Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Tanzania
Tanzania: Area burned by wildfires by land cover type was 2.44 million hectares in 2025. ▼ Falling
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Tanzania, 2002–2025
Source: Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Tanzania is 2.44 million hectares, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 12.8% on the previous year and down 5.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Tanzania peaked at 4.70 million hectares in 2007 and was at its lowest, 1.66 million hectares, in 2017.
That places Tanzania 14th out of 225 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Tanzania, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 3.55 million hectares | — |
| 2003 | 4.27 million hectares | +20.2% |
| 2004 | 3.86 million hectares | -9.7% |
| 2005 | 4.05 million hectares | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 2.20 million hectares | -45.7% |
| 2007 | 4.70 million hectares | +113.9% |
| 2008 | 3.54 million hectares | -24.8% |
| 2009 | 3.32 million hectares | -6.2% |
| 2010 | 4.01 million hectares | +20.7% |
| 2011 | 2.82 million hectares | -29.6% |
| 2012 | 3.29 million hectares | +16.7% |
| 2013 | 2.88 million hectares | -12.4% |
| 2014 | 2.45 million hectares | -14.8% |
| 2015 | 2.59 million hectares | +5.4% |
| 2016 | 3.12 million hectares | +20.5% |
| 2017 | 1.66 million hectares | -46.8% |
| 2018 | 2.30 million hectares | +38.5% |
| 2019 | 2.27 million hectares | -1.3% |
| 2020 | 2.82 million hectares | +24.4% |
| 2021 | 2.77 million hectares | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 2.15 million hectares | -22.5% |
| 2023 | 2.17 million hectares | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 2.80 million hectares | +29.1% |
| 2025 | 2.44 million hectares | -12.8% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 2.44 million hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 49,425 hectares, 49.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 2.44 million hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 541,498 hectares, 4.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.69 million hectares | 2.20 million hectares | 4.70 million hectares | 8 |
| 2010s | 2.74 million hectares | 1.66 million hectares | 4.01 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.53 million hectares | 2.15 million hectares | 2.82 million hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
- 11 Madagascar 2.96 million hectares compare
- 12 Nigeria 2.89 million hectares compare
- 13 Botswana 2.59 million hectares compare
- 15 Namibia 2.15 million hectares compare
- 16 South Africa 2.13 million hectares compare
- 17 Mozambique 2.04 million hectares compare
More reference data data for Tanzania
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6405 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 11.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7582 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 2.15 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.26 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 59.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 72.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Tanzania?
- Area burned by wildfires by land cover type in Tanzania was 2.44 million hectares in 2025, according to Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest area burned by wildfires by land cover type recorded in Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 4.70 million hectares in 2007.
- What is the lowest area burned by wildfires by land cover type recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.66 million hectares in 2017.
- How does Tanzania rank for area burned by wildfires by land cover type?
- Tanzania ranks 14th out of 225 countries with data for 2025.
- Is area burned by wildfires by land cover type rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Tanzania data come from?
- The figures come from Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Area burned by wildfires by land cover type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Area of shrubland and grassland burnt by wildfires each year, in hectares. Includes open and closed shrublands and grasslands without a significant tree cover.