Forest area as a proportion of total land area in Malaysia
Malaysia: Forest area as a proportion of total land area was 57.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
57.5%
World rank
41st
of 219 countries
All-time high
62.8%
in 1990
All-time low
57.5%
in 2025
Years of data
6
1990–2025
Forest area as a proportion of total land area in Malaysia, 1990–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
In 2025, forest area as a proportion of total land area in Malaysia stood at 57.5%. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area as a proportion of total land area in Malaysia peaked at 62.8% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 57.5%, in 2025.
Malaysia ranks 41st of 219 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Forest area as a proportion of total land area in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 62.8% | — |
| 2000 | 59.9% | -4.5% |
| 2010 | 57.7% | -3.8% |
| 2015 | 59.2% | +2.7% |
| 2020 | 58.4% | -1.4% |
| 2025 | 57.5% | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 62.8% | 62.8% | 62.8% | 1 |
| 2000s | 59.9% | 59.9% | 59.9% | 1 |
| 2010s | 58.5% | 57.7% | 59.2% | 2 |
| 2020s | 57.9% | 57.5% | 58.4% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
- 38 Belize 57.6% compare
- 38 Seychelles 57.6% compare
- 40 Sao Tome and Principe 57.6% compare
- 42 Samoa 57.5% compare
- 43 Puerto Rico 56.7% compare
- 44 Latvia 55.7% compare
More environment data for Malaysia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -1.65 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -1.9 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.179 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.25 °C (2025)
- Graphic papers — Import quantity, annual growth rate 14.86 % change on previous year (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import quantity, per capita 0.0153 t per person (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import value, annual growth rate 7.33 % change on previous year (2024)
- Graphic papers — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area as a proportion of total land area in Malaysia?
- Forest area as a proportion of total land area in Malaysia was 57.5% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest forest area as a proportion of total land area recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 62.8% in 1990.
- What is the lowest forest area as a proportion of total land area recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.5% in 2025.
- How does Malaysia rank for forest area as a proportion of total land area?
- Malaysia ranks 41st out of 219 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area as a proportion of total land area rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Forest area as a proportion of total land area (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).