Share of annual global forest expansion in United States
United States: Share of annual global forest expansion was 15.2% in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Share of annual global forest expansion in United States, 1990–2020
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
United States recorded 15.2% for share of annual global forest expansion in 2020. That is the highest value across all 5 years on record.
That represents a change of up 268.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of annual global forest expansion in United States peaked at 15.2% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 1.7%, in 1990.
United States ranks 3rd of 110 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Share of annual global forest expansion in United States, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1.7% | — |
| 2000 | 5.7% | +225.7% |
| 2010 | 4.1% | -26.9% |
| 2015 | 9.8% | +137.7% |
| 2020 | 15.2% | +54.8% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 15.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.1%, 283.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 2000s | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.7% | 1 |
| 2010s | 7.0% | 4.1% | 9.8% | 2 |
| 2020s | 15.2% | 15.2% | 15.2% | 1 |
Countries ranked near United States
More environment data for United States
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -2.64 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -2.16 Percentage change (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 0.3672 % 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 -0.624 % 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)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), annual 0.1269 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of annual global forest expansion in United States?
- Share of annual global forest expansion in United States was 15.2% in 2020, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of annual global forest expansion recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 15.2% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of annual global forest expansion recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.7% in 1990.
- How does United States rank for share of annual global forest expansion?
- United States ranks 3rd out of 110 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of annual global forest expansion rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 268.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of annual global forest expansion. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 5 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of annual global forest expansion indicates the proportion of a country's forest expansion relative to the total global forest expansion.