Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in United States
United States: Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted was 27.42 million hectares in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
27.42 million hectares
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
2nd
of 185 countries
All-time high
27.46 million hectares
in 2020
All-time low
17.94 million hectares
in 1990
Years of data
36
1990–2025
Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in United States, 1990–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
United States recorded 27.42 million hectares for forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in 2025.
That represents a change of up 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in United States peaked at 27.46 million hectares in 2020 and was at its lowest, 17.94 million hectares, in 1990.
That places United States 2nd out of 185 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in United States, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 17.94 million hectares | — |
| 1991 | 18.40 million hectares | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 18.86 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1993 | 19.32 million hectares | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 19.79 million hectares | +2.4% |
| 1995 | 20.25 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 20.71 million hectares | +2.3% |
| 1997 | 21.17 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 21.64 million hectares | +2.2% |
| 1999 | 22.10 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 2000 | 22.56 million hectares | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 22.86 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2002 | 23.16 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 23.46 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 23.76 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2005 | 24.06 million hectares | +1.3% |
| 2006 | 24.36 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 24.66 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 24.96 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 25.26 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 25.56 million hectares | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 25.72 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 2012 | 25.88 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 26.04 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 26.20 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 26.36 million hectares | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 26.58 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 26.80 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 27.02 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 27.24 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 27.46 million hectares | +0.8% |
| 2021 | 27.45 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2022 | 27.45 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 27.44 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 27.43 million hectares | -0.0% |
| 2025 | 27.42 million hectares | -0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 27.42 million hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 377,020 hectares, 72.7× the median. (58 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 20.02 million hectares | 17.94 million hectares | 22.10 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.91 million hectares | 22.56 million hectares | 25.26 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 26.34 million hectares | 25.56 million hectares | 27.24 million hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 27.44 million hectares | 27.42 million hectares | 27.46 million hectares | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More environment data for United States
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.16 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.3672 % 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 -0.624 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0.1269 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in United States?
- Forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted in United States was 27.42 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 United States?
- The highest recorded value was 27.46 million hectares in 2020.
- What is the lowest forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 17.94 million hectares in 1990.
- How does United States rank for forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted?
- United States ranks 2nd out of 185 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area by type: naturally regenerating vs. planted rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States 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
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