Annual change in forest area in United States
United States: Annual change in forest area was -72,000 hectares in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual change in forest area in United States, 1991–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
United States recorded -72,000 hectares for annual change in forest area in 2025.
That represents a change of down 126.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in forest area in United States peaked at 518,400 hectares in 2001 and was at its lowest, -168,000 hectares, in 2016.
That places United States 211th out of 235 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 | 108,600 hectares | 108,600 hectares | 108,600 hectares | 9 |
| 2000s | 477,420 hectares | 108,600 hectares | 518,400 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 122,140 hectares | -168,000 hectares | 518,400 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | -88,000 hectares | -168,000 hectares | -72,000 hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More environment data for United States
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 5,913 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 17.39 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 257.35 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 9.47 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 418.87 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 1.54 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 843.36 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 2 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 3.59 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 149.52 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in forest area in United States?
- Annual change in forest area in United States was -72,000 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 United States?
- The highest recorded value was 518,400 hectares in 2001.
- What is the lowest annual change in forest area recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was -168,000 hectares in 2016.
- How does United States rank for annual change in forest area?
- United States ranks 211th out of 235 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual change in forest area rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 126.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States 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.