Forest area in World
World: Forest area was 4.14 million ha th in 2025. β¬ Flat
Latest (2025)
4.14 million ha th
Rank
1st
of 38 groups
All-time high
4.34 million ha th
in 1990
All-time low
4.14 million ha th
in 2025
Years of data
6
1990β2025
Forest area in World, 1990β2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in ha th.
Analysis
The most recent figure for forest area in World is 4.14 million ha th, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 6 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in World peaked at 4.34 million ha th in 1990 and was at its lowest, 4.14 million ha th, in 2025.
That places World 1st out of 38 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 4.34 million ha th | 4.34 million ha th | 4.34 million ha th | 1 |
| 2000s | 4.24 million ha th | 4.24 million ha th | 4.24 million ha th | 1 |
| 2010s | 4.19 million ha th | 4.18 million ha th | 4.20 million ha th | 2 |
| 2020s | 4.15 million ha th | 4.14 million ha th | 4.17 million ha th | 2 |
Countries ranked near World
More environment data for World
- Standard Deviation 0.208 Β°C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.88 Β°C (2025)
- Recovered paper β Production 241.28 million t (2024)
- Total fibre furnish β Production 431.35 million t (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified β Import value 4.18 million 1000 USD (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard, not elsewhere specified β Import quantity 1.50 million t (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Export value 68.53 million 1000 USD (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Export quantity 76.62 million t (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Import value 71.11 million 1000 USD (2024)
- Other paper and paperboard β Import quantity 77.03 million t (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in World?
- Forest area in World was 4.14 million ha th in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest forest area recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 4.34 million ha th in 1990.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.14 million ha th in 2025.
- How does World rank for forest area?
- World ranks 1st out of 38 groups with data for 2025.
- Is forest area rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this World 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 Β· JSON β 6 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).