Deforestation embedded in trade in New Zealand

New Zealand: Deforestation embedded in trade was -10,518 hectares in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)
-10,518 hectares
Change on year
down 0.4%
World rank
166th
of 178 countries
All-time high
2,651 hectares
in 2013
All-time low
-11,403 hectares
in 2020
Years of data
19
2005–2023

Deforestation embedded in trade in New Zealand, 2005–2023

-10.0k-5.0k05.0k2005201420232005: 1.6k hectares2006: 180.8 hectares2007: 335 hectares2008: -746.2 hectares2009: -988.4 hectares2010: -1.6k hectares2011: -343.1 hectares2012: 2.0k hectares2013: 2.7k hectares2014: 2.3k hectares2015: 990.6 hectares2016: -2.3k hectares2017: -4.7k hectares2018: -7.6k hectares2019: -10.3k hectares2020: -11.4k hectares2021: -10.7k hectares2022: -10.5k hectares2023: -10.5k hectares

Source: Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.

Analysis

The most recent figure for deforestation embedded in trade in New Zealand is -10,518 hectares, measured in 2023.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 496.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, deforestation embedded in trade in New Zealand peaked at 2,651 hectares in 2013 and was at its lowest, -11,403 hectares, in 2020.

That places New Zealand 166th out of 178 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 84.05 hectares -988.4 hectares 1,639 hectares 5
2010s -1,898 hectares -10,336 hectares 2,651 hectares 10
2020s -10,781 hectares -11,403 hectares -10,476 hectares 4

Countries ranked near New Zealand

  1. 163 Tanzania -7,993 hectares compare
  2. 164 Central African Republic -8,252 hectares compare
  3. 165 Argentina -9,299 hectares compare
  4. 167 Vietnam -15,977 hectares compare
  5. 168 Malaysia -17,134 hectares compare
  6. 169 Peru -17,956 hectares compare

See the full ranking of 178 places →

More environment data for New Zealand

All data for New Zealand →

Frequently asked questions

What is deforestation embedded in trade in New Zealand?
Deforestation embedded in trade in New Zealand was -10,518 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 New Zealand?
The highest recorded value was 2,651 hectares in 2013.
What is the lowest deforestation embedded in trade recorded in New Zealand?
The lowest recorded value was -11,403 hectares in 2020.
How does New Zealand rank for deforestation embedded in trade?
New Zealand ranks 166th out of 178 countries with data for 2023.
Is deforestation embedded in trade rising or falling in New Zealand?
Over the last ten years it is down 496.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this New Zealand 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

Indicator
Deforestation embedded in trade
Unit
hectares
Source
Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
178 places, 3,320 data points, 2005–2023
Last refreshed

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.