Forest area in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Forest area was 12.16 million hectares in 2011. ▼ Falling
Forest area in Ethiopia, 1990–2011
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
Ethiopia recorded 12.16 million hectares for forest area in 2011. That is the lowest value across all 22 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.1% on the previous year and down 10.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in Ethiopia peaked at 16.73 million hectares in 1990 and was at its lowest, 12.16 million hectares, in 2011.
Ethiopia ranks 14th of 53 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 22 years of available data.
Forest area in Ethiopia, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 16.73 million hectares | — |
| 1991 | 16.59 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1992 | 16.44 million hectares | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 14.69 million hectares | -10.7% |
| 1994 | 14.55 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 14.41 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 14.27 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1997 | 14.13 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1998 | 13.99 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 1999 | 13.85 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2000 | 13.71 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2001 | 13.56 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 13.42 million hectares | -1.0% |
| 2003 | 13.28 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 13.14 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 13.00 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2006 | 12.86 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 12.72 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 12.58 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2009 | 12.44 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 12.30 million hectares | -1.1% |
| 2011 | 12.16 million hectares | -1.1% |
Ethiopia compared with similar countries
- Ethiopia's 12.16 million hectares is above the median for low income countries, which is 4.94 million hectares, 2.5× the median. (20 countries reporting)
- Ethiopia's 12.16 million hectares is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 5.59 million hectares, 2.2× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 14.96 million hectares | 13.85 million hectares | 16.73 million hectares | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.07 million hectares | 12.44 million hectares | 13.71 million hectares | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.23 million hectares | 12.16 million hectares | 12.30 million hectares | 2 |
Countries ranked near Ethiopia
More agriculture & rural data for Ethiopia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -20.36 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.3282 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 306.11 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.93 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0008 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.7589 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 32.8% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 32.8% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 9.7% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in Ethiopia?
- Forest area in Ethiopia was 12.16 million hectares in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.
- What is the highest forest area recorded in Ethiopia?
- The highest recorded value was 16.73 million hectares in 1990.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in Ethiopia?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.16 million hectares in 2011.
- How does Ethiopia rank for forest area?
- Ethiopia ranks 14th out of 53 countries with data for 2011.
- Is forest area rising or falling in Ethiopia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Ethiopia data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site, published as part of Forest area (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Forest area is land under natural or planted stands of trees of at least 5 meters in situ, whether productive or not, and excludes tree stands in agricultural production systems (for example, in fruit plantations and agroforestry systems) and trees in urban parks and gardens.