Forest area in Belgium
Belgium: Forest area was 670,520 hectares in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
670,520 hectares
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
137th
of 235 countries
All-time high
689,870 hectares
in 2010
All-time low
667,300 hectares
in 2000
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Forest area in Belgium, 1990–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for forest area in Belgium is 670,520 hectares, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in Belgium peaked at 689,870 hectares in 2010 and was at its lowest, 667,300 hectares, in 2000.
Belgium ranks 137th of 235 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
Forest area in Belgium, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 677,400 hectares | — |
| 1991 | 676,390 hectares | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 675,380 hectares | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 674,370 hectares | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 673,360 hectares | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 672,350 hectares | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 671,340 hectares | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 670,330 hectares | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 669,320 hectares | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 668,310 hectares | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 667,300 hectares | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 669,557 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 671,814 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 674,071 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 676,328 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 678,585 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 680,842 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 683,099 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 685,356 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 687,613 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 689,870 hectares | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 689,756 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 689,642 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 689,528 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 689,414 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 689,300 hectares | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 685,544 hectares | -0.5% |
| 2017 | 681,788 hectares | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 678,032 hectares | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 674,276 hectares | -0.6% |
| 2020 | 670,520 hectares | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 670,520 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 670,520 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 670,520 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 670,520 hectares | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 670,520 hectares | +0.0% |
Belgium compared with similar countries
- Belgium's 670,520 hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 436,060 hectares, 1.5× the median. (83 countries reporting)
- Belgium's 670,520 hectares is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 2.12 million hectares, 32% of the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 672,855 hectares | 668,310 hectares | 677,400 hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 677,456 hectares | 667,300 hectares | 687,613 hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 685,715 hectares | 674,276 hectares | 689,870 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 670,520 hectares | 670,520 hectares | 670,520 hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
More environment data for Belgium
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -6.46 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.574 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.19 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.5577 % 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 0.0605 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in Belgium?
- Forest area in Belgium was 670,520 hectares in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest forest area recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 689,870 hectares in 2010.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was 667,300 hectares in 2000.
- How does Belgium rank for forest area?
- Belgium ranks 137th out of 235 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Forest area. 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
Forest area is land under natural or planted stands of trees of at least 5 meters in situ, whether productive or not, and excludes tree stands in agricultural production systems.