Annual change in forest area in Zambia
Zambia: Annual change in forest area was -97,156 hectares in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Annual change in forest area in Zambia, 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 Zambia is -97,156 hectares, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 48.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual change in forest area in Zambia peaked at -35,800 hectares in 1991 and was at its lowest, -188,180 hectares, in 2011.
That places Zambia 214th 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 | -35,800 hectares | -35,800 hectares | -35,800 hectares | 9 |
| 2000s | -35,800 hectares | -35,800 hectares | -35,800 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | -129,272 hectares | -188,180 hectares | -35,800 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | -94,131 hectares | -97,156 hectares | -79,006 hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
- 211 United States -72,000 hectares compare
- 212 Somalia -75,950 hectares compare
- 213 Cote d'Ivoire -80,822 hectares compare
- 215 Mali -100,546 hectares compare
- 216 Cameroon -116,956 hectares compare
- 217 Burkina Faso -119,860 hectares compare
More environment data for Zambia
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF 38.52 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF per capita 1.81 t CO2e/capita (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture 6.39 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) 2.21 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) 8.56 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Industrial Combustion (Energy) 0.0539 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions (total) excluding LULUCF 18.28 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Power Industry (Energy) 0.0026 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Transport (Energy) 0.0155 Mt CO2e (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Waste 1.04 Mt CO2e (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual change in forest area in Zambia?
- Annual change in forest area in Zambia was -97,156 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 Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was -35,800 hectares in 1991.
- What is the lowest annual change in forest area recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was -188,180 hectares in 2011.
- How does Zambia rank for annual change in forest area?
- Zambia ranks 214th out of 235 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual change in forest area rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 48.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.