Annual afforestation in Spain
Spain: Annual afforestation was 2,800 hectares per year in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Annual afforestation in Spain, 1990–2020
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares per year.
Analysis
Spain recorded 2,800 hectares per year for annual afforestation in 2020.
The figure is down 47.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual afforestation in Spain peaked at 74,620 hectares per year in 1990 and was at its lowest, 1,400 hectares per year, in 2015.
Spain ranks 32nd of 106 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Annual afforestation in Spain, year by year
| Year | hectares per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 74,620 hectares per year | — |
| 2000 | 20,910 hectares per year | -72.0% |
| 2010 | 5,300 hectares per year | -74.7% |
| 2015 | 1,400 hectares per year | -73.6% |
| 2020 | 2,800 hectares per year | +100.0% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 2,800 hectares per year is above the median for high income countries, which is 425 hectares per year, 6.6× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Spain's 2,800 hectares per year is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 920 hectares per year, 3.0× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 74,620 hectares per year | 74,620 hectares per year | 74,620 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2000s | 20,910 hectares per year | 20,910 hectares per year | 20,910 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2010s | 3,350 hectares per year | 1,400 hectares per year | 5,300 hectares per year | 2 |
| 2020s | 2,800 hectares per year | 2,800 hectares per year | 2,800 hectares per year | 1 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More environment data for Spain
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.67 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.4 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.402 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.3 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.4277 % 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 -0.5136 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual afforestation in Spain?
- Annual afforestation in Spain was 2,800 hectares per year in 2020, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual afforestation recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 74,620 hectares per year in 1990.
- What is the lowest annual afforestation recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,400 hectares per year in 2015.
- How does Spain rank for annual afforestation?
- Spain ranks 32nd out of 106 countries with data for 2020.
- Is annual afforestation rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 47.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Spain data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual afforestation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Afforestation is the establishment of forest through planting and/or deliberate seeding on land that, until then, was not classified as forest.