Forest area in Bhutan
Bhutan: Forest area was 27,310 sq. km in 2023. ▲ Rising
Forest area in Bhutan, 1990–2023
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
The most recent figure for forest area in Bhutan is 27,310 sq. km, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in Bhutan peaked at 27,310 sq. km in 2023 and was at its lowest, 25,067 sq. km, in 1990.
That places Bhutan 93rd out of 214 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Forest area in Bhutan, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 25,067 sq. km | — |
| 1991 | 25,166 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 25,266 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 25,365 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 25,464 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 25,564 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 1996 | 25,663 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 25,762 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 25,861 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 25,961 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 26,060 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 26,159 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 26,259 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 26,358 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 26,457 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2005 | 26,556 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2006 | 26,656 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2007 | 26,755 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 26,854 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2009 | 26,954 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 27,053 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2011 | 27,073 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 27,092 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 27,112 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 27,132 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 27,152 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 27,172 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 27,191 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 27,211 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 27,230 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 27,250 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 27,270 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 27,290 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 27,310 sq. km | +0.1% |
Bhutan compared with similar countries
- Bhutan's 27,310 sq. km is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 36,019 sq. km, 76% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Bhutan's 27,310 sq. km is above the median for South Asia, which is 24,173 sq. km, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 25,514 sq. km | 25,067 sq. km | 25,961 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 26,507 sq. km | 26,060 sq. km | 26,954 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 27,142 sq. km | 27,053 sq. km | 27,230 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 27,280 sq. km | 27,250 sq. km | 27,310 sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
More agriculture & rural data for Bhutan
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 3.41 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1368 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 614.64 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.8653 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5657 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 13.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 13.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.8% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in Bhutan?
- Forest area in Bhutan was 27,310 sq. km in 2023, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest forest area recorded in Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 27,310 sq. km in 2023.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was 25,067 sq. km in 1990.
- How does Bhutan rank for forest area?
- Bhutan ranks 93rd out of 214 countries with data for 2023.
- Is forest area rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Bhutan data come from?
- The figures come from FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Forest area (sq. km). 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.