Annual deforestation in Italy
Italy: Annual deforestation was 12,880 hectares per year in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
12,880 hectares per year
World rank
36th
of 112 countries
All-time high
12,880 hectares per year
in 2020
All-time low
11,900 hectares per year
in 1990
Years of data
5
1990–2020
Annual deforestation in Italy, 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 Italy stood at 12,880 hectares per year. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual deforestation in Italy peaked at 12,880 hectares per year in 2020 and was at its lowest, 11,900 hectares per year, in 1990.
That places Italy 36th out of 112 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
Annual deforestation in Italy, year by year
| Year | hectares per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 11,900 hectares per year | — |
| 2000 | 12,410 hectares per year | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 12,650 hectares per year | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 12,770 hectares per year | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 12,880 hectares per year | +0.9% |
Italy compared with similar countries
- Italy's 12,880 hectares per year is above the median for high income countries, which is 40 hectares per year, 322.0× the median. (45 countries reporting)
- Italy's 12,880 hectares per year is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 500 hectares per year, 25.8× the median. (31 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 11,900 hectares per year | 11,900 hectares per year | 11,900 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2000s | 12,410 hectares per year | 12,410 hectares per year | 12,410 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2010s | 12,710 hectares per year | 12,650 hectares per year | 12,770 hectares per year | 2 |
| 2020s | 12,880 hectares per year | 12,880 hectares per year | 12,880 hectares per year | 1 |
Countries ranked near Italy
More environment data for Italy
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.04 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.47 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.324 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.18 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.94 % 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 -0.2257 % 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 deforestation in Italy?
- Annual deforestation in Italy was 12,880 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 Italy?
- The highest recorded value was 12,880 hectares per year in 2020.
- What is the lowest annual deforestation recorded in Italy?
- The lowest recorded value was 11,900 hectares per year in 1990.
- How does Italy rank for annual deforestation?
- Italy ranks 36th out of 112 countries with data for 2020.
- Is annual deforestation rising or falling in Italy?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Italy 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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