Forest area in Canada

Canada: Forest area was 39.5% in 2023. ▬ Flat

Latest (2023)
39.5%
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
78th
of 213 countries
All-time high
39.5%
in 2021
All-time low
38.7%
in 2020
Years of data
34
1990–2023

Forest area in Canada, 1990–2023

0102030401990200620231990: 38.8 % of land area1991: 38.8 % of land area1992: 38.8 % of land area1993: 38.8 % of land area1994: 38.8 % of land area1995: 38.8 % of land area1996: 38.8 % of land area1997: 38.8 % of land area1998: 38.8 % of land area1999: 38.8 % of land area2000: 38.8 % of land area2001: 38.8 % of land area2002: 38.8 % of land area2003: 38.8 % of land area2004: 38.8 % of land area2005: 38.8 % of land area2006: 38.8 % of land area2007: 38.8 % of land area2008: 38.8 % of land area2009: 38.7 % of land area2010: 38.7 % of land area2011: 38.7 % of land area2012: 38.7 % of land area2013: 38.7 % of land area2014: 38.7 % of land area2015: 38.7 % of land area2016: 38.7 % of land area2017: 38.7 % of land area2018: 38.7 % of land area2019: 38.7 % of land area2020: 38.7 % of land area2021: 39.5 % of land area2022: 39.5 % of land area2023: 39.5 % of land area

Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in % of land area.

Analysis

Canada recorded 39.5% for forest area in 2023.

That represents a change of up 1.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, forest area in Canada peaked at 39.5% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 38.7%, in 2020.

That places Canada 78th out of 213 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.

Forest area in Canada, year by year

Annual values for Forest area (% of land area) in Canada, 1990 to 2023.
Year % of land area Change
1990 38.8%
1991 38.8% -0.0%
1992 38.8% -0.0%
1993 38.8% -0.0%
1994 38.8% -0.0%
1995 38.8% -0.0%
1996 38.8% -0.0%
1997 38.8% -0.0%
1998 38.8% -0.0%
1999 38.8% -0.0%
2000 38.8% -0.0%
2001 38.8% -0.0%
2002 38.8% -0.0%
2003 38.8% -0.0%
2004 38.8% -0.0%
2005 38.8% -0.0%
2006 38.8% -0.0%
2007 38.8% -0.0%
2008 38.8% -0.0%
2009 38.7% -0.0%
2010 38.7% -0.0%
2011 38.7% -0.0%
2012 38.7% -0.0%
2013 38.7% -0.0%
2014 38.7% -0.0%
2015 38.7% -0.0%
2016 38.7% -0.0%
2017 38.7% -0.0%
2018 38.7% -0.0%
2019 38.7% -0.0%
2020 38.7% -0.0%
2021 39.5% +2.0%
2022 39.5% -0.0%
2023 39.5% -0.0%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 38.8% 38.8% 38.8% 10
2000s 38.8% 38.7% 38.8% 10
2010s 38.7% 38.7% 38.7% 10
2020s 39.3% 38.7% 39.5% 4

Countries ranked near Canada

  1. 75 Georgia 40.6% compare
  2. 76 Slovakia 40.1% compare
  3. 77 North Macedonia 39.7% compare
  4. 79 Thailand 38.7% compare
  5. 80 Paraguay 38.5% compare
  6. 81 New Zealand 37.8% compare

See the full ranking of 261 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Canada

All data for Canada →

Frequently asked questions

What is forest area in Canada?
Forest area in Canada was 39.5% in 2023, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
What is the highest forest area recorded in Canada?
The highest recorded value was 39.5% in 2021.
What is the lowest forest area recorded in Canada?
The lowest recorded value was 38.7% in 2020.
How does Canada rank for forest area?
Canada ranks 78th out of 213 countries with data for 2023.
Is forest area rising or falling in Canada?
Over the last ten years it is up 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Canada data come from?
The figures come from FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Forest area (% of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Forest area in Canada. Statizoid, drawing on FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/stat/forest-area-percent-of-land-area/canada/

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About this data

Indicator
Forest area (% of land area)
Unit
% of land area
Source
FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
261 places, 8,639 data points, 1990–2023
Last refreshed

Forest area (% of land area) is the share of total land area that is 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.