Above-ground forest biomass in China
China: Above-ground forest biomass was 72.48 tonnes per hectare in 2025. ▲ Rising
Above-ground forest biomass in China, 1990–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes per hectare.
Analysis
The most recent figure for above-ground forest biomass in China is 72.48 tonnes per hectare, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.
The figure is up 19.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, above-ground forest biomass in China peaked at 72.48 tonnes per hectare in 2025 and was at its lowest, 51.64 tonnes per hectare, in 1990.
China ranks 155th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Above-ground forest biomass in China, year by year
| Year | tonnes per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 51.64 tonnes per hectare | — |
| 2000 | 54.54 tonnes per hectare | +5.6% |
| 2010 | 55.72 tonnes per hectare | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 60.75 tonnes per hectare | +9.0% |
| 2016 | 61.76 tonnes per hectare | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 62.52 tonnes per hectare | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 63.26 tonnes per hectare | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 64 tonnes per hectare | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 66.72 tonnes per hectare | +4.2% |
| 2025 | 72.48 tonnes per hectare | +8.6% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 72.48 tonnes per hectare is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 134.94 tonnes per hectare, 54% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
- China's 72.48 tonnes per hectare is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 147 tonnes per hectare, 49% of the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 51.64 tonnes per hectare | 51.64 tonnes per hectare | 51.64 tonnes per hectare | 1 |
| 2000s | 54.54 tonnes per hectare | 54.54 tonnes per hectare | 54.54 tonnes per hectare | 1 |
| 2010s | 61.34 tonnes per hectare | 55.72 tonnes per hectare | 64 tonnes per hectare | 6 |
| 2020s | 69.6 tonnes per hectare | 66.72 tonnes per hectare | 72.48 tonnes per hectare | 2 |
Countries ranked near China
More environment data for China
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.279 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.92 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 5.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8065 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate -0.2517 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is above-ground forest biomass in China?
- Above-ground forest biomass in China was 72.48 tonnes per hectare in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest above-ground forest biomass recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 72.48 tonnes per hectare in 2025.
- What is the lowest above-ground forest biomass recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 51.64 tonnes per hectare in 1990.
- How does China rank for above-ground forest biomass?
- China ranks 155th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is above-ground forest biomass rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Above-ground forest biomass. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Above-ground biomass in forest (tonnes per hectare).