Primary Forest — Area in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

Least Developed Countries (LDCs): Primary Forest — Area was 148,948 1000 ha in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
148,948 1000 ha
Change on year
down 0.3%
Rank
12th
of 31 groups
All-time high
176,216 1000 ha
in 1990
All-time low
148,948 1000 ha
in 2025
Years of data
36
1990–2025

Primary Forest — Area in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), 1990–2025

050.0k100.0k150.0k200.0k1990200720251990: 176.2k 1000 ha1991: 175.5k 1000 ha1992: 174.7k 1000 ha1993: 174.0k 1000 ha1994: 173.2k 1000 ha1995: 172.5k 1000 ha1996: 171.7k 1000 ha1997: 171.0k 1000 ha1998: 170.2k 1000 ha1999: 169.5k 1000 ha2000: 168.7k 1000 ha2001: 167.8k 1000 ha2002: 166.9k 1000 ha2003: 166.1k 1000 ha2004: 165.2k 1000 ha2005: 164.3k 1000 ha2006: 163.4k 1000 ha2007: 162.5k 1000 ha2008: 161.6k 1000 ha2009: 160.7k 1000 ha2010: 159.8k 1000 ha2011: 158.7k 1000 ha2012: 157.6k 1000 ha2013: 156.4k 1000 ha2014: 155.3k 1000 ha2015: 154.1k 1000 ha2016: 153.6k 1000 ha2017: 153.1k 1000 ha2018: 152.6k 1000 ha2019: 152.1k 1000 ha2020: 151.5k 1000 ha2021: 151.0k 1000 ha2022: 150.5k 1000 ha2023: 150.0k 1000 ha2024: 149.5k 1000 ha2025: 148.9k 1000 ha

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in 1000 ha.

Analysis

The most recent figure for primary forest — area in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is 148,948 1000 ha, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 3.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, primary forest — area in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) peaked at 176,216 1000 ha in 1990 and was at its lowest, 148,948 1000 ha, in 2025.

That places Least Developed Countries (LDCs) 12th out of 31 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.

Primary Forest — Area in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), year by year

Annual values for Primary Forest — Area in Least Developed Countries (LDCs), 1990 to 2025.
Year 1000 ha Change
1990 176,216 1000 ha —
1991 175,467 1000 ha -0.4%
1992 174,718 1000 ha -0.4%
1993 173,969 1000 ha -0.4%
1994 173,219 1000 ha -0.4%
1995 172,470 1000 ha -0.4%
1996 171,721 1000 ha -0.4%
1997 170,972 1000 ha -0.4%
1998 170,223 1000 ha -0.4%
1999 169,474 1000 ha -0.4%
2000 168,725 1000 ha -0.4%
2001 167,836 1000 ha -0.5%
2002 166,948 1000 ha -0.5%
2003 166,059 1000 ha -0.5%
2004 165,171 1000 ha -0.5%
2005 164,283 1000 ha -0.5%
2006 163,394 1000 ha -0.5%
2007 162,506 1000 ha -0.5%
2008 161,617 1000 ha -0.5%
2009 160,729 1000 ha -0.5%
2010 159,841 1000 ha -0.6%
2011 158,702 1000 ha -0.7%
2012 157,563 1000 ha -0.7%
2013 156,424 1000 ha -0.7%
2014 155,285 1000 ha -0.7%
2015 154,146 1000 ha -0.7%
2016 153,626 1000 ha -0.3%
2017 153,106 1000 ha -0.3%
2018 152,586 1000 ha -0.3%
2019 152,066 1000 ha -0.3%
2020 151,546 1000 ha -0.3%
2021 151,026 1000 ha -0.3%
2022 150,507 1000 ha -0.3%
2023 149,987 1000 ha -0.3%
2024 149,468 1000 ha -0.3%
2025 148,948 1000 ha -0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 172,845 1000 ha 169,474 1000 ha 176,216 1000 ha 10
2000s 164,727 1000 ha 160,729 1000 ha 168,725 1000 ha 10
2010s 155,334 1000 ha 152,066 1000 ha 159,841 1000 ha 10
2020s 150,247 1000 ha 148,948 1000 ha 151,546 1000 ha 6

Countries ranked near Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

  1. 9 Mexico 33,046 1000 ha compare
  2. 10 Angola 24,663 1000 ha compare
  3. 11 Melanesia 21,424 1000 ha compare
  4. 12 Papua New Guinea 19,444 1000 ha compare
  5. 13 Australia and New Zealand 17,092 1000 ha compare
  6. 14 Australia 15,092 1000 ha compare
  7. 15 China 12,953 1000 ha compare
  8. 15 China, mainland 12,953 1000 ha compare

See the full ranking of 213 places →

More environment data for Least Developed Countries (LDCs)

All data for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) →

Frequently asked questions

What is primary forest — area in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
Primary forest — area in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) was 148,948 1000 ha in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
What is the highest primary forest — area recorded in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
The highest recorded value was 176,216 1000 ha in 1990.
What is the lowest primary forest — area recorded in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
The lowest recorded value was 148,948 1000 ha in 2025.
How does Least Developed Countries (LDCs) rank for primary forest — area?
Least Developed Countries (LDCs) ranks 12th out of 31 groups with data for 2025.
Is primary forest — area rising or falling in Least Developed Countries (LDCs)?
Over the last ten years it is down 3.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Least Developed Countries (LDCs) data come from?
The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Primary Forest — Area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Primary Forest — Area in Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved 27 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/stat/primary-forest-area/least-developed-countries-ldcs/

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About this data

Indicator
Primary Forest — Area
Unit
1000 ha
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Licence
CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO)
Coverage
213 places, 7,478 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

The FAOSTAT Land Use domain contains data on twenty-one land use categories and twenty-three categories of irrigation and agricultural practices. Data are available yearly and by country, regional and global levels. The domain includes Land Use Indicators providing information on the percentage share of agricultural and forest land, and their sub-components, including irrigated areas and areas under organic agriculture, within a country land use matrix. Data are available at country, regional and global level, for the following elements: (in percentage) i) Share in Land area; ii) Share in Agricultural land, iii) Share in Cropland; and iv) Share in Forest land; (in ha/pc) v) Area per capita.