Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in France
France: Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted was 2.36 million hectares in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
2.36 million hectares
Change on year
up 0.5%
World rank
26th
of 185 countries
All-time high
2.36 million hectares
in 2025
All-time low
1.53 million hectares
in 1990
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in France, 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 by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in France is 2.36 million hectares, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.5% on the previous year and up 5.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in France peaked at 2.36 million hectares in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1.53 million hectares, in 1990.
France ranks 26th of 185 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in France, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1.53 million hectares | — |
| 1991 | 1.53 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 1.54 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 1.55 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 1.55 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 1.56 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 1.56 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 1.57 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 1.57 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 1.58 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 1.59 million hectares | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 1.63 million hectares | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 1.68 million hectares | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 1.73 million hectares | +2.9% |
| 2004 | 1.78 million hectares | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 1.83 million hectares | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 1.88 million hectares | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 1.93 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 1.98 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 2.02 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 2010 | 2.07 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 2.10 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 2.14 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 2.17 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 2.20 million hectares | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 2.23 million hectares | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 2.24 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 2.26 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 2.27 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 2.28 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 2.29 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 2.31 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2022 | 2.32 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2023 | 2.33 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2024 | 2.34 million hectares | +0.5% |
| 2025 | 2.36 million hectares | +0.5% |
France compared with similar countries
- France's 2.36 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 377,020 hectares, 6.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- France's 2.36 million hectares is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 430,910 hectares, 5.5× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.55 million hectares | 1.53 million hectares | 1.58 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.81 million hectares | 1.59 million hectares | 2.02 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.20 million hectares | 2.07 million hectares | 2.28 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.33 million hectares | 2.29 million hectares | 2.36 million hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near France
- 23 South Africa 2.42 million hectares compare
- 24 Uzbekistan 2.38 million hectares compare
- 25 Malaysia 2.36 million hectares compare
- 27 Belarus 2.27 million hectares compare
- 28 South Korea 2.26 million hectares compare
- 29 Australia 2.06 million hectares compare
More environment data for France
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.44 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -3.44 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.427 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 2.31 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual -3.23 % 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 -0.1777 % 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 by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in France?
- Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in France was 2.36 million 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 by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted recorded in France?
- The highest recorded value was 2.36 million hectares in 2025.
- What is the lowest forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted recorded in France?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.53 million hectares in 1990.
- How does France rank for forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted?
- France ranks 26th out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted rising or falling in France?
- Over the last ten years it is up 5.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this France 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 by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted. 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).