ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS

                 

 Forests

       
last update: December 2010
 
                 
 Forest area
 
 

 
                 
Forest area
in 1990
Forest area
in 2010
% change
since 1990
% of land area
covered by
forest in 2010
 
       
km2
km2
%
%
Afghanistan
13 500
 
13 500
 
0.0
 
2.0
Albania
7 890
 
7 760
 
-1.6
 
28.0
Algeria
16 670
 
14 920
 
-10.5
 
1.0
American Samoa
180
 
180
 
0.0
 
89.0
Andorra
160
 
160
 
0.0
 
36.0
Angola
609 760
 
584 800
 
-4.1
 
47.0
Anguilla
60
 
60
 
0.0
 
60.0
Antigua and Barbuda
100
 
100
 
0.0
 
22.0
Argentina
347 930
 
294 000
 
-15.5
 
11.0
Armenia
3 470
 
2 620
 
-24.5
 
9.0
Aruba
0
 
0
 
0.0
 
2.0
Australia
1 545 000
 
1 493 000
 
-3.4
 
19.0
Austria
37 760
 
38 870
 
2.9
 
47.0
Azerbaijan
9 360
 
9 360
 
0.0
 
11.0
Bahamas
5 150
 
5 150
 
0.0
 
51.0
Bahrain
0
 
10
 
100.0
 
1.0
Bangladesh
14 940
 
14 420
 
-3.5
 
11.0
Barbados
80
 
80
 
0.0
 
19.0
Belarus
77 800
 
86 300
 
10.9
 
42.0
Belgium
6 770
 
6 780
 
0.1
 
22.0
Belize
15 860
 
13 930
 
-12.2
 
61.0
Benin
57 610
 
45 610
 
-20.8
 
41.0
Bermuda
10
 
10
 
0.0
 
20.0
Bhutan
30 350
 
32 490
 
7.1
 
69.0
Bolivia
627 950
 
571 960
 
-8.9
 
53.0
Bosnia and Herzegovina
22 100
 
21 850
 
-1.1
 
43.0
Botswana
137 180
 
113 510
 
-17.3
 
20.0
Brazil
5 748 390
 
5 195 220
 
-9.6
 
62.0
British Virgin Islands
40
 
40
 
0.0
 
24.0
Brunei Darussalam
4 130
 
3 800
 
-8.0
 
72.0
Bulgaria
33 270
 
39 270
 
18.0
 
36.0
Burkina Faso
68 470
 
56 490
 
-17.5
 
21.0
Burundi
2 890
 
1 720
 
-40.5
 
7.0
Cambodia
129 440
 
100 940
 
-22.0
 
57.0
Cameroon
243 160
 
199 160
 
-18.1
 
42.0
Canada
3 101 340
 
3 101 340
 
0.0
 
34.0
Cape Verde
580
 
850
 
46.6
 
21.0
Cayman Islands
130
 
130
 
0.0
 
50.0
Central African Republic
232 030
 
226 050
 
-2.6
 
36.0
Chad
131 100
 
115 250
 
-12.1
 
9.0
Chile
152 630
 
162 310
 
6.3
 
22.0
China
1 571 410
 
2 068 610
 
31.6
 
22.0
Colombia
625 190
 
604 990
 
-3.2
 
55.0
Comoros
120
 
30
 
-75.0
 
2.0
Congo
227 260
 
224 110
 
-1.4
 
66.0
Cook Islands
150
 
160
 
6.7
 
65.0
Costa Rica
25 640
 
26 050
 
1.6
 
51.0
Cote d'Ivoire
102 220
 
104 030
 
1.8
 
33.0
Croatia
18 500
 
19 200
 
3.8
 
34.0
Cuba
20 580
 
28 700
 
39.5
 
26.0
Cyprus
1 610
 
1 730
 
7.5
 
19.0
Czech Republic
26 290
 
26 570
 
1.1
 
34.0
Dem. Rep. of the Congo
1 603 630
 
1 541 350
 
-3.9
 
68.0
Denmark
4 450
 
5 440
 
22.2
 
13.0
Djibouti
60
 
60
 
0.0
 
0.0
Dominica
500
 
450
 
-10.0
 
60.0
Dominican Republic
19 720
 
19 720
 
0.0
 
41.0
Ecuador
138 170
 
98 650
 
-28.6
 
36.0
Egypt
440
 
700
 
59.1
 
0.0
El Salvador
3 770
 
2 870
 
-23.9
 
14.0
Equatorial Guinea
18 600
 
16 260
 
-12.6
 
58.0
Eritrea
16 210
 
15 320
 
-5.5
 
15.0
Estonia
20 900
 
22 170
 
6.1
 
52.0
Ethiopia
151 140
 
122 960
 
-18.6
 
11.0
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
0
 
0
 
0.0
 
0.0
Faeroe Islands
0
 
0
 
0.0
 
0.0
Fiji
9 530
 
10 140
 
6.4
 
56.0
Finland
218 890
 
221 570
 
1.2
 
73.0
France
145 370
 
159 540
 
9.7
 
29.0
French Guiana
81 880
 
80 820
 
-1.3
 
98.0
French Polynesia
550
 
1 550
 
181.8
 
42.0
3
Gabon
220 000
 
220 000
 
0.0
 
85.0
Gambia
4 420
 
4 800
 
8.6
 
48.0
Georgia
27 790
 
27 420
 
-1.3
 
39.0
Germany
107 410
 
110 760
 
3.1
 
32.0
Ghana
74 480
 
49 400
 
-33.7
 
22.0
Gibraltar
0
 
0
 
0.0
 
0.0
Greece
32 990
 
39 030
 
18.3
 
30.0
Greenland
0
 
0
 
0.0
 
0.0
Grenada
170
 
170
 
0.0
 
50.0
Guadeloupe
670
 
640
 
-4.5
 
39.0
Guam
260
 
260
 
0.0
 
47.0
Guatemala
47 480
 
36 570
 
-23.0
 
34.0
Guernsey
0
 
0
 
0.0
 
3.0
Guinea
72 640
 
65 440
 
-9.9
 
27.0
Guinea-Bissau
22 160
 
20 220
 
-8.8
 
72.0
Guyana
152 050
 
152 050
 
0.0
 
77.0
Haiti
1 160
 
1 010
 
-12.9
 
4.0
Holy See
0
 
0
 
0.0
 
0.0
Honduras
81 360
 
51 920
 
-36.2
 
46.0
Hungary
18 010
 
20 290
 
12.7
 
23.0
Iceland
90
 
300
 
233.3
 
0.0
India
639 390
 
684 340
 
7.0
 
23.0
Indonesia
1 185 450
 
944 320
 
-20.3
 
52.0
Iran (Islamic Republic of)
110 750
 
110 750
 
0.0
 
7.0
Iraq
8 040
 
8 250
 
2.6
 
2.0
Ireland
4 650
 
7 390
 
58.9
 
11.0
Isle of Man
30
 
30
 
0.0
 
6.0
Israel
1 320
 
1 540
 
16.7
 
7.0
Italy
75 900
 
91 490
 
20.5
 
31.0
Jamaica
3 450
 
3 370
 
-2.3
 
31.0
Japan
249 500
 
249 790
 
0.1
 
69.0
Jersey
10
 
10
 
0.0
 
5.0
Jordan
980
 
980
 
0.0
 
1.0
Kazakhstan
34 220
 
33 090
 
-3.3
 
1.0
Kenya
37 080
 
34 670
 
-6.5
 
6.0
Korea, Dem. People's Rep.
82 010
 
56 660
 
-30.9
 
47.0
Korea, Republic of
63 700
 
62 220
 
-2.3
 
63.0
Kiribati
120
 
120
 
0.0
 
15.0
Kuwait
30
 
60
 
100.0
 
0.0
Kyrgyzstan
8 360
 
9 540
 
14.1
 
5.0
Lao People's Dem. Rep.
173 140
 
157 510
 
-9.0
 
68.0
Latvia
31 730
 
33 540
 
5.7
 
54.0
Lebanon
1 310
 
1 370
 
4.6
 
13.0
Lesotho
400
 
440
 
10.0
 
1.0
Liberia
49 290
 
43 290
 
-12.2
 
45.0
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
2 170
 
2 170
 
0.0
 
0.0
Liechtenstein
70
 
70
 
0.0
 
43.0
Lithuania
19 450
 
21 600
 
11.1
 
34.0
Luxembourg
860
 
870
 
1.2
 
33.0
Madagascar
136 920
 
125 530
 
-8.3
 
22.0
Malawi
38 960
 
32 370
 
-16.9
 
34.0
Malaysia
223 760
 
204 560
 
-8.6
 
62.0
Maldives
10
 
10
 
0.0
 
3.0
Mali
140 720
 
124 900
 
-11.2
 
10.0
Malta
0
 
0
 
0.0
 
1.0
Marshall Islands
130
 
130
 
0.0
 
70.0
Martinique
490
 
490
 
0.0
 
46.0
Mauritania
4 150
 
2 420
 
-41.7
 
0.0
Mauritius
390
 
350
 
-10.3
 
17.0
Mayotte
180
 
140
 
-22.2
 
37.0
Mexico
702 910
 
648 020
 
-7.8
 
33.0
Micronesia, Federated States of
640
 
640
 
0.0
 
92.0
Monaco
0
 
0
 
0.0
 
0.0
Mongolia
125 360
 
108 980
 
-13.1
 
7.0
Montenegro
5 430
 
5 430
 
0.0
 
40.0
Montserrat
40
 
30
 
-25.0
 
24.0
Morocco
50 490
 
51 310
 
1.6
 
11.0
Mozambique
433 780
 
390 220
 
-10.0
 
50.0
Myanmar
392 180
 
317 730
 
-19.0
 
48.0
Namibia
87 620
 
72 900
 
-16.8
 
9.0
Nauru
0
 
0
 
0.0
 
0.0
Nepal
48 170
 
36 360
 
-24.5
 
25.0
Netherlands
3 450
 
3 650
 
5.8
 
11.0
Netherlands Antilles
10
 
10
 
0.0
 
1.0
New Caledonia
8 390
 
8 390
 
0.0
 
46.0
New Zealand
77 200
 
82 690
 
7.1
 
31.0
Nicaragua
45 140
 
31 140
 
-31.0
 
26.0
Niger
19 450
 
12 040
 
-38.1
 
1.0
Nigeria
172 340
 
90 410
 
-47.5
 
10.0
Niue
210
 
190
 
-9.5
 
72.0
Norfolk Island
0
 
0
 
0.0
 
12.0
Northern Mariana Islands
340
 
300
 
-11.8
 
66.0
Norway
91 300
 
100 650
 
10.2
 
33.0
Occupied Palestinian Territory
90
 
90
 
0.0
 
2.0
Oman
20
 
20
 
0.0
 
0.0
Pakistan
25 270
 
16 870
 
-33.2
 
2.0
Palau
380
 
400
 
5.3
 
88.0
Panama
37 920
 
32 510
 
-14.3
 
44.0
Papua New Guinea
315 230
 
287 260
 
-8.9
 
63.0
Paraguay
211 570
 
175 820
 
-16.9
 
44.0
Peru
701 560
 
679 920
 
-3.1
 
53.0
Philippines
65 700
 
76 650
 
16.7
 
26.0
Pitcairn
40
 
40
 
0.0
 
83.0
Poland
88 810
 
93 370
 
5.1
 
30.0
Portugal
33 270
 
34 560
 
3.9
 
38.0
Puerto Rico
2 870
 
5 520
 
92.3
 
62.0
Qatar
0
 
0
 
0.0
 
0.0
Republic of Moldova
3 190
 
3 860
 
21.0
 
12.0
Réunion
870
 
880
 
1.1
 
35.0
Romania
63 710
 
65 730
 
3.2
 
29.0
Russian Federation
8 089 500
 
8 090 900
 
0.0
 
49.0
Rwanda
3 180
 
4 350
 
36.8
 
18.0
Saint Helena
20
 
20
 
0.0
 
6.0
Saint Kitts and Nevis
110
 
110
 
0.0
 
42.0
Saint Lucia
440
 
470
 
6.8
 
77.0
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
30
 
30
 
0.0
 
13.0
Samoa
1 300
 
1 710
 
31.5
 
60.0
San Marino
0
 
0
 
0.0
 
0.0
Sao Tome and Principe
270
 
270
 
0.0
 
28.0
Saudi Arabia
9 770
 
9 770
 
0.0
 
0.0
Senegal
93 480
 
84 730
 
-9.4
 
44.0
Serbia
23 130
 
27 130
 
17.3
 
31.0
Seychelles
410
 
410
 
0.0
 
88.0
Sierra Leone
31 180
 
27 260
 
-12.6
 
38.0
Singapore
20
 
20
 
0.0
 
3.0
Slovakia
19 220
 
19 330
 
0.6
 
40.0
Slovenia
11 880
 
12 530
 
5.5
 
62.0
Solomon Islands
23 240
 
22 130
 
-4.8
 
79.0
Somalia
82 820
 
67 470
 
-18.5
 
11.0
South Africa
92 410
 
92 410
 
0.0
 
8.0
Spain
138 180
 
181 730
 
31.5
 
36.0
Sri Lanka
23 500
 
18 600
 
-20.9
 
29.0
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
250
 
270
 
8.0
 
68.0
Sudan
763 810
 
699 490
 
-8.4
 
29.0
Suriname
147 760
 
147 580
 
-0.1
 
95.0
Swaziland
4 720
 
5 630
 
19.3
 
33.0
Sweden
272 810
 
282 030
 
3.4
 
69.0
Switzerland
11 510
 
12 400
 
7.7
 
31.0
Syrian Arab Republic
3 720
 
4 910
 
32.0
 
3.0
Tajikistan
4 080
 
4 100
 
0.5
 
3.0
Thailand
195 490
 
189 720
 
-3.0
 
37.0
The Former Yugoslav Rep. of Macedonia
9 120
 
9 980
 
9.4
 
39.0
Timor-Leste
9 660
 
7 420
 
-23.2
 
50.0
Togo
6 850
 
2 870
 
-58.1
 
5.0
 
Tokelau
0
 
0
 
0.0
 
0.0
 
Tonga
90
 
90
 
0.0
 
13.0
 
Trinidad and Tobago
2 410
 
2 260
 
-6.2
 
44.0
 
Tunisia
6 430
 
10 060
 
56.5
 
6.0
 
Turkey
96 800
 
113 340
 
17.1
 
15.0
 
Turkmenistan
41 270
 
41 270
 
0.0
 
9.0
 
Turks and Caicos Islands
340
 
340
 
0.0
 
80.0
 
Tuvalu
10
 
10
 
0.0
 
33.0
 
Uganda
47 510
 
29 880
 
-37.1
 
15.0
 
Ukraine
92 740
 
97 050
 
4.6
 
17.0
 
United Arab Emirates
2 450
 
3 170
 
29.4
 
4.0
 
United Kingdom
26 110
 
28 810
 
10.3
 
12.0
 
United Rep. of Tanzania
414 950
 
334 280
 
-19.4
 
38.0
 
United States
2 963 350
 
3 040 220
 
2.6
 
33.0
 
United States Virgin Islands
240
 
200
 
-16.7
 
58.0
 
Uruguay
9 200
 
17 440
 
89.6
 
10.0
 
Uzbekistan
30 450
 
32 760
 
7.6
 
8.0
 
Vanuatu
4 400
 
4 400
 
0.0
 
36.0
 
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
520 260
 
462 750
 
-11.1
 
52.0
 
Viet Nam
93 630
 
137 970
 
47.4
 
44.0
 
Wallis and Futuna Islands
60
 
60
 
0.0
 
42.0
 
Western Sahara
7 070
 
7 070
 
0.0
 
3.0
 
Yemen
5 490
 
5 490
 
0.0
 
1.0
 
Zambia
528 000
 
494 680
 
-6.3
 
67.0
 
Zimbabwe
221 640
 
156 240
 
-29.5
 
40.0
 
 


Sources:

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)


Definitions & Technical notes:

Forest includes natural forests and forest plantations. It is used to refer to land with a tree canopy cover of more than 10 per cent and area of more than 0.5 ha. Forests are determined both by the presence of trees and the absence of other predominant land uses. The trees should be able to reach a minimum height of 5 m. Young stands that have not yet but are expected to reach a crown density of 10 percent and tree height of 5 m are included under forest, as are temporarily unstocked areas. The term includes forests used for purposes of production, protection, multiple-use or conservation (i.e. forest in national parks, nature reserves and other protected areas), as well as forests stands on agricultral lands (e.g. windbreaks and shelterbelts of trees with a width of more than 20 m), and rubberwood plantations and cork oak stands. The term specifically excludes stands of trees established primarily for agricultural production, for example fruit tree plantations. It also excludes trees planted in agroforestry systems.


Data Quality:

Although there is an agreed and clear definition of forest, not all countries apply this definition. In many northern countries, areas with a crown cover of less than 20% are not considered as real forest land. 'Temporarily unstocked areas' refer to areas that have been designated as forest area, but not yet planted, or more often, areas where storm or fire has removed a large part of the forest cover. Unless aggressively restocked with trees, such areas can take a long time to re-establish forests naturally.



United Nations Statistics Division - Environment Statistics