15.1.1 Forest area as a proportion of total land area — Value in South America
South America: 15.1.1 Forest area as a proportion of total land area — Value was 48.59 % in 2025. ▼ Falling
15.1.1 Forest area as a proportion of total land area — Value in South America, 1990–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in %.
Analysis
South America recorded 48.59 % for 15.1.1 forest area as a proportion of total land area — value in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, 15.1.1 forest area as a proportion of total land area — value in South America peaked at 58.88 % in 1990 and was at its lowest, 48.59 %, in 2025.
South America ranks 3rd of 33 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
15.1.1 Forest area as a proportion of total land area — Value in South America, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 58.88 % | — |
| 2000 | 54.68 % | -7.1% |
| 2010 | 51.84 % | -5.2% |
| 2015 | 50.94 % | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 49.84 % | -2.2% |
| 2025 | 48.59 % | -2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 58.88 % | 58.88 % | 58.88 % | 1 |
| 2000s | 54.68 % | 54.68 % | 54.68 % | 1 |
| 2010s | 51.39 % | 50.94 % | 51.84 % | 2 |
| 2020s | 49.22 % | 48.59 % | 49.84 % | 2 |
Countries ranked near South America
- 1 French Guiana 96.39 % compare
- 2 Guyana 93.36 % compare
- 3 Gabon 91.42 % compare
- 3 Suriname 91.42 % compare
- 5 Palau 91.02 % compare
- 5 Timor-Leste 70.9 % compare
- 6 Solomon Islands 89.82 % compare
More environment data for South America
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.98 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.218 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.23 °C (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total fibre furnish — Production, annual growth rate 4.24 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, annual growth rate 18.97 % change on previous year (2024)
- Newsprint — Import value, gaps filled 60,764 1000 USD (2024)
- Newsprint — Import quantity, annual growth rate 5.48 % change on previous year (2024)
- Newsprint — Import quantity, gaps filled 107,789 t (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is 15.1.1 forest area as a proportion of total land area — value in South America?
- 15.1.1 forest area as a proportion of total land area — value in South America was 48.59 % in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest 15.1.1 forest area as a proportion of total land area — value recorded in South America?
- The highest recorded value was 58.88 % in 1990.
- What is the lowest 15.1.1 forest area as a proportion of total land area — value recorded in South America?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.59 % in 2025.
- How does South America rank for 15.1.1 forest area as a proportion of total land area — value?
- South America ranks 3rd out of 33 groups with data for 2025.
- Is 15.1.1 forest area as a proportion of total land area — value rising or falling in South America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South America data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of 15.1.1 Forest area as a proportion of total land area — Value. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
As the custodian agency of 22 SDG indicators, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is responsible for curating and refining the methodologies of these indicators, collecting data from national sources, ensuring their quality and compatibility with applicable standards and classifications, and disseminating data at global level. This FAOSTAT domain complements the global SDG database administered by the United Nations Statistical Division (UNSD), as well as FAO’s SDG indicators portal, by providing access to the available data for all SDG Indicators under FAO custodianship. While this metadata page provides summary information on all SDG indicators data disseminated through FAOSTAT, indicator-specific metadata can be accessed from the link on the right hand navigation column. This additional metadata file provides details on the methodology used to compile each indicators, their data sources and the contact information of the relevant FAO focal point. It includes the links to the official SDG Indicator metadata documents accessible from the UNSD global SDG database.SDG Indicators under FAO custodianship, consisting of 22 indicators and 66 series that fall under six goals: • Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.• Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.• Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.• Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production.• Goal 14: Life below water: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources.• Goal 15: Life on land: Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss.