Forest area (sq. km) in Malaysia
Malaysia: Forest area (sq. km) was 188,847 sq. km in 2025. ▼ Falling
Forest area in Malaysia, 1990–2025
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
In 2025, forest area in Malaysia stood at 188,847 sq. km. That is the lowest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.3% on the previous year and down 3.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in Malaysia peaked at 206,185 sq. km in 1990 and was at its lowest, 188,847 sq. km, in 2025.
Malaysia ranks 35th of 214 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Forest area (sq. km) in Malaysia, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 206,185 sq. km | — |
| 1991 | 205,258 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 1992 | 204,331 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 203,404 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 202,476 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 1995 | 201,549 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 1996 | 200,622 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 199,695 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 198,768 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 1999 | 197,841 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 2000 | 196,914 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 196,170 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 195,426 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 194,682 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 193,939 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 193,195 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2006 | 192,451 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 191,708 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2008 | 190,964 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2009 | 190,220 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2010 | 189,476 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 190,510 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 191,543 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 192,576 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 2014 | 193,609 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 2015 | 194,642 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 194,083 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2017 | 193,524 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 192,965 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 192,406 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 191,847 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 191,247 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 190,647 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2023 | 190,047 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 189,447 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 188,847 sq. km | -0.3% |
Malaysia compared with similar countries
- Malaysia's 188,847 sq. km is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 22,937 sq. km, 8.2× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Malaysia's 188,847 sq. km is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 11,366 sq. km, 16.6× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 202,013 sq. km | 197,841 sq. km | 206,185 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 193,567 sq. km | 190,220 sq. km | 196,914 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 192,533 sq. km | 189,476 sq. km | 194,642 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 190,347 sq. km | 188,847 sq. km | 191,847 sq. km | 6 |
Countries ranked near Malaysia
More agriculture & rural data for Malaysia
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.2303 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.2382 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 13.04 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0822 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,078 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.913 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in Malaysia?
- Forest area in Malaysia was 188,847 sq. km in 2025, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest forest area recorded in Malaysia?
- The highest recorded value was 206,185 sq. km in 1990.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in Malaysia?
- The lowest recorded value was 188,847 sq. km in 2025.
- How does Malaysia rank for forest area?
- Malaysia ranks 35th out of 214 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area rising or falling in Malaysia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Malaysia 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.