<p>Tropical dry forests (TDFs), one of the most threatened forest ecosystems globally, are characterized by drought-adapted deciduous vegetation and are distributed across various continents. Despite their ecological significance, TDFs are subject to substantial deforestation and fragmentation, with less than 25% of their original area remaining intact. The study aims to assess the global distribution, deforestation, fragmentation, and conservation status of TDFs between 2000 and 2020. A global analysis was conducted between 30 degrees North and South latitudes, using land use data from Copernicus and forest cover layers from Potapov et al., (Frontiers in Remote Sensing 3: 856903, 2022). Fragmentation and deforestation were assessed by calculating patch metrics and changes in forest area with GIS software. The effectiveness of protected areas was evaluated by comparing forest trends inside and outside these zones. The potential distribution area was found to be 23,878,735 km² across four continents, with Africa and South America having the largest areas. Important deforestation was observed, particularly in South America and Africa (9.64% and 5.39% loss, respectively). Fragmentation was found to be severe, with a decrease in patch number but an increase in average patch size, and loss of area of large patches. In Africa, almost 32% of the patches disappeared during the study period; in Africa and Central and North America the average patch size increased by 37.89% and 20.89%, respectively, relative to the values of 2000. Protected areas reduced but did not stop deforestation. South America has the highest protection percentage but has undergone notable forest loss outside protected areas. TDFs are critically threatened by deforestation and fragmentation, and protection efforts have had limited success. Comprehensive and effective conservation strategies are urgently needed to preserve these critical ecosystems.</p>