Forest area in Congo
Congo: Forest area was 219,010 sq. km in 2023. ▬ Flat
Forest area in Congo, 1990–2023
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
Congo recorded 219,010 sq. km for forest area in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.1% on the previous year and down 0.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in Congo peaked at 223,150 sq. km in 1990 and was at its lowest, 219,010 sq. km, in 2023.
Congo ranks 28th of 214 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Forest area in Congo, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 223,150 sq. km | — |
| 1991 | 223,030 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 222,910 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 222,790 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 222,670 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1995 | 222,550 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1996 | 222,430 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1997 | 222,310 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 222,190 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 222,070 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 221,950 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2001 | 221,830 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2002 | 221,710 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 221,590 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 221,470 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2005 | 221,350 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 221,230 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2007 | 221,110 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2008 | 220,990 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 220,870 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 220,750 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 220,630 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2012 | 220,510 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 220,390 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 220,270 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2015 | 220,150 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 220,030 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 219,910 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2018 | 219,760 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2019 | 219,610 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2020 | 219,460 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 219,310 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2022 | 219,160 sq. km | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 219,010 sq. km | -0.1% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 219,010 sq. km is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 36,019 sq. km, 6.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Congo's 219,010 sq. km is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59,081 sq. km, 3.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 222,610 sq. km | 222,070 sq. km | 223,150 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 221,410 sq. km | 220,870 sq. km | 221,950 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 220,201 sq. km | 219,610 sq. km | 220,750 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 219,235 sq. km | 219,010 sq. km | 219,460 sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More agriculture & rural data for Congo
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 11.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1011 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 254.21 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.72 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3588 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 10.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 10.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.4% (2023)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.0% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in Congo?
- Forest area in Congo was 219,010 sq. km in 2023, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest forest area recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 223,150 sq. km in 1990.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 219,010 sq. km in 2023.
- How does Congo rank for forest area?
- Congo ranks 28th out of 214 countries with data for 2023.
- Is forest area rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Congo 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.