15.2.1 Forest area under an independently verified forest management certification scheme — Value by country
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...
What the numbers show
15.2.1 Forest area under an independently verified forest management certification scheme — Value is currently reported for 97 countries. The highest value is 163,524 1000 ha in Canada; the lowest is 0 1000 ha in Russian Federation.
The median across all reporting countries is 510.74 1000 ha, and the mean is 3,869 1000 ha.
Over the past decade 46 countries rose and 34 fell. The largest increase was in Ghana (up 1,027.9%), and the largest decrease in Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (down 100.0%).
15.2.1 Forest area under an independently verified forest management: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada | 163,524 1000 ha | 2024 | down 0.5% | rising |
| 2 | Sweden | 22,469 1000 ha | 2024 | up 43.4% | rising |
| 2 | Türkiye | 10,122 1000 ha | 2024 | up 329.0% | volatile |
| 3 | Finland | 19,566 1000 ha | 2024 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 4 | Australia and New Zealand | 18,402 1000 ha | 2024 | up 55.4% | volatile |
| 4 | Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | 875.57 1000 ha | 2024 | down 1.7% | rising |
| 5 | Australia | 17,321 1000 ha | 2024 | up 63.7% | volatile |
| 6 | Brazil | 9,917 1000 ha | 2024 | up 46.9% | rising |
| 6 | Viet Nam | 510.74 1000 ha | 2024 | up 282.3% | volatile |
| 7 | Germany | 9,094 1000 ha | 2024 | up 20.3% | rising |
| 8 | Indonesia | 7,829 1000 ha | 2024 | up 184.1% | volatile |
| 8 | Melanesia | 136.95 1000 ha | 2024 | down 27.4% | volatile |
| 9 | Poland | 7,268 1000 ha | 2024 | down 1.9% | rising |
| 9 | United Republic of Tanzania | 40.62 1000 ha | 2024 | down 71.5% | volatile |
| 10 | Norway | 7,256 1000 ha | 2024 | down 21.3% | rising |
| 10 | Lao People's Democratic Republic | 31.76 1000 ha | 2024 | down 76.1% | volatile |
| 11 | Malaysia | 6,798 1000 ha | 2024 | up 30.0% | volatile |
| 11 | Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) | 0 1000 ha | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 12 | China, mainland | 5,875 1000 ha | 2024 | down 17.0% | volatile |
| 13 | France | 5,766 1000 ha | 2024 | down 28.2% | rising |
| 14 | Ukraine | 4,778 1000 ha | 2024 | up 51.8% | volatile |
| 15 | Romania | 3,493 1000 ha | 2024 | up 38.4% | volatile |
| 16 | Austria | 3,380 1000 ha | 2024 | up 15.1% | rising |
| 17 | Spain | 3,155 1000 ha | 2024 | up 54.7% | volatile |
| 18 | Congo | 3,082 1000 ha | 2024 | up 26.1% | volatile |
| 19 | Bulgaria | 2,601 1000 ha | 2024 | up 268.0% | volatile |
| 20 | Gabon | 2,581 1000 ha | 2024 | up 117.7% | volatile |
| 21 | Japan | 2,579 1000 ha | 2024 | up 55.8% | volatile |
| 22 | French Guiana | 2,425 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 23 | Chile | 2,239 1000 ha | 2024 | down 6.5% | rising |
| 24 | Croatia | 2,033 1000 ha | 2024 | down 0.3% | rising |
| 25 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2,005 1000 ha | 2024 | up 34.0% | volatile |
| 26 | Czechia | 1,782 1000 ha | 2024 | up 0.6% | rising |
| 27 | Latvia | 1,779 1000 ha | 2024 | down 1.1% | rising |
| 28 | Estonia | 1,757 1000 ha | 2024 | up 35.4% | rising |
| 29 | Uruguay | 1,678 1000 ha | 2024 | up 35.2% | volatile |
| 29 | Caribbean | 0 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 30 | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | 1,626 1000 ha | 2024 | up 1.1% | rising |
| 31 | Namibia | 1,552 1000 ha | 2024 | up 989.5% | volatile |
| 32 | Mexico | 1,539 1000 ha | 2024 | up 84.4% | rising |
| 33 | South Africa | 1,453 1000 ha | 2024 | up 13.9% | rising |
| 34 | Lithuania | 1,268 1000 ha | 2024 | up 18.2% | rising |
| 35 | Slovakia | 1,169 1000 ha | 2024 | down 9.3% | volatile |
| 36 | New Zealand | 1,081 1000 ha | 2024 | down 14.4% | rising |
| 37 | Peru | 1,063 1000 ha | 2024 | up 93.1% | volatile |
| 38 | Italy | 1,045 1000 ha | 2024 | up 26.1% | rising |
| 39 | Serbia | 1,025 1000 ha | 2024 | up 2.3% | volatile |
| 40 | Republic of Korea | 702.68 1000 ha | 2024 | up 82.9% | volatile |
| 41 | Cameroon | 695.25 1000 ha | 2024 | down 26.2% | volatile |
| 42 | Argentina | 690.07 1000 ha | 2024 | up 150.5% | volatile |
| 43 | India | 628.97 1000 ha | 2024 | down 23.2% | volatile |
| 44 | Portugal | 613.03 1000 ha | 2024 | up 69.0% | volatile |
| 45 | Switzerland | 552.69 1000 ha | 2024 | down 8.3% | rising |
| 46 | Guyana | 528.11 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 47 | Hungary | 492.21 1000 ha | 2024 | up 60.5% | volatile |
| 48 | Ireland | 467.03 1000 ha | 2024 | up 4.2% | rising |
| 49 | Guatemala | 449.48 1000 ha | 2024 | down 10.0% | rising |
| 50 | Denmark | 350 1000 ha | 2024 | up 33.7% | volatile |
| 51 | Slovenia | 306.36 1000 ha | 2024 | up 3.1% | volatile |
| 52 | Belgium | 294.78 1000 ha | 2024 | down 8.4% | rising |
| 53 | Colombia | 207.04 1000 ha | 2024 | up 50.4% | rising |
| 54 | Thailand | 173.92 1000 ha | 2024 | up 293.1% | volatile |
| 55 | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | 165.88 1000 ha | 2024 | down 0.8% | rising |
| 56 | Mozambique | 134.18 1000 ha | 2024 | up 124.0% | volatile |
| 57 | Eswatini | 127.35 1000 ha | 2024 | up 11.0% | rising |
| 58 | Belize | 102.79 1000 ha | 2024 | down 31.9% | rising |
| 59 | Paraguay | 98.22 1000 ha | 2024 | up 292.6% | volatile |
| 60 | Fiji | 83.77 1000 ha | 2024 | down 1.9% | volatile |
| 61 | Ecuador | 74.01 1000 ha | 2024 | up 36.0% | rising |
| 62 | Luxembourg | 47.07 1000 ha | 2024 | up 18.0% | rising |
| 63 | Zimbabwe | 42.12 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 64 | Panama | 41.53 1000 ha | 2024 | down 6.1% | volatile |
| 65 | Solomon Islands | 38.41 1000 ha | 2024 | down 40.9% | volatile |
| 66 | Ghana | 38.01 1000 ha | 2024 | up 1,027.9% | volatile |
| 67 | Costa Rica | 35.53 1000 ha | 2024 | down 35.3% | falling |
| 68 | Uganda | 29.76 1000 ha | 2024 | down 23.6% | volatile |
| 69 | Suriname | 21.72 1000 ha | 2024 | down 94.0% | volatile |
| 70 | Sri Lanka | 21.53 1000 ha | 2024 | up 41.8% | rising |
| 71 | Nicaragua | 19.66 1000 ha | 2024 | down 23.1% | rising |
| 72 | Zambia | 17 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 73 | Papua New Guinea | 14.77 1000 ha | 2024 | down 61.2% | volatile |
| 74 | Sierra Leone | 11.72 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 75 | Philippines | 10.51 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 76 | Rwanda | 10.04 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 77 | Honduras | 9.2 1000 ha | 2024 | down 83.5% | volatile |
| 78 | North Macedonia | 1.64 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 79 | Cambodia | 0.42 1000 ha | 2024 | down 96.7% | volatile |
| 80 | Belarus | 0 1000 ha | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 80 | Dominican Republic | 0 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 80 | Greece | 0 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 80 | Kenya | 0 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 80 | Kyrgyzstan | 0 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 80 | Liechtenstein | 0 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 80 | Morocco | 0 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 80 | Madagascar | 0 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 80 | Nepal | 0 1000 ha | 2024 | — | volatile |
| 80 | Russian Federation | 0 1000 ha | 2024 | down 100.0% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- World 396,648 1000 ha
- Asia 35,284 1000 ha
- Northern America and Europe 310,998 1000 ha
- Americas 225,404 1000 ha
- Middle Africa 6,358 1000 ha
- Northern America 203,391 1000 ha
- Europe 107,607 1000 ha
- Small island developing States (SIDS) 789.57 1000 ha
- Northern Europe 56,539 1000 ha
- United States of America 39,867 1000 ha
- Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 313.92 1000 ha
- Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia 24,512 1000 ha
- Latin America and the Caribbean 22,014 1000 ha
- Eastern Europe 21,583 1000 ha
- South America 19,817 1000 ha
- Western Europe 19,301 1000 ha
- Oceania 18,539 1000 ha
- South-Eastern Asia 15,354 1000 ha
- Southern Europe 10,184 1000 ha
- Western Asia 10,122 1000 ha
- Western Asia and Northern Africa 10,122 1000 ha
- Africa 9,813 1000 ha
- Sub-Saharan Africa 9,813 1000 ha
- Eastern Asia 9,157 1000 ha
- Southern Africa 3,132 1000 ha
- Central America 2,197 1000 ha
- Land Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs) 1,233 1000 ha
- Southern Asia 650.5 1000 ha
- Central Asia and Southern Asia 650.5 1000 ha
- Eastern Africa 273.72 1000 ha
- Oceania excluding Australia and New Zealand 136.95 1000 ha
- Western Africa 49.72 1000 ha
- Central Asia 0 1000 ha
- Northern Africa 0 1000 ha
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.