Annual deforestation as a share of forest area in South Korea
South Korea: Annual deforestation as a share of forest area was 0.1% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Annual deforestation as a share of forest area in South Korea, 1990–2020
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for annual deforestation as a share of forest area in South Korea is 0.1%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 5 years on record.
That represents a change of down 61.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual deforestation as a share of forest area in South Korea peaked at 0.2% in 2010 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 2020.
That places South Korea 63rd out of 105 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
Annual deforestation as a share of forest area in South Korea, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.1% | — |
| 2000 | 0.1% | +20.0% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | +13.9% |
| 2015 | 0.1% | -21.7% |
| 2020 | 0.1% | -50.8% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 0.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0%, 3.9× the median. (42 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 0.1% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.1%, 61% of the median. (7 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 2010s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
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 annual deforestation as a share of forest area in South Korea?
- Annual deforestation as a share of forest area in South Korea was 0.1% in 2020, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual deforestation as a share of forest area recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 0.2% in 2010.
- What is the lowest annual deforestation as a share of forest area recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 2020.
- How does South Korea rank for annual deforestation as a share of forest area?
- South Korea ranks 63rd out of 105 countries with data for 2020.
- Is annual deforestation as a share of forest area rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 61.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual deforestation as a share of forest area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Annual deforestation as share of forest area represents the yearly percentage of forest area lost due to deforestation relative to the total forest area.