Deforestation embedded in trade in New Zealand
New Zealand: Deforestation embedded in trade was -10,518 hectares in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Deforestation embedded in trade in New Zealand, 2005–2023
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.
Deforestation embedded in trade in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 1,639 hectares | — |
| 2006 | 180.82 hectares | -89.0% |
| 2007 | 335.01 hectares | +85.3% |
| 2008 | -746.17 hectares | -322.7% |
| 2009 | -988.4 hectares | +32.5% |
| 2010 | -1,574 hectares | +59.3% |
| 2011 | -343.11 hectares | -78.2% |
| 2012 | 2,021 hectares | -689.0% |
| 2013 | 2,651 hectares | +31.2% |
| 2014 | 2,292 hectares | -13.5% |
| 2015 | 990.56 hectares | -56.8% |
| 2016 | -2,322 hectares | -334.5% |
| 2017 | -4,717 hectares | +103.1% |
| 2018 | -7,640 hectares | +62.0% |
| 2019 | -10,336 hectares | +35.3% |
| 2020 | -11,403 hectares | +10.3% |
| 2021 | -10,729 hectares | -5.9% |
| 2022 | -10,476 hectares | -2.4% |
| 2023 | -10,518 hectares | +0.4% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's -10,518 hectares is below the median for high income countries, which is 2,387 hectares. (59 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's -10,518 hectares is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -332.56 hectares, 31.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Deforestation embedded in trade in New Zealand changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | +689.0% | -343.11 hectares | 2,021 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | 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
More environment data for New Zealand
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.2131 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 1.69 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.379 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.23 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -0.474 % 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 -0.9337 % 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 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
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.