List of countries by forest area
This is a list of countries and territories of the world according to the total area covered by forests, based on data published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). In 2010, the world had 3.92 billion hectares (ha) of tree cover, extending over 30% of its land area.[1][need quotation to verify]
In 2020, the world had a total forest area of 4.06 billion ha, which was 31 percent of the total land area. This area is equivalent to 0.52 ha per person[2] – although forests are not distributed equally among the world's people or geographically. The tropical domain has the largest proportion of the world's forests (45 percent), followed by the boreal, temperate and subtropical domains. More than half (54 percent) of the world's forests is in only five countries – the Russian Federation (20.1%), Brazil (12.2%), Canada (8.6%), the United States of America (7.6%) and China (5.4%).[2]
Many of the world's forests are being damaged and degraded or are disappearing altogether. Their capacity to provide tangible goods, such as fiber, food, and medicines, as well as essential ecological services, including habitat for biodiversity, carbon storage, and moderation of freshwater flows, is under greater threat than ever before.[3][obsolete source]According to World Resource Institute in Washington, between 2000 and 2020 the world lost 101 million hectares (Mha) of tree cover, mostly tropical and subtropical forests (92%).[3] The FAO is compiling a new global assessment due to be published in 2025.[4]
Planet, continents and regions
editAll areas are given in units of 1000 hectares. Source: Food and Agriculture Organization[5]
Region | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|
World | 4,236,433 | 4,158,050 | 4,106,317 | 4,058,931 |
Asia (including Russia) | 1,394,343 | 1,396,679 | 1,426,096 | 1,437,999 |
South America | 973,666 | 922,645 | 870,154 | 844,186 |
North America and Central America | 755,279 | 752,349 | 754,190 | 752,710 |
Africa | 742,801 | 710,049 | 676,015 | 636,639 |
Europe (excluding Russia) | 185,369 | 192,999 | 198,846 | 202,149 |
Oceania | 184,974 | 183,328 | 181,015 | 185,248 |
Countries and territories
editAll areas are given in units of 1000 hectares. Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations[6]
Country | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 |
---|---|---|---|---|
1,208 | 1,208 | 1,208 | 1,208 | |
789 | 769 | 782 | 789 | |
1,667 | 1,579 | 1,918 | 1,949 | |
18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | |
16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | |
79,263 | 77,709 | 72,158 | 66,607 | |
10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | |
35,204 | 33,378 | 30,214 | 28,573 | |
335 | 333 | 331 | 328 | |
133,882 | 131,814 | 129,546 | 134,005 | |
3,776 | 3,838 | 3,863 | 3,899 | |
945 | 987 | 1,032 | 1,132 | |
510 | 510 | 510 | 510 | |
1,920 | 1,920 | 1,888 | 1,883 | |
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | |
7,780 | 8,273 | 8,630 | 8,768 | |
677 | 667 | 690 | 689 | |
1,600 | 1,459 | 1,391 | 1,277 | |
4,835 | 4,135 | 3,635 | 3,135 | |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
2,507 | 2,606 | 2,705 | 2,725 | |
57,805 | 55,101 | 53,086 | 50,834 | |
2,210 | 2,112 | 2,103 | 2,188 | |
18,804 | 17,621 | 16,438 | 15,255 | |
588,898 | 551,089 | 511,581 | 496,620 | |
413 | 397 | 380 | 380 | |
3,327 | 3,375 | 3,737 | 3,893 | |
7,717 | 7,217 | 6,717 | 6,216 | |
276 | 194 | 194 | 280 | |
11,005 | 10,781 | 10,589 | 8,068 | |
22,500 | 21,597 | 20,900 | 20,340 | |
348,273 | 347,802 | 347,322 | 346,928 | |
15 | 40 | 43 | 46 | |
13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | |
23,203 | 22,903 | 22,603 | 22,303 | |
6,730 | 6,353 | 5,530 | 4,313 | |
15,246 | 15,817 | 16,725 | 18,211 | |
157,141 | 177,001 | 200,610 | 219,978 | |
64,958 | 62,736 | 60,808 | 59,142 | |
46 | 42 | 37 | 33 | |
22,315 | 22,195 | 22,075 | 21,946 | |
2,907 | 2,857 | 2,871 | 3,035 | |
1,850 | 1,885 | 1,920 | 1,939 | |
2,058 | 2,435 | 2,932 | 3,242 | |
161 | 172 | 173 | 173 | |
2,629 | 2,637 | 2,657 | 2,677 | |
150,629 | 143,899 | 137,169 | 126,155 | |
531 | 572 | 586 | 628 | |
6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | |
50 | 48 | 48 | 48 | |
1,595 | 1,972 | 2,073 | 2,144 | |
963 | 949 | 935 | 921 | |
14,632 | 13,731 | 13,028 | 12,498 | |
44 | 59 | 66 | 45 | |
719 | 674 | 629 | 584 | |
2,699 | 2,616 | 2,532 | 2,448 | |
1,150 | 1,118 | 1,087 | 1,055 | |
2,206 | 2,239 | 2,336 | 2,438 | |
19,259 | 18,529 | 17,799 | 17,069 | |
940 | 1,006 | 1,073 | 1,140 | |
21,875 | 22,446 | 22,242 | 22,409 | |
14,436 | 15,288 | 16,419 | 17,253 | |
23,762 | 23,700 | 23,649 | 23,531 | |
415 | 357 | 300 | 243 | |
2,752 | 2,761 | 2,822 | 2,822 | |
11,300 | 11,354 | 11,409 | 11,419 | |
9,924 | 8,849 | 7,943 | 7,986 | |
3,299 | 3,600 | 3,902 | 3,902 | |
18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | |
4,781 | 4,209 | 3,723 | 3,528 | |
7,276 | 6,929 | 6,569 | 6,189 | |
2,233 | 2,149 | 2,064 | 1,980 | |
18,602 | 18,564 | 18,520 | 18,415 | |
383 | 381 | 378 | 347 | |
6,988 | 6,778 | 6,575 | 6,359 | |
1,814 | 1,921 | 2,046 | 2,053 | |
17 | 30 | 45 | 51 | |
63,938 | 67,591 | 69,496 | 72,160 | |
118,545 | 101,280 | 99,659 | 92,133 | |
9,076 | 9,326 | 10,692 | 10,752 | |
804 | 818 | 825 | 825 | |
462 | 630 | 720 | 782 | |
132 | 153 | 154 | 140 | |
7,590 | 8,369 | 9,028 | 9,566 | |
7,851 | 5,094 | 3,966 | 2,837 | |
521 | 521 | 558 | 597 | |
24,950 | 24,876 | 24,966 | 24,935 | |
98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | |
3,162 | 3,157 | 3,082 | 3,455 | |
3,859 | 3,961 | 3,616 | 3,611 | |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | |
1,136 | 1,181 | 1,230 | 1,315 | |
17,843 | 17,425 | 16,941 | 16,596 | |
3,173 | 3,241 | 3,372 | 3,411 | |
140 | 138 | 137 | 143 | |
35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | |
8,525 | 8,223 | 7,920 | 7,617 | |
217 | 217 | 217 | 217 | |
7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
1,945 | 2,020 | 2,170 | 2,201 | |
86 | 87 | 89 | 89 | |
13,693 | 13,031 | 12,562 | 12,430 | |
3,502 | 3,082 | 2,662 | 2,242 | |
20,619 | 19,691 | 18,948 | 19,114 | |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
13,296 | 13,296 | 13,296 | 13,296 | |
476 | 422 | 367 | 313 | |
41 | 42 | 38 | 39 | |
70,592 | 68,381 | 66,943 | 65,692 | |
64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | |
325 | 344 | 375 | 387 | |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
14,352 | 14,264 | 14,184 | 14,173 | |
626 | 626 | 827 | 827 | |
5,485 | 5,507 | 5,675 | 5,742 | |
43,378 | 41,188 | 38,972 | 36,744 | |
39,218 | 34,868 | 31,441 | 28,544 | |
8,769 | 8,059 | 7,349 | 6,639 | |
5,672 | 5,781 | 5,962 | 5,962 | |
345 | 360 | 373 | 370 | |
831 | 838 | 839 | 838 | |
9,372 | 9,850 | 9,848 | 9,893 | |
6,399 | 5,399 | 4,188 | 3,408 | |
1,945 | 1,328 | 1,204 | 1,080 | |
26,526 | 24,893 | 23,260 | 21,627 | |
6,551 | 6,476 | 6,387 | 6,287 | |
912 | 958 | 960 | 1,001 | |
12,132 | 12,113 | 12,102 | 12,180 | |
3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
4,987 | 4,511 | 4,094 | 3,726 | |
38 | 40 | 41 | 41 | |
4,607 | 4,442 | 4,328 | 4,214 | |
36,400 | 36,278 | 36,179 | 35,856 | |
25,546 | 22,992 | 19,570 | 16,102 | |
76,449 | 75,298 | 74,050 | 72,330 | |
7,779 | 7,309 | 6,840 | 7,189 | |
8,882 | 9,059 | 9,329 | 9,483 | |
3,399 | 3,281 | 3,252 | 3,312 | |
320 | 429 | 491 | 496 | |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
6,371 | 6,366 | 6,515 | 6,929 | |
808,950 | 809,269 | 815,136 | 815,312 | |
317 | 287 | 265 | 276 | |
21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | |
28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | |
176 | 171 | 166 | 162 | |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
59 | 58 | 58 | 52 | |
977 | 977 | 977 | 977 | |
9,303 | 8,853 | 8,468 | 8,068 | |
2,313 | 2,460 | 2,713 | 2,723 | |
34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | |
3,127 | 2,929 | 2,732 | 2,535 | |
15 | 17 | 18 | 16 | |
1,902 | 1,901 | 1,918 | 1,926 | |
1,188 | 1,233 | 1,247 | 1,238 | |
2,545 | 2,538 | 2,530 | 2,523 | |
8,283 | 7,515 | 6,748 | 5,980 | |
18,142 | 17,778 | 17,414 | 17,050 | |
6,912 | 6,455 | 6,242 | 6,030 | |
7,157 | 7,157 | 7,157 | 7,157 | |
13,905 | 17,094 | 18,545 | 18,572 | |
2,350 | 2,166 | 2,104 | 2,113 | |
23,570 | 21,826 | 20,081 | 18,360 | |
15,378 | 15,341 | 15,300 | 15,196 | |
461 | 473 | 485 | 498 | |
28,063 | 28,163 | 28,073 | 27,980 | |
1,154 | 1,196 | 1,235 | 1,269 | |
372 | 432 | 492 | 522 | |
408 | 410 | 410 | 424 | |
57,390 | 53,670 | 49,950 | 45,745 | |
19,361 | 18,998 | 20,073 | 19,873 | |
1,362 | 1,268 | 1,239 | 1,209 | |
9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | |
242 | 237 | 232 | 228 | |
644 | 668 | 687 | 703 | |
19,783 | 20,148 | 21,083 | 22,220 | |
4,127 | 4,127 | 4,127 | 4,127 | |
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
3,575 | 3,163 | 2,750 | 2,338 | |
9,274 | 9,510 | 9,548 | 9,690 | |
245 | 309 | 317 | 317 | |
2,778 | 2,954 | 3,059 | 3,190 | |
302,450 | 303,536 | 308,720 | 309,795 | |
25 | 20 | 18 | 20 | |
798 | 1,369 | 1,731 | 2,031 | |
2,549 | 2,961 | 3,350 | 3,690 | |
442 | 442 | 442 | 442 | |
52,026 | 49,151 | 47,505 | 46,231 | |
9,376 | 11,784 | 13,388 | 14,643 | |
549 | 549 | 549 | 549 | |
47,412 | 47,054 | 46,696 | 44,814 | |
18,827 | 18,366 | 17,905 | 17,445 |
Share of national land which is forest
editThe percentage of each country's land which is forested was published by the Food and Agriculture Organization in 2020 and is expected to be updated in 2025 and every 5 years after that.[7] This data can be downloaded in bulk from Our World in Data.[8] Some countries have more recent statistics, for example the share of forest in Turkey is mentioned in that article.
See also
edit- Deforestation by continent
- Forest cover by state and territory in the United States
- Forest cover by state in India
- Forest cover by federal subject in Russia
- Forest cover by province or territory in Canada
- Forest cover by state or territory in Australia
- Forest Landscape Integrity Index
- Forest restoration
- Reforestation
Sources
editThis article incorporates text from "Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 Key findings" (PDF). FAO. 2020. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. See c:File:Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 – Key findings.pdf. VRTS ticket # 2020073010003087.
This article incorporates text from a free content work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (license statement/permission). Text taken from The State of the World's Forests 2020. Forests, biodiversity and people – In brief, FAO & UNEP, FAO & UNEP.
References
edit- ^ "Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020" (in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
- ^ a b "Indicators Overview | Forest Extent". Global Forest Watch. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
- ^ a b "Global Forest Review". World Resources Institute. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
- ^ "Global Forest Resources Assessments | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations". www.fao.org. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
- ^ "Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 - Main Report" (PDF). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2020. p. 16. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
- ^ "Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 - Main Report" (PDF). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2020. pp. 136–142. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
- ^ "FRA platform". fra-data.fao.org. Retrieved 2024-02-11.
- ^ Ritchie, Hannah; Roser, Max (2024-01-15). "Forest area". Our World in Data.
External links
edit- Global Forest Resources Assessment at FAO
- Forest data at FAO