Forest area (sq. km) in New Zealand
New Zealand: Forest area (sq. km) was 103,030 sq. km in 2025. ▲ Rising
Forest area in New Zealand, 1990–2025
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
In 2025, forest area in New Zealand stood at 103,030 sq. km. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
The figure is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 4.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in New Zealand peaked at 103,030 sq. km in 2025 and was at its lowest, 93,723 sq. km, in 1990.
New Zealand ranks 52nd of 214 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Forest area (sq. km) in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 93,723 sq. km | — |
| 1991 | 94,201 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 94,679 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 95,157 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 95,635 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 96,114 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 96,592 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 97,070 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 97,548 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 98,026 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 98,504 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 98,502 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2002 | 98,500 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 98,497 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2004 | 98,495 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 98,493 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2006 | 98,490 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 98,488 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2008 | 98,486 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2009 | 98,484 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2010 | 98,481 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 98,478 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2012 | 98,475 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2013 | 98,472 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 98,469 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 98,466 sq. km | -0.0% |
| 2016 | 98,704 sq. km | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 98,941 sq. km | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 99,178 sq. km | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 99,416 sq. km | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 99,653 sq. km | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 100,328 sq. km | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 101,004 sq. km | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 101,679 sq. km | +0.7% |
| 2024 | 102,355 sq. km | +0.7% |
| 2025 | 103,030 sq. km | +0.7% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 103,030 sq. km is above the median for high income countries, which is 4,361 sq. km, 23.6× the median. (83 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 103,030 sq. km is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 11,366 sq. km, 9.1× the median. (35 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 95,874 sq. km | 93,723 sq. km | 98,026 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 98,494 sq. km | 98,484 sq. km | 98,504 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 98,708 sq. km | 98,466 sq. km | 99,416 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 101,341 sq. km | 99,653 sq. km | 103,030 sq. km | 6 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More agriculture & rural data for New Zealand
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 1.54 % 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 0.1262 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate -1.76 % 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 1.76 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -10.07 % change on previous year (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0401 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 1,976 current US$ per person (2023)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.275 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in New Zealand?
- Forest area in New Zealand was 103,030 sq. km in 2025, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest forest area recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 103,030 sq. km in 2025.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 93,723 sq. km in 1990.
- How does New Zealand rank for forest area?
- New Zealand ranks 52nd out of 214 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this New Zealand 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.