Forest area in World
World: Forest area was 4.14 million ha th in 2025. ▬ Flat
Latest (2025)
4.14 million ha th
Rank
1st
of 34 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
1990–2025
Forest area in World, 1990–2025
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 34 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
Forest area in World, year by year
| Year | ha th | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 4.34 million ha th | — |
| 2000 | 4.24 million ha th | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 4.20 million ha th | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 4.18 million ha th | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 4.17 million ha th | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 4.14 million ha th | -0.6% |
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
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -3.5 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.99 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.208 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.88 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 4.53 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.27 % 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 0.2123 % change on previous year (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 34 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 · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).