Share of global forest area in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Share of global forest area was 3.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Share of global forest area in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1990–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 3.4% for share of global forest area in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 1.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of global forest area in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 3.7% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 3.4%, in 2025.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 6th out of 235 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Share of global forest area in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3.7% | — |
| 1991 | 3.7% | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 3.7% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 3.7% | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 3.7% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 3.7% | -0.2% |
| 1996 | 3.7% | -0.2% |
| 1997 | 3.7% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 3.6% | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 3.6% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 3.6% | -0.2% |
| 2001 | 3.6% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 3.6% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 3.6% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 3.6% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 3.6% | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 3.6% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 3.5% | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 3.5% | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 3.5% | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 3.5% | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 3.5% | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 3.5% | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 3.4% | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 3.4% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 3.4% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 3.4% | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 3.4% | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 3.4% | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 3.4% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 3.4% | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 3.4% | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 3.4% | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 3.4% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 3.4% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 3.4% | -0.1% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 3.4% is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.1%, 43.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 3.4% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.1%, 31.8× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3.7% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.6% | 3.5% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
More environment data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.26 % 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 5.2 % 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 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per unit of 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Building (Energy) (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Fugitive Emissions (Energy) (Mt CO2e) 0.338 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of global forest area in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Share of global forest area in Democratic Republic of Congo was 3.4% in 2025, 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 global forest area recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 3.7% in 1990.
- What is the lowest share of global forest area recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.4% in 2025.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for share of global forest area?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 6th out of 235 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of global forest area rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo 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 global forest area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of global forest area represents the proportion of a country's forest area relative to the total global forest area.