Share of land covered by forest in Nepal
Nepal: Share of land covered by forest was 43.7% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of land covered by forest in Nepal, 1990–2025
Source: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2013) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of land covered by forest in Nepal stood at 43.7%. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of land covered by forest in Nepal peaked at 43.7% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 40.1%, in 1990.
Nepal ranks 72nd of 216 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Share of land covered by forest in Nepal, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 40.1% | — |
| 1991 | 40.2% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 40.3% | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 40.4% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 40.6% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 40.7% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 40.8% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 40.9% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 41.0% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 41.1% | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 41.3% | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 41.4% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 41.5% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 41.6% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 41.7% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 41.9% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 42.0% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 42.1% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 42.2% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 42.3% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 42.4% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 42.5% | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 42.5% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 42.5% | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 42.5% | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 42.6% | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 42.7% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 42.8% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 42.9% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 43.0% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 43.1% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 43.3% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 43.4% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 43.5% | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 43.6% | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 43.7% | +0.3% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 43.7% is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 25.2%, 1.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 43.7% is above the median for South Asia, which is 29.4%, 1.5× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 40.6% | 40.1% | 41.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 41.8% | 41.3% | 42.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.6% | 42.4% | 43.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.4% | 43.1% | 43.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
- 69 Georgia 44.6% compare
- 70 Belarus 44.2% compare
- 71 Trinidad and Tobago 44.1% compare
- 73 French Polynesia 43.1% compare
- 74 Saint Kitts and Nevis 42.3% compare
- 75 Bosnia and Herzegovina 42.2% compare
More environment data for Nepal
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 2.73 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 2.41 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.265 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.43 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 41.67 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -1.54 % 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 -6.53 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of land covered by forest in Nepal?
- Share of land covered by forest in Nepal was 43.7% in 2025, according to Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2013) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of land covered by forest recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 43.7% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of land covered by forest recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.1% in 1990.
- How does Nepal rank for share of land covered by forest?
- Nepal ranks 72nd out of 216 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of land covered by forest rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal data come from?
- The figures come from Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2013) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of land covered by forest. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of land area covered by forest, including both natural forests and forest plantations.