Forest area as a proportion of total land area in New Zealand
New Zealand: Forest area as a proportion of total land area was 39.1% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Forest area as a proportion of total land area in New Zealand, 1990–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in %.
Analysis
New Zealand recorded 39.1% for forest area as a proportion of total land area in 2025. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area as a proportion of total land area in New Zealand peaked at 39.1% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 35.6%, in 1990.
That places New Zealand 100th out of 253 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
Forest area as a proportion of total land area in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 35.6% | — |
| 2000 | 37.4% | +5.1% |
| 2010 | 37.4% | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 37.4% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 37.9% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 39.1% | +3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 35.6% | 35.6% | 35.6% | 1 |
| 2000s | 37.4% | 37.4% | 37.4% | 1 |
| 2010s | 37.4% | 37.4% | 37.4% | 2 |
| 2020s | 38.5% | 37.9% | 39.1% | 2 |
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)
- Sawnwood — Production, annual growth rate 11.44 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Production, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Sawnwood — Production, per capita 0.7846 m3 per person (2024)
- Sawnwood — Import quantity, annual growth rate 2.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Sawnwood — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 m3 per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area as a proportion of total land area in New Zealand?
- Forest area as a proportion of total land area in New Zealand was 39.1% 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 New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 39.1% in 2025.
- What is the lowest forest area as a proportion of total land area recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 35.6% in 1990.
- How does New Zealand rank for forest area as a proportion of total land area?
- New Zealand ranks 100th out of 253 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area as a proportion of total land area rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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).