Forest area (sq. km) in Nepal
Nepal: Forest area (sq. km) was 62,662 sq. km in 2025. ▲ Rising
Forest area in Nepal, 1990–2025
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
The most recent figure for forest area in Nepal is 62,662 sq. km, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in Nepal peaked at 62,662 sq. km in 2025 and was at its lowest, 57,481 sq. km, in 1990.
Nepal ranks 68th of 214 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Forest area (sq. km) in Nepal, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 57,481 sq. km | — |
| 1991 | 57,648 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 57,816 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 57,983 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 58,151 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 58,318 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 58,486 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 58,653 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 58,820 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 58,988 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 59,155 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 59,323 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 59,490 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 59,657 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 59,825 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 59,992 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 60,160 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 60,327 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 60,494 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 60,662 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 60,829 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 60,864 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 60,899 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 60,934 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2014 | 60,970 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2015 | 61,004 sq. km | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 61,170 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 61,336 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 61,502 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 61,668 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 61,834 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 61,999 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 62,165 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 62,331 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2024 | 62,497 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2025 | 62,662 sq. km | +0.3% |
Nepal compared with similar countries
- Nepal's 62,662 sq. km is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 37,741 sq. km, 1.7× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nepal's 62,662 sq. km is above the median for South Asia, which is 23,977 sq. km, 2.6× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 58,234 sq. km | 57,481 sq. km | 58,988 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 59,909 sq. km | 59,155 sq. km | 60,662 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 61,118 sq. km | 60,829 sq. km | 61,668 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 62,248 sq. km | 61,834 sq. km | 62,662 sq. km | 6 |
Countries ranked near Nepal
More agriculture & rural data for Nepal
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate -1.64 % 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 0.0626 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -0.8409 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0001 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.1232 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 4.5 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2156 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 331.1 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.7937 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in Nepal?
- Forest area in Nepal was 62,662 sq. km in 2025, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest forest area recorded in Nepal?
- The highest recorded value was 62,662 sq. km in 2025.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in Nepal?
- The lowest recorded value was 57,481 sq. km in 1990.
- How does Nepal rank for forest area?
- Nepal ranks 68th out of 214 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area rising or falling in Nepal?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Nepal 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.