Several studies have reported tree cover loss at an unprecedented rate in Madagascar because of human population expansion which affects biodiversity, ecosystems, and weather patterns. Here we examine deforestation in Madagascar over the past 20 years (2001–2021). Time-series analysis of Landsat images empirically show that Madagascar, which covers an area of about 59 million hectares (230,000 square miles), has lost 4.85 million hectares of tree cover since 2000, equivalent to a 25% decrease in tree cover, and a gross estimate of 2.52 gigatonnes of CO2e – carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas emissions. Without breaking the intertwined cycle of poverty and deforestation, increasing rates of extinction will continue to impact Madagascar's flora and fauna.