Annual deforestation in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea: Annual deforestation was 33,530 hectares per year in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
33,530 hectares per year
World rank
31st
of 112 countries
All-time high
33,530 hectares per year
in 2015
All-time low
9,910 hectares per year
in 2000
Years of data
5
1990–2020
Annual deforestation in Papua New Guinea, 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
Papua New Guinea recorded 33,530 hectares per year for annual deforestation in 2020. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
That represents a change of up 8.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual deforestation in Papua New Guinea peaked at 33,530 hectares per year in 2015 and was at its lowest, 9,910 hectares per year, in 2000.
That places Papua New Guinea 31st out of 112 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
Annual deforestation in Papua New Guinea, year by year
| Year | hectares per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 12,170 hectares per year | — |
| 2000 | 9,910 hectares per year | -18.6% |
| 2010 | 30,900 hectares per year | +211.8% |
| 2015 | 33,530 hectares per year | +8.5% |
| 2020 | 33,530 hectares per year | +0.0% |
Papua New Guinea compared with similar countries
- Papua New Guinea's 33,530 hectares per year is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 14,965 hectares per year, 2.2× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Papua New Guinea's 33,530 hectares per year is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 6,950 hectares per year, 4.8× the median. (8 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 12,170 hectares per year | 12,170 hectares per year | 12,170 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2000s | 9,910 hectares per year | 9,910 hectares per year | 9,910 hectares per year | 1 |
| 2010s | 32,215 hectares per year | 30,900 hectares per year | 33,530 hectares per year | 2 |
| 2020s | 33,530 hectares per year | 33,530 hectares per year | 33,530 hectares per year | 1 |
Countries ranked near Papua New Guinea
More environment data for Papua New Guinea
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 1.56 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.24 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.183 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.834 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.9266 % 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 0.6032 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual deforestation in Papua New Guinea?
- Annual deforestation in Papua New Guinea was 33,530 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 Papua New Guinea?
- The highest recorded value was 33,530 hectares per year in 2015.
- What is the lowest annual deforestation recorded in Papua New Guinea?
- The lowest recorded value was 9,910 hectares per year in 2000.
- How does Papua New Guinea rank for annual deforestation?
- Papua New Guinea ranks 31st out of 112 countries with data for 2020.
- Is annual deforestation rising or falling in Papua New Guinea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Papua New Guinea 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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