Deforestation embedded in trade in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Deforestation embedded in trade was 2,043 hectares in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Deforestation embedded in trade in Sri Lanka, 2005–2023
Source: Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
In 2023, deforestation embedded in trade in Sri Lanka stood at 2,043 hectares. That is the highest value across all 19 years on record.
That represents a change of up 27,504.5% on the previous year and up 168.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, deforestation embedded in trade in Sri Lanka peaked at 2,043 hectares in 2023 and was at its lowest, -3,926 hectares, in 2010.
Sri Lanka ranks 70th of 178 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Deforestation embedded in trade in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | -556.59 hectares | — |
| 2006 | -857.07 hectares | +54.0% |
| 2007 | -1,262 hectares | +47.3% |
| 2008 | -1,485 hectares | +17.7% |
| 2009 | -2,341 hectares | +57.6% |
| 2010 | -3,926 hectares | +67.7% |
| 2011 | -3,097 hectares | -21.1% |
| 2012 | -2,811 hectares | -9.2% |
| 2013 | -2,970 hectares | +5.7% |
| 2014 | -2,166 hectares | -27.1% |
| 2015 | -2,165 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -2,584 hectares | +19.4% |
| 2017 | -3,450 hectares | +33.5% |
| 2018 | -2,282 hectares | -33.9% |
| 2019 | -1,637 hectares | -28.2% |
| 2020 | -2,285 hectares | +39.6% |
| 2021 | -1,930 hectares | -15.6% |
| 2022 | 7.4 hectares | -100.4% |
| 2023 | 2,043 hectares | +27504.5% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 2,043 hectares is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,506 hectares, 1.4× the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 2,043 hectares is below the median for South Asia, which is 2,808 hectares, 73% of the median. (5 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Deforestation embedded in trade in Sri Lanka 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | +27504.5% | 7.4 hectares | 2,043 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | -1,301 hectares | -2,341 hectares | -556.59 hectares | 5 |
| 2010s | -2,709 hectares | -3,926 hectares | -1,637 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | -541.16 hectares | -2,285 hectares | 2,043 hectares | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
More environment data for Sri Lanka
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 5.24 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 5.49 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.207 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.849 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 5.63 % 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 1.22 % 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 Sri Lanka?
- Deforestation embedded in trade in Sri Lanka was 2,043 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 Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 2,043 hectares in 2023.
- What is the lowest deforestation embedded in trade recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was -3,926 hectares in 2010.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for deforestation embedded in trade?
- Sri Lanka ranks 70th out of 178 countries with data for 2023.
- Is deforestation embedded in trade rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 168.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.