10 African countries with the highest forest concentration

Serving as the heartbeat of the earth, the relevance of forests particularly in today's world where global warming has become a hot-button subject, cannot be overstated. Be it in Africa or wherever, these regions characterized by wildlife are typically teeming with activity, supporting our very existence. As a result, the preservation of forests is paramount to humanity's survival.

From the verdant rainforests of the Congo Basin to the recognizable savannas of the Serengeti, Africa's forests are home to an astounding forest ecosystem. In addition to supporting a staggering variety of flora and wildlife, these forests offer vital ecosystem services that keep life on Earth afloat.

Naturally, these areas control the climate, store carbon, clean water and air, stop soil erosion, and support millions of people's livelihoods. Despite the alarming rate of deforestation in Africa, the continent still has a sizable amount of forest areas.

According to Our World in Data, a data and research platform dedicated to solving some of the world's biggest problems, a forest area is any territory that has planted or naturally occurring tree stands that are at least five meters tall; this definition does not include tree stands used in agricultural production systems.

They also noted that; "The world has lost one-third of its forests since the end of the last ice age - 10,000 years ago. Half of this loss occurred in the last century alone. The main driver of deforestation is agriculture: humans clear forests to make space for grazing and croplands."

Our World in Data highlighted the countries with the largest forest area in relation to their overall land area despite human activities, and based on their most recent findings, which dates 2020, below are the African countries with the largest forest areas.

10 African countries with the largest forest area

PS: The figures in this list does not represent the sheer hectare of forest lands but forest lands in proportion to each country's overall borders. i.e 70% of Liberia's lands are forest despite it being a relatively small country.