Consumption-based deforestation per person in South Korea
South Korea: Consumption-based deforestation per person was 5.39 square meters in 2023. ▼ Falling
Consumption-based deforestation per person in South Korea, 2005–2023
Source: Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in square meters.
Analysis
The most recent figure for consumption-based deforestation per person in South Korea is 5.39 square meters, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 19 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.4% on the previous year and down 52.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, consumption-based deforestation per person in South Korea peaked at 11.44 square meters in 2013 and was at its lowest, 5.39 square meters, in 2023.
That places South Korea 65th out of 178 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.
Consumption-based deforestation per person in South Korea, year by year
| Year | square meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 7 square meters | — |
| 2006 | 8.11 square meters | +15.8% |
| 2007 | 8.5 square meters | +4.8% |
| 2008 | 7.85 square meters | -7.7% |
| 2009 | 8.1 square meters | +3.3% |
| 2010 | 8.93 square meters | +10.2% |
| 2011 | 9.48 square meters | +6.1% |
| 2012 | 11.08 square meters | +17.0% |
| 2013 | 11.44 square meters | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 9.62 square meters | -15.9% |
| 2015 | 8.7 square meters | -9.6% |
| 2016 | 10.71 square meters | +23.1% |
| 2017 | 9.78 square meters | -8.6% |
| 2018 | 9.22 square meters | -5.7% |
| 2019 | 8.96 square meters | -2.9% |
| 2020 | 6.34 square meters | -29.2% |
| 2021 | 5.97 square meters | -5.8% |
| 2022 | 5.52 square meters | -7.5% |
| 2023 | 5.39 square meters | -2.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 5.39 square meters is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.26 square meters, 1.3× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 5.39 square meters is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.83 square meters, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 7.91 square meters | 7 square meters | 8.5 square meters | 5 |
| 2010s | 9.79 square meters | 8.7 square meters | 11.44 square meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.8 square meters | 5.39 square meters | 6.34 square meters | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More environment data for South Korea
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.2791 % 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 -2.27 % 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 -0.2415 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 1.61 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is consumption-based deforestation per person in South Korea?
- Consumption-based deforestation per person in South Korea was 5.39 square meters in 2023, according to Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest consumption-based deforestation per person recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 11.44 square meters in 2013.
- What is the lowest consumption-based deforestation per person recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.39 square meters in 2023.
- How does South Korea rank for consumption-based deforestation per person?
- South Korea ranks 65th out of 178 countries with data for 2023.
- Is consumption-based deforestation per person rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 52.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Consumption-based deforestation per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 19 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimated average deforestation for agricultural and forestry products, per person. This is adjusted for trade, so it reflects deforestation caused by consumption, not domestic production.