Share of land covered by forest
- Description
Share of land area covered by forest, including both natural forests and forest plantations.
- Data source
- Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2013); Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (2009); Forest Research (2002); Mather A.S., Fairbairn J., and Needle C.J. (1999); Osamu Saito (2009); Yi-Ying Chen et al. (2019); A.S. Mather (2008); Kleinn, C., Corrales, L., & Morales, D. (2002); Soo Bae J., Won Joo, R. and Kim, Y.S. (2012); United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (2014); He, F., Yang, F, & Wang, Y. (2024); Scottish Government (2019); Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025); Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
- Unit
- %
- Date range
- 1000-2025
- Last updated
- 2025-12-29
- Next expected update
- 2031-01-02
- Managed by
- Fiona Spooner
- This indicator shows the share of a country’s land area that is covered by forest. It includes both natural forests and forest plantations, where that distinction is available.
- For 1990 onwards, data comes from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which uses a consistent global definition: forest is land with tree canopy cover greater than 10%, spanning more than 0.5 hectares, with trees that can reach at least 5 meters in height. It includes plantations but excludes land where other uses (such as agriculture or urban development) dominate (FAO definition).
- We linearly interpolate the data for the years between the FAO FRA data points, which are typically given every 5 years.
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- For years prior to 1990, the data is drawn from historical estimates published by sources including the USDA Forest Service, DEFRA, Forest Research, and others. These estimates typically rely on older maps, land surveys, and expert reconstructions.
- Where possible, pre-1990 estimates include both natural forests and plantations to match the FAO’s definition. However, definitions and methods vary by source and country, and users should interpret older data points with some caution.
- The details for the historical estimates are provided below:
- China (1000-1960): He et al. (2025): Reconstructing forest and grassland cover changes in China over the past millennium
- Costa Rica (1940-1969): Kleinn et al. (2002): Forest area in Costa Rica: A comparative study of tropical forest cover estimates over time
- England (1086-1650): Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) report: Government Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement
- England (1870-1980): Forest Research report: National inventory of woodland and trees
- England (2019): Scottish Government report: Scotland's Forestry Strategy: 2019-2029
- France (1000-1976): Mather et al. (1999): The course and drivers of the forest transition in France
- Japan (1600-1985): Saito, O. (2009): Forest history and the Great Divergence: China, Japan, and the West compared
- Philippines (1934-1988): Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) report: One century of forest rehabilitation in the Philippines
- Scotland (1600-1750): Mather, A.S. (2008)
- Scotland (1870-1988): Forest Research report: National inventory of woodland and trees
- Scotland (2019): Scottish Government report: Scotland's Forestry Strategy: 2019-2029
- South Korea (1948-1980): Bae J.S. et al. (2012) Forest transition in South Korea: Reality, path and drivers
- Taiwan (1904-1982): Chen Y et al (2019) Reconstructing Taiwan’s land cover changes between 1904 and 2015 from historical maps and satellite images
- United States (1630-1907): U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USDA FS) report: U.S. Forest Facts and Historical Trends
- United States (1920-1987): U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USDA FS) report (2014): U.S. Forest Resource Facts and Historical Trends
- Vietnam (1943-1985): Forest Science Institute of Vietnam (FSIV) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) report: Vietnam Forestry Outlook Study
Frequently asked questions
How did Our World in Data process this data?
How did Our World in Data process this data?
All data and visualizations on Our World in Data rely on data sourced from one or several original data providers. Preparing this original data involves several processing steps. Depending on the data, this can include standardizing country names and world region definitions, converting units, calculating derived indicators such as per capita measures, as well as adding or adapting metadata such as the name or the description given to an indicator.
At the link below you can find a detailed description of the structure of our data pipeline, including links to all the code used to prepare data across Our World in Data.
Notes on our processing step for this indicator
This variable is a combination of historical sources of forest cover data from various organizations, including FAO, USDA Forest Service, DEFRA, Forest Research and others; and more recent data from the FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) data and the total land area variable from the FAO Land Use data. FAO FRA data is used for the 1990 onwards, while historical data is sourced from various papers and reports.
Data sources
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs – DEFRA – Government Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs – DEFRA – Government Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement
Government Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement – Incorporating the Government’s Response to the Independent Panel on Forestry's Final Report (2013). Forest Policy Team, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific – Vietnam Forestry Outlook Study
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific – Vietnam Forestry Outlook Study
Vietnam Forestry Outlook Study. Asia-Pacific Forestry Sector Outlook Study II (APFSOS/WP/2009/09). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, 2009.Forest Research – National inventory of woodland and trees
Forest Research – National inventory of woodland and trees
National inventory of woodland and trees – England, Wales and Scotland. Forest Research, Forestry Commission.Mather A.S., Fairbairn J., and Needle C.J. – The course and drivers of the forest transition: The case of France
Mather A.S., Fairbairn J., and Needle C.J. – The course and drivers of the forest transition: The case of France
A.S. Mather, J. Fairbairn, C.L. Needle, The course and drivers of the forest transition: The case of France, Journal of Rural Studies, Volume 15, Issue 1, 1999.Osamu Saito – Forest history and the Great Divergence: China, Japan, and the West compared
Osamu Saito – Forest history and the Great Divergence: China, Japan, and the West compared
Saito O. Forest history and the Great Divergence: China, Japan, and the West compared. Journal of Global History. 2009;4(3):379-404. doi:10.1017/S1740022809990131Yi-Ying Chen et al. – Reconstructing Taiwan’s land cover changes between 1904 and 2015 from historical maps and satellite images
Yi-Ying Chen et al. – Reconstructing Taiwan’s land cover changes between 1904 and 2015 from historical maps and satellite images
Chen YY, Huang W, Wang WH, Juang JY, Hong JS, Kato T, Luyssaert S. Reconstructing Taiwan's land cover changes between 1904 and 2015 from historical maps and satellite images. Sci Rep. 2019 Mar 6;9(1):3643. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-40063-1. PMID: 30842476; PMCID: PMC6403323.A.S. Mather – Forest transition theory and the reforesting of Scotland
A.S. Mather – Forest transition theory and the reforesting of Scotland
A.S. Mather (2004) Forest transition theory and the reforesting of Scotland, Scottish Geographical Journal, 120:1-2, 83-98, DOI: 10.1080/00369220418737194Kleinn, C., Corrales, L., & Morales, D. – Forest area in Costa Rica: A comparative study of tropical forest cover estimates over time
Kleinn, C., Corrales, L., & Morales, D. – Forest area in Costa Rica: A comparative study of tropical forest cover estimates over time
Kleinn, C., Corrales, L. & Morales, D. Forest Area in Costa Rica: A Comparative Study of Tropical Forest Cover Estimates over Time. Environ Monit Assess 73, 17–40 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012659129083Soo Bae J., Won Joo, R. and Kim, Y.S. – Forest transition in South Korea: Reality, path and drivers
Soo Bae J., Won Joo, R. and Kim, Y.S. – Forest transition in South Korea: Reality, path and drivers
Jae Soo Bae, Rin Won Joo, Yeon-Su. Kim, Forest transition in South Korea: Reality, path and drivers, Land Use Policy, Volume 29, Issue 1, 2012, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2011.06.007.United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service – U.S. Forest Resource Facts and Historical Trends
United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service – U.S. Forest Resource Facts and Historical Trends
U.S. Forest Resource Facts and Historical Trends. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 2014.He, F., Yang, F, & Wang, Y. – Reconstructing forest and grassland cover changes in China over the past millennium
He, F., Yang, F, & Wang, Y. – Reconstructing forest and grassland cover changes in China over the past millennium
He F, Yang F, Wang Y. 2025. Reconstructing forest and grassland cover changes in China over the past millennium. Science China Earth Sciences, 68 (1): 94–110, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11430-024-1454-4Scottish Government – Scotland's Forestry Strategy: 2019–2029
Scottish Government – Scotland's Forestry Strategy: 2019–2029
Scottish Government. 2025. Scotland's Forestry Strategy: 2019-2029. Edinburgh: The Scottish Government, https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/strategy-plan/2019/02/scotlands-forestry-strategy-20192029/documents/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029/govscot%3Adocument/scotlands-forestry-strategy-2019-2029.pdfFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – Global Forest Resources Assessment
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – Global Forest Resources Assessment
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2025. Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025. Rome.Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank – World Development Indicators
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank – World Development Indicators
The World Development Indicators (WDI) database, published by the World Bank, is a comprehensive collection of global development data, providing key economic, social, and environmental statistics. It includes over 1,500 indicators covering more than 200 countries and territories, with data spanning several decades. WDI serves as a vital resource for policymakers, researchers, businesses, and analysts seeking to understand global trends and make data-driven decisions. The database covers a wide range of topics, including economic growth, education, health, poverty, trade, energy, infrastructure, governance, and environmental sustainability. The indicators are sourced from reputable national and international agencies, ensuring high-quality, consistent, and comparable data. Users can access the database through interactive online tools, API services, and downloadable datasets, facilitating detailed analysis and visualization. WDI is also used for tracking progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other global development initiatives. By providing accessible and reliable statistics, it helps to inform policy discussions and strategies globally. Whether for academic research, policy planning, or economic analysis, the World Development Indicators database is an essential tool for understanding and addressing global development challenges.
FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), uri: https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/RL, publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Indicator AG.LND.TOTL.K2 (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/AG.LND.TOTL.K2). World Development Indicators – World Bank (2026). Accessed on 2026-07-27.How to cite
How to cite this page
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To cite this page overall, including any descriptions, FAQs or explanations of the data authored by Our World in Data, please use the following citation:
“Data Page: Share of land covered by forest”, part of the following publication: Hannah Ritchie, Fiona Spooner, and Max Roser (2021) - “Forests and Deforestation”. Data adapted from Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Forest Research, Mather A.S., Fairbairn J., and Needle C.J., Osamu Saito, Yi-Ying Chen et al., A.S. Mather, Kleinn, C., Corrales, L., & Morales, D., Soo Bae J., Won Joo, R. and Kim, Y.S., United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, He, F., Yang, F, & Wang, Y., Scottish Government, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank. Retrieved from https://archive.ourworldindata.org/20260910-012235/grapher/forest-area-as-share-of-land-area.html [online resource] (archived on September 10, 2026).How to cite this data
How to cite this data
If you have limited space (e.g. in data visualizations), you can use this abbreviated in-line citation:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2013) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in DataFull citation
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2013); Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (2009); Forest Research (2002); Mather A.S., Fairbairn J., and Needle C.J. (1999); Osamu Saito (2009); Yi-Ying Chen et al. (2019); A.S. Mather (2008); Kleinn, C., Corrales, L., & Morales, D. (2002); Soo Bae J., Won Joo, R. and Kim, Y.S. (2012); United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (2014); He, F., Yang, F, & Wang, Y. (2024); Scottish Government (2019); Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2025); Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. “Share of land covered by forest” [dataset]. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, “DEFRA – Government Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement”; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, “Vietnam Forestry Outlook Study”; Forest Research, “National inventory of woodland and trees”; Mather A.S., Fairbairn J., and Needle C.J., “The course and drivers of the forest transition: The case of France”; Osamu Saito, “Forest history and the Great Divergence: China, Japan, and the West compared”; Yi-Ying Chen et al., “Reconstructing Taiwan’s land cover changes between 1904 and 2015 from historical maps and satellite images”; A.S. Mather, “Forest transition theory and the reforesting of Scotland”; Kleinn, C., Corrales, L., & Morales, D., “Forest area in Costa Rica: A comparative study of tropical forest cover estimates over time”; Soo Bae J., Won Joo, R. and Kim, Y.S., “Forest transition in South Korea: Reality, path and drivers”; United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, “U.S. Forest Resource Facts and Historical Trends”; He, F., Yang, F, & Wang, Y., “Reconstructing forest and grassland cover changes in China over the past millennium”; Scottish Government, “Scotland's Forestry Strategy: 2019–2029”; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, “Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025”; Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), via World Bank, “World Development Indicators 129” [original data]. Retrieved September 20, 2026 from https://archive.ourworldindata.org/20260910-012235/grapher/forest-area-as-share-of-land-area.html (archived on September 10, 2026).All data produced by third-party providers and made available by Our World in Data are subject to the license terms from the original providers. Our work would not be possible without the data providers we rely on, so we ask you to always cite them appropriately. This is crucial to allow data providers to continue doing their work, enhancing, maintaining and updating valuable data.
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=IMPORTDATA("https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/forest-area-as-share-of-land-area.csv?v=1&csvType=full&useColumnShortNames=false")Python with Pandas
import pandas as pd
import requests
# Fetch the data.
df = pd.read_csv("https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/forest-area-as-share-of-land-area.csv?v=1&csvType=full&useColumnShortNames=false", storage_options = {'User-Agent': 'Our World In Data data fetch/1.0'})
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metadata = requests.get("https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/forest-area-as-share-of-land-area.metadata.json?v=1&csvType=full&useColumnShortNames=false").json()R
library(jsonlite)
# Fetch the data
df <- read.csv("https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/forest-area-as-share-of-land-area.csv?v=1&csvType=full&useColumnShortNames=false")
# Fetch the metadata
metadata <- fromJSON("https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/forest-area-as-share-of-land-area.metadata.json?v=1&csvType=full&useColumnShortNames=false")Stata
import delimited "https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/forest-area-as-share-of-land-area.csv?v=1&csvType=full&useColumnShortNames=false", encoding("utf-8") clear