Annual change in forest area in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Annual change in forest area was -4,944 hectares in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual change in forest area in Sri Lanka, 1991–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual change in forest area in Sri Lanka is -4,944 hectares, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 57.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in forest area in Sri Lanka peaked at 9,432 hectares in 2016 and was at its lowest, -13,880 hectares, in 1991.
Sri Lanka ranks 183rd of 235 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -13,880 hectares | -13,880 hectares | -13,880 hectares | 9 |
| 2000s | -8,154 hectares | -13,880 hectares | -7,518 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | -2,750 hectares | -11,542 hectares | 9,432 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | -2,548 hectares | -4,944 hectares | 9,432 hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More environment data for Sri Lanka
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 37.17 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 1.7 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 5.57 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 0.6851 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 0.0046 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0737 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 11.12 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.0059 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0632 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 4.72 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in forest area in Sri Lanka?
- Annual change in forest area in Sri Lanka was -4,944 hectares in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual change in forest area recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 9,432 hectares in 2016.
- What is the lowest annual change in forest area recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was -13,880 hectares in 1991.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for annual change in forest area?
- Sri Lanka ranks 183rd out of 235 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual change in forest area rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 57.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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 change in forest area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Net change in forest area measures forest expansion (the sum of afforestation and natural expansion) minus deforestation.