Forest area in Namibia
Namibia: Forest area was 64,259 sq. km in 2023. ▼ Falling
Forest area in Namibia, 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 Namibia is 64,259 sq. km, measured in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in Namibia peaked at 87,692 sq. km in 1990 and was at its lowest, 64,259 sq. km, in 2023.
That places Namibia 65th out of 214 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Forest area in Namibia, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 87,692 sq. km | — |
| 1991 | 86,982 sq. km | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 86,272 sq. km | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 85,561 sq. km | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 84,851 sq. km | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 84,141 sq. km | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 83,431 sq. km | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 82,721 sq. km | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 82,011 sq. km | -0.9% |
| 1999 | 81,301 sq. km | -0.9% |
| 2000 | 80,591 sq. km | -0.9% |
| 2001 | 79,881 sq. km | -0.9% |
| 2002 | 79,171 sq. km | -0.9% |
| 2003 | 78,461 sq. km | -0.9% |
| 2004 | 77,750 sq. km | -0.9% |
| 2005 | 77,040 sq. km | -0.9% |
| 2006 | 76,330 sq. km | -0.9% |
| 2007 | 75,620 sq. km | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 74,910 sq. km | -0.9% |
| 2009 | 74,200 sq. km | -0.9% |
| 2010 | 73,490 sq. km | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 72,780 sq. km | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 72,070 sq. km | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 71,360 sq. km | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 70,650 sq. km | -1.0% |
| 2015 | 69,940 sq. km | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 69,229 sq. km | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 68,519 sq. km | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 67,809 sq. km | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 67,099 sq. km | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 66,389 sq. km | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 65,679 sq. km | -1.1% |
| 2022 | 64,969 sq. km | -1.1% |
| 2023 | 64,259 sq. km | -1.1% |
Namibia compared with similar countries
- Namibia's 64,259 sq. km is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 36,019 sq. km, 1.8× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Namibia's 64,259 sq. km is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59,081 sq. km, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 84,496 sq. km | 81,301 sq. km | 87,692 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 77,395 sq. km | 74,200 sq. km | 80,591 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 70,295 sq. km | 67,099 sq. km | 73,490 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 65,324 sq. km | 64,259 sq. km | 66,389 sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near Namibia
- 62 Philippines 72,933 sq. km compare
- 63 South Sudan 71,570 sq. km compare
- 64 Romania 69,290 sq. km compare
- 66 Honduras 62,964 sq. km compare
- 67 South Korea 62,570 sq. km compare
- 68 Guinea 60,690 sq. km compare
More agriculture & rural data for Namibia
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0699 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 340.78 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.4913 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 7.0% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 7.0% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 0.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in Namibia?
- Forest area in Namibia was 64,259 sq. km in 2023, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest forest area recorded in Namibia?
- The highest recorded value was 87,692 sq. km in 1990.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in Namibia?
- The lowest recorded value was 64,259 sq. km in 2023.
- How does Namibia rank for forest area?
- Namibia ranks 65th out of 214 countries with data for 2023.
- Is forest area rising or falling in Namibia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Namibia 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.