STATUS AND TRENDS IN MANGROVE AREA EXTENT WORLDWIDE

Dem. Rep. of the Congo

Vegetation description

Mangrove forests are found in the Congo delta and in the lagoons along the Atlantic coast. The most common species are Avicennia africana (syn A. nitida), Conocarpus erectus and Rhizophora racemosa.

FAO, UNEP. 1981. Tropical forest resources assessment project. Forest resources of tropical Africa. Part II: Country Briefs. Rome. 586 pp.

National level mangrove area estimates

Year

Area
(ha)

Source

Trend

Methodology/Comments

1954

50 000

Lebrun, J and Gilbert, G. 1954. Une classification écologique des forêts du Congo Publications de l'INEAC. Série scientifique No. 63 - Bruxelles

Cited in: FAO, UNEP, 1981. Tropical Forest Resources Assessment Project, Forest Resources of Tropical Africa. Part II: Country Briefs FAO, UNEP 586pp. Rough estimate.

1980

53 000

Library of Congress, Science and Technology Division. 1980. Phase I Environmental Profile of the Republic of Zaire. AID Contract No. SA/TOA 1-77 with U.S. MAB Secretariat, Washinghton, D.C.

Cited in: Fisher, P and Spalding, M.D. 1993. Protected areas with mangrove habitat. Draft Report World Conservation Centre, Cambridge, UK. 60pp. There is no information on the date or methods used.

1982

55 557

SPIAF. 1989. Carte synthèse forestière du Zaire.

X

Original data. Map analysis

1983

20 000

Saenger, P., Hegerl E.J. and J.D.S., Davie. 1983. Global status of mangrove ecosystems. Commission on Ecology Papers No.3. IUCN. Gland, Switzerland. 88 pp.

Secondary reference, no primary source provided. The "Year" is the publication year.

1983

37 400

Spalding, M.D., Blasco, F. and Field, C.D. eds. 1997. World Mangrove Atlas. The International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems, Okinawa, Japan. 178 pp.

Map analysis. Scale 1:5 000 000

1995

22 600

Saenger, P. and Bellan, M.F. 1995. The Mangrove vegetation of the Atlantic coast of Africa. Universitè de Toulouse Press, Toulouse 96 pp.

X

Secondary reference, no primary source provided. The "Year" is the publication year.

Trends in mangrove area extent over time

The estimate for 2000 has been calculated applying FRA 2000 (FA0, 2001) annual forest change rate for 1990-2000 (-0.4 percent) to the most recent, reliable figure.

Year	Area (ha)	Source	Trend	Methodology/Comments
1954	50 000	Lebrun, J and Gilbert, G. 1954. Une classification écologique des forêts du Congo Publications de l'INEAC. Série scientifique No. 63 - Bruxelles		Cited in: FAO, UNEP, 1981. Tropical Forest Resources Assessment Project, Forest Resources of Tropical Africa. Part II: Country Briefs FAO, UNEP 586pp. Rough estimate.
1980	53 000	Library of Congress, Science and Technology Division. 1980. Phase I Environmental Profile of the Republic of Zaire. AID Contract No. SA/TOA 1-77 with U.S. MAB Secretariat, Washinghton, D.C.		Cited in: Fisher, P and Spalding, M.D. 1993. Protected areas with mangrove habitat. Draft Report World Conservation Centre, Cambridge, UK. 60pp. There is no information on the date or methods used.
1982	55 557	SPIAF. 1989. Carte synthèse forestière du Zaire.	X	Original data. Map analysis
1983	20 000	Saenger, P., Hegerl E.J. and J.D.S., Davie. 1983. Global status of mangrove ecosystems. Commission on Ecology Papers No.3. IUCN. Gland, Switzerland. 88 pp.		Secondary reference, no primary source provided. The "Year" is the publication year.
1983	37 400	Spalding, M.D., Blasco, F. and Field, C.D. eds. 1997. World Mangrove Atlas. The International Society for Mangrove Ecosystems, Okinawa, Japan. 178 pp.		Map analysis. Scale 1:5 000 000
1995	22 600	Saenger, P. and Bellan, M.F. 1995. The Mangrove vegetation of the Atlantic coast of Africa. Universitè de Toulouse Press, Toulouse 96 pp.	X	Secondary reference, no primary source provided. The "Year" is the publication year.