Forest area in China
China: Forest area was 227,153 ha th in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
227,153 ha th
World rank
6th
of 255 countries
All-time high
227,153 ha th
in 2025
All-time low
157,141 ha th
in 1990
Years of data
6
1990–2025
Forest area in China, 1990–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in ha th.
Analysis
The most recent figure for forest area in China is 227,153 ha th, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
The figure is up 8.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in China peaked at 227,153 ha th in 2025 and was at its lowest, 157,141 ha th, in 1990.
China ranks 6th of 255 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Forest area in China, year by year
| Year | ha th | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 157,141 ha th | — |
| 2000 | 177,001 ha th | +12.6% |
| 2010 | 200,610 ha th | +13.3% |
| 2015 | 210,294 ha th | +4.8% |
| 2020 | 219,098 ha th | +4.2% |
| 2025 | 227,153 ha th | +3.7% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 227,153 ha th is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2,330 ha th, 97.5× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- China's 227,153 ha th is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1,137 ha th, 199.9× the median. (33 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 157,141 ha th | 157,141 ha th | 157,141 ha th | 1 |
| 2000s | 177,001 ha th | 177,001 ha th | 177,001 ha th | 1 |
| 2010s | 205,452 ha th | 200,610 ha th | 210,294 ha th | 2 |
| 2020s | 223,126 ha th | 219,098 ha th | 227,153 ha th | 2 |
Countries ranked near China
- 3 Brazil 486,087 ha th compare
- 4 Canada 368,819 ha th compare
- 5 United States 308,895 ha th compare
- 7 Australia and New Zealand 143,865 ha th compare
- 8 Democratic Republic of the Congo 139,189 ha th compare
- 9 Australia 133,562 ha th compare
More environment data for China
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.279 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.92 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 5.29 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.8065 % 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 -0.2517 % 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)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in China?
- Forest area in China was 227,153 ha th in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest forest area recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 227,153 ha th in 2025.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 157,141 ha th in 1990.
- How does China rank for forest area?
- China ranks 6th out of 255 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Forest area (thousands of hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).