Deforestation embedded in trade in China
China: Deforestation embedded in trade was 144,628 hectares in 2023. ▲ Rising
Deforestation embedded in trade in China, 2005–2023
Source: Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
China recorded 144,628 hectares for deforestation embedded in trade in 2023.
The figure is down 23.8% on the previous year and down 55.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, deforestation embedded in trade in China peaked at 327,716 hectares in 2015 and was at its lowest, 63,767 hectares, in 2007.
China ranks 2nd of 178 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 19 years of available data.
Deforestation embedded in trade in China, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 80,485 hectares | — |
| 2006 | 76,160 hectares | -5.4% |
| 2007 | 63,767 hectares | -16.3% |
| 2008 | 109,004 hectares | +70.9% |
| 2009 | 188,845 hectares | +73.2% |
| 2010 | 214,158 hectares | +13.4% |
| 2011 | 213,256 hectares | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 273,482 hectares | +28.2% |
| 2013 | 326,159 hectares | +19.3% |
| 2014 | 324,850 hectares | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 327,716 hectares | +0.9% |
| 2016 | 253,702 hectares | -22.6% |
| 2017 | 260,262 hectares | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 244,780 hectares | -5.9% |
| 2019 | 208,209 hectares | -14.9% |
| 2020 | 214,146 hectares | +2.9% |
| 2021 | 196,232 hectares | -8.4% |
| 2022 | 189,785 hectares | -3.3% |
| 2023 | 144,628 hectares | -23.8% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 144,628 hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,506 hectares, 96.0× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- China's 144,628 hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -332.56 hectares. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 103,652 hectares | 63,767 hectares | 188,845 hectares | 5 |
| 2010s | 264,657 hectares | 208,209 hectares | 327,716 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 186,198 hectares | 144,628 hectares | 214,146 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 1 United States 191,046 hectares compare
- 3 Germany 47,928 hectares compare
- 4 Japan 44,879 hectares compare
- 5 United Kingdom 29,101 hectares compare
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 deforestation embedded in trade in China?
- Deforestation embedded in trade in China was 144,628 hectares in 2023, according to Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest deforestation embedded in trade recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 327,716 hectares in 2015.
- What is the lowest deforestation embedded in trade recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 63,767 hectares in 2007.
- How does China rank for deforestation embedded in trade?
- China ranks 2nd out of 178 countries with data for 2023.
- Is deforestation embedded in trade rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 55.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Deforestation embedded in trade. 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
Deforestation driven by imported goods minus exported goods from agriculture and forest plantations. Net importers of deforestation are countries who contribute to net deforestation in other countries – the deforestation that they cause in other countries is given as a positive value.