6.38 hectares per square kilometre | -4.6% |
| 2014 | 6.27 hectares per square kilometre | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 6.28 hectares per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 6.31 hectares per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 4.94 hectares per square kilometre | -21.8% |
| 2018 | 4.77 hectares per square kilometre | -3.4% |
| 2019 | 5.17 hectares per square kilometre | +8.5% |
| 2020 | 4.57 hectares per square kilometre | -11.6% |
| 2021 | 5.42 hectares per square kilometre | +18.6% |
| 2022 | 5.46 hectares per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2023 | 5.84 hectares per square kilometre | +7.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 6.71 hectares per square kilometre | 5.65 hectares per square kilometre | 7.74 hectares per square kilometre | 8 |
| 2010s | 5.92 hectares per square kilometre | 4.77 hectares per square kilometre | 6.68 hectares per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.32 hectares per square kilometre | 4.57 hectares per square kilometre | 5.84 hectares per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 6 Angola 10.51 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 7 Burkina Faso 9.21 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 8 Australia 8.72 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 10 Benin 5.73 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 11 Congo 5.15 hectares per square kilometre compare
- 12 Mali 4.83 hectares per square kilometre compare
More reference data data for Zambia
- Exchange rate, new LCU per USD extended backward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Exchange rate, old LCU per USD extended forward, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Official exchange rate, LCU per USD, period average 18.94 (2026)
- Global number of reported disasters by size, gaps filled 0 events (2025)
- Annual precipitation, annual growth rate 40.84 % change on previous year (2025)
- Free country, gaps filled 1 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Civil liberties rating, per capita 0 units per person (2025)
- Consumer price index 483.32 2010 = 100 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Zambia?
- Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre in Zambia was 5.84 hectares per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 7.74 hectares per square kilometre in 2005.
- What is the lowest area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.57 hectares per square kilometre in 2020.
- How does Zambia rank for area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre?
- Zambia ranks 9th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Zambia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Area burned by wildfires by land cover type, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Area burned by wildfires by land cover type Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.