Annual deforestation in Mexico
Mexico: Annual deforestation was 165,820 hectares per year in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2020)
165,820 hectares per year
World rank
10th
of 112 countries
All-time high
675,950 hectares per year
in 1990
All-time low
161,860 hectares per year
in 2010
Years of data
5
1990–2020
Annual deforestation in Mexico, 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
Mexico recorded 165,820 hectares per year for annual deforestation in 2020.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual deforestation in Mexico peaked at 675,950 hectares per year in 1990 and was at its lowest, 161,860 hectares per year, in 2010.
Mexico ranks 10th of 112 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Annual deforestation in Mexico, year by year
| Year | hectares per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 675,950 hectares per year | — |
| 2000 | 414,930 hectares per year | -38.6% |
| 2010 | 161,860 hectares per year | -61.0% |
| 2015 | 165,820 hectares per year | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 165,820 hectares per year | +0.0% |
Mexico compared with similar countries
- Mexico's 165,820 hectares per year is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8,515 hectares per year, 19.5× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Mexico's 165,820 hectares per year is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 22,700 hectares per year, 7.3× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 675,950 hectares per year | 675,950 hectares per year | 675,950 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2000s | 414,930 hectares per year | 414,930 hectares per year | 414,930 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2010s | 163,840 hectares per year | 161,860 hectares per year | 165,820 hectares per year | 2 |
| 2020s | 165,820 hectares per year | 165,820 hectares per year | 165,820 hectares per year | 1 |
Countries ranked near Mexico
More environment data for Mexico
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 0.6859 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 0.6189 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.234 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.62 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.1645 % 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 -0.5194 % 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 Mexico?
- Annual deforestation in Mexico was 165,820 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 Mexico?
- The highest recorded value was 675,950 hectares per year in 1990.
- What is the lowest annual deforestation recorded in Mexico?
- The lowest recorded value was 161,860 hectares per year in 2010.
- How does Mexico rank for annual deforestation?
- Mexico ranks 10th out of 112 countries with data for 2020.
- Is annual deforestation rising or falling in Mexico?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mexico 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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