Annual deforestation in China
China: Annual deforestation was 274,000 hectares per year in 2020. ▼ Falling
Latest (2020)
274,000 hectares per year
World rank
5th
of 112 countries
All-time high
333,870 hectares per year
in 2015
All-time low
274,000 hectares per year
in 2020
Years of data
5
1990–2020
Annual deforestation in China, 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
In 2020, annual deforestation in China stood at 274,000 hectares per year. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 17.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual deforestation in China peaked at 333,870 hectares per year in 2015 and was at its lowest, 274,000 hectares per year, in 2020.
China ranks 5th of 112 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Annual deforestation in China, year by year
| Year | hectares per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 327,540 hectares per year | — |
| 2000 | 312,760 hectares per year | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 329,970 hectares per year | +5.5% |
| 2015 | 333,870 hectares per year | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 274,000 hectares per year | -17.9% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 274,000 hectares per year is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8,515 hectares per year, 32.2× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- China's 274,000 hectares per year is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 6,950 hectares per year, 39.4× the median. (8 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 327,540 hectares per year | 327,540 hectares per year | 327,540 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2000s | 312,760 hectares per year | 312,760 hectares per year | 312,760 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2010s | 331,920 hectares per year | 329,970 hectares per year | 333,870 hectares per year | 2 |
| 2020s | 274,000 hectares per year | 274,000 hectares per year | 274,000 hectares per year | 1 |
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)
- 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)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0.9037 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual deforestation in China?
- Annual deforestation in China was 274,000 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 deforestation recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 333,870 hectares per year in 2015.
- What is the lowest annual deforestation recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 274,000 hectares per year in 2020.
- How does China rank for annual deforestation?
- China ranks 5th out of 112 countries with data for 2020.
- Is annual deforestation rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 17.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this China 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 deforestation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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