Forest area (sq. km) in European Union
European Union: Forest area (sq. km) was 1.60 million sq. km in 2023. ▲ Rising
Forest area in European Union, 1990–2023
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
European Union recorded 1.60 million sq. km for forest area in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in European Union peaked at 1.60 million sq. km in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.30 million sq. km, in 1990.
European Union ranks 33rd of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Forest area (sq. km) in European Union, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1.30 million sq. km | — |
| 1991 | 1.30 million sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 1.41 million sq. km | +8.5% |
| 1993 | 1.46 million sq. km | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 1.47 million sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 1.48 million sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 1.48 million sq. km | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 1.49 million sq. km | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 1.50 million sq. km | +0.4% |
| 1999 | 1.50 million sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2000 | 1.52 million sq. km | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 1.52 million sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 1.53 million sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 1.53 million sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 1.54 million sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 1.54 million sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 1.55 million sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 1.55 million sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 1.56 million sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 1.56 million sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 1.57 million sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 1.57 million sq. km | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 1.57 million sq. km | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 1.58 million sq. km | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 1.58 million sq. km | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 1.58 million sq. km | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 1.58 million sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 1.59 million sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 1.59 million sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 1.59 million sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 1.59 million sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 1.59 million sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 1.60 million sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 1.60 million sq. km | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1.44 million sq. km | 1.30 million sq. km | 1.50 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.54 million sq. km | 1.52 million sq. km | 1.56 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.58 million sq. km | 1.57 million sq. km | 1.59 million sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.59 million sq. km | 1.59 million sq. km | 1.60 million sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near European Union
More agriculture & rural data for European Union
- Rural population 24.8% (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.2483 units per person (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.3% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.2% (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 1.6% (2025)
- Rural population 112.00 million (2025)
- Rural population growth -0.4% (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.3771 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 346.42 billion current US$ (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in European Union?
- Forest area in European Union was 1.60 million sq. km in 2023, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest forest area recorded in European Union?
- The highest recorded value was 1.60 million sq. km in 2023.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in European Union?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.30 million sq. km in 1990.
- How does European Union rank for forest area?
- European Union ranks 33rd out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is forest area rising or falling in European Union?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this European Union 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.