Share of land covered by forest in Uganda
Uganda: Share of land covered by forest was 11.8% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of land covered by forest in Uganda, 1990–2025
Source: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2013) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of land covered by forest in Uganda is 11.8%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.2% on the previous year and down 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of land covered by forest in Uganda peaked at 22.7% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 11.8%, in 2025.
Uganda ranks 162nd of 216 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Share of land covered by forest in Uganda, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 22.7% | — |
| 1991 | 22.1% | -2.5% |
| 1992 | 21.5% | -2.6% |
| 1993 | 21.0% | -2.7% |
| 1994 | 20.4% | -2.7% |
| 1995 | 19.8% | -2.8% |
| 1996 | 19.2% | -2.9% |
| 1997 | 18.7% | -3.0% |
| 1998 | 18.1% | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 17.5% | -3.2% |
| 2000 | 17.0% | -3.3% |
| 2001 | 16.7% | -1.5% |
| 2002 | 16.5% | -1.5% |
| 2003 | 16.2% | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 16.0% | -1.5% |
| 2005 | 15.7% | -1.6% |
| 2006 | 15.5% | -1.6% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | -1.6% |
| 2008 | 15.0% | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 14.7% | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 14.5% | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 14.2% | -1.7% |
| 2012 | 14.0% | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 13.7% | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 13.5% | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 13.2% | -1.9% |
| 2016 | 13.1% | -1.1% |
| 2017 | 12.9% | -1.1% |
| 2018 | 12.8% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 12.6% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 12.5% | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 12.4% | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 12.2% | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 12.1% | -1.1% |
| 2024 | 11.9% | -1.2% |
| 2025 | 11.8% | -1.2% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 11.8% is below the median for low income countries, which is 11.9%, 99% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 11.8% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.0%, 54% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.1% | 17.5% | 22.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.8% | 14.7% | 17.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.4% | 12.6% | 14.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.2% | 11.8% | 12.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 159 Cote d'Ivoire 11.9% compare
- 160 Armenia 11.8% compare
- 161 Burkina Faso 11.8% compare
- 163 Sudan 11.8% compare
- 164 Uruguay 11.6% compare
- 165 South Sudan 11.3% compare
More environment data for Uganda
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -11.7 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -12.54 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.255 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.23 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.23 % 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 1.38 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of land covered by forest in Uganda?
- Share of land covered by forest in Uganda was 11.8% 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 Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 22.7% in 1990.
- What is the lowest share of land covered by forest recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 11.8% in 2025.
- How does Uganda rank for share of land covered by forest?
- Uganda ranks 162nd out of 216 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of land covered by forest rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uganda 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of land area covered by forest, including both natural forests and forest plantations.