Forests and DeforestationHomeForestsby Hannah Ritchie and Max RoserReuse our work freelyCite this researchForestsForest areaDeforestationAfforestationDrivers of DeforestationPalm oilSoy See the distribution of global forests and which countries have the most forest cover. Explore long-term changes in deforestation, and deforestation rates across the world today. See which countries are gaining forest though natural forest expansion and afforestation. The world loses 5 million hectares of forest to deforestation each year. What activities are driving this? Explore palm oil production across the world, and its impacts on the environment. Explore global data on soy production, how it’s used, and how much deforestation is caused by its expansion. Interactive charts on Forests and Deforestation Above-ground biomass in forest per hectareAnnual CO₂ emissions from deforestation by productAnnual CO₂ emissions from deforestation for food productionAnnual afforestationAnnual change in forest areain %Annual change in forest areain hectaresAnnual change in forest area as a share of forest areaAnnual change in forest area vs. GDP per capitaAnnual deforestationAnnual deforestation as a share of forest areaAnnual deforestation by regionAnnual forest expansionAnnual tropical deforestation by agricultural productChange in domestic forest area vs. deforestation embedded in imported goodsDrivers of deforestation in IndonesiaDrivers of forest loss in the Brazilian AmazonExported deforestationForest areaForest area by type: primary vs. plantedForest area certified under an independently verified certification schemeForest transition phaseGlobal forestry areaImported deforestationNumber of treesNumber of trees per capitaNumber of trees per km²Per capita CO₂ emissions from deforestation for food productionProportion of forest area with a long-term management planProportion of forest area within legally established protected areasShare of CO₂ emissions from tropical deforestation and peatlandsShare of annual global forest expansionShare of global annual deforestationShare of global forest areaShare of land covered by forestShare of total energy used in agriculture and forestryShare of tropical deforestationShare of tropical deforestation from agricultural productsWho is contributing to deforestation abroad?Chart 1 of 38 Key articles on Forests and DeforestationThe world has lost one-third of its forests, but an end of deforestation is possibleGlobal deforestation peaked in the 1980s. Can we bring it to an end?Forest Transitions: why do we lose then regain forests?Not all forest loss is equal: what is the difference between deforestation and forest degradation?Cutting down forests: what are the drivers of deforestation?Do rich countries export deforestation to other countries?Carbon emissions from deforestation: are they driven by domestic demand or international trade?Is our appetite for soy driving deforestation in the Amazon?Why boycotting palm oil could do more harm than good
