Deforestation in Vietnam

According to a 2005 report conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Vietnam has the second highest rate of deforestation of primary forests in the world, second only to Nigeria. The use of defoliants during the Vietnam War had a devastating and long-lasting impact on the country's forests and ecology, affecting 14-44% of total forest cover, with coastal mangrove forests being most affected.

The use of herbicides like Agent Orange during the war not only defoliated vast tracts of forest but also left behind long-term environmental damage, including soil contamination and disruptions to the natural regeneration of ecosystems. These effects are still felt today, particularly in areas where recovery has been slow or hindered by ongoing deforestation pressures. The war left a legacy of environmental degradation that affected not only the forests but also the communities that relied on them for resources such as food, timber, and fuel. Many communities, particularly in the central and southern regions, were displaced or forced into subsistence farming, further contributing to the degradation of the landscape. And which in present day continue to face environmental challenges.