Forest area, annual growth rate in Malawi
Malawi: Forest area, annual growth rate was -2.03 % change on previous year in 2025. ▼ Falling
Forest area, annual growth rate in Malawi, 1991–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
Malawi recorded -2.03 % change on previous year for forest area, annual growth rate in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 35 years on record.
That represents a change of down 2.0% on the previous year and down 20.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area, annual growth rate in Malawi peaked at -1.2 % change on previous year in 1991 and was at its lowest, -2.03 % change on previous year, in 2025.
Malawi ranks 223rd of 228 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 35 years of available data.
Forest area, annual growth rate in Malawi, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | -1.2 % change on previous year | — |
| 1992 | -1.21 % change on previous year | +1.2% |
| 1993 | -1.23 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1994 | -1.24 % change on previous year | +1.2% |
| 1995 | -1.26 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1996 | -1.28 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1997 | -1.29 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1998 | -1.31 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1999 | -1.33 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 2000 | -1.34 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 2001 | -1.36 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 2002 | -1.38 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 2003 | -1.4 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 2004 | -1.42 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 2005 | -1.44 % change on previous year | +1.4% |
| 2006 | -1.46 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 2007 | -1.48 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 2008 | -1.51 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 2009 | -1.53 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 2010 | -1.55 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 2011 | -1.58 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 2012 | -1.6 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 2013 | -1.63 % change on previous year | +1.6% |
| 2014 | -1.66 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 2015 | -1.68 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 2016 | -1.71 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 2017 | -1.74 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 2018 | -1.77 % change on previous year | +1.8% |
| 2019 | -1.81 % change on previous year | +1.8% |
| 2020 | -1.84 % change on previous year | +1.8% |
| 2021 | -1.87 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 2022 | -1.91 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 2023 | -1.95 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 2024 | -1.99 % change on previous year | +2.0% |
| 2025 | -2.03 % change on previous year | +2.0% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's -2.03 % change on previous year is below the median for low income countries, which is -0.4641 % change on previous year, 4.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's -2.03 % change on previous year is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -0.3457 % change on previous year, 5.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -1.26 % change on previous year | -1.33 % change on previous year | -1.2 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 2000s | -1.43 % change on previous year | -1.53 % change on previous year | -1.34 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.67 % change on previous year | -1.81 % change on previous year | -1.55 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.93 % change on previous year | -2.03 % change on previous year | -1.84 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 220 Guinea -1.36 % change on previous year compare
- 221 Somalia -1.55 % change on previous year compare
- 222 Saint Pierre and Miquelon -1.96 % change on previous year compare
- 224 Cote d'Ivoire -2.1 % change on previous year compare
- 225 Gambia -3.02 % change on previous year compare
- 226 Chad -3.42 % change on previous year compare
More environment data for Malawi
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.9153 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.8098 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.07 °C (2025)
- Sawnwood, coniferous — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.65 % 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area, annual growth rate in Malawi?
- Forest area, annual growth rate in Malawi was -2.03 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest forest area, annual growth rate recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was -1.2 % change on previous year in 1991.
- What is the lowest forest area, annual growth rate recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.03 % change on previous year in 2025.
- How does Malawi rank for forest area, annual growth rate?
- Malawi ranks 223rd out of 228 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area, annual growth rate rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Forest area, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 35 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Forest area. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Forest area Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Forest area. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.