Forest certified for sustainable use in Australia
Australia: Forest certified for sustainable use was 17.32 million thousands of hectares in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Forest certified for sustainable use in Australia, 1990–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in thousands of hectares.
Analysis
The most recent figure for forest certified for sustainable use in Australia is 17.32 million thousands of hectares, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 15.7% on the previous year and up 63.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest certified for sustainable use in Australia peaked at 26.77 million thousands of hectares in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0 thousands of hectares, in 1990.
That places Australia 5th out of 246 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Forest certified for sustainable use in Australia, year by year
| Year | thousands of hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0 thousands of hectares | — |
| 2000 | 0 thousands of hectares | — |
| 2005 | 5.68 million thousands of hectares | — |
| 2010 | 10.51 million thousands of hectares | +85.1% |
| 2015 | 10.58 million thousands of hectares | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 26.77 million thousands of hectares | +153.0% |
| 2017 | 24.24 million thousands of hectares | -9.5% |
| 2018 | 8.90 million thousands of hectares | -63.3% |
| 2019 | 11.53 million thousands of hectares | +29.6% |
| 2020 | 11.42 million thousands of hectares | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 16.44 million thousands of hectares | +43.9% |
| 2022 | 19.72 million thousands of hectares | +20.0% |
| 2023 | 20.55 million thousands of hectares | +4.2% |
| 2024 | 17.32 million thousands of hectares | -15.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0 thousands of hectares | 0 thousands of hectares | 0 thousands of hectares | 1 |
| 2000s | 2.84 million thousands of hectares | 0 thousands of hectares | 5.68 million thousands of hectares | 2 |
| 2010s | 15.42 million thousands of hectares | 8.90 million thousands of hectares | 26.77 million thousands of hectares | 6 |
| 2020s | 17.09 million thousands of hectares | 11.42 million thousands of hectares | 20.55 million thousands of hectares | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 2 United States 39.87 million thousands of hectares compare
- 3 Sweden 22.47 million thousands of hectares compare
- 4 Finland 19.57 million thousands of hectares compare
- 6 Turkey 10.12 million thousands of hectares compare
- 7 Brazil 9.92 million thousands of hectares compare
- 8 Germany 9.09 million thousands of hectares compare
More environment data for Australia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -4.75 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.98 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.345 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.4 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate -1.03 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.6708 % 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 0.0861 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest certified for sustainable use in Australia?
- Forest certified for sustainable use in Australia was 17.32 million thousands of hectares in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest forest certified for sustainable use recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 26.77 million thousands of hectares in 2016.
- What is the lowest forest certified for sustainable use recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 thousands of hectares in 1990.
- How does Australia rank for forest certified for sustainable use?
- Australia ranks 5th out of 246 countries with data for 2024.
- Is forest certified for sustainable use rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 63.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Forest certified for sustainable use. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 14 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Forest area certified under an independently verified certification scheme (thousands of hectares).