Forest area (sq. km) in Nicaragua
Nicaragua: Forest area (sq. km) was 31,075 sq. km in 2023. ▼ Falling
Forest area in Nicaragua, 1990–2023
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
In 2023, forest area in Nicaragua stood at 31,075 sq. km. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
The figure is down 35.9% on the previous year and down 38.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in Nicaragua peaked at 70,989 sq. km in 1990 and was at its lowest, 31,075 sq. km, in 2023.
That places Nicaragua 91st 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 (sq. km) in Nicaragua, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 70,989 sq. km | — |
| 1991 | 69,996 sq. km | -1.4% |
| 1992 | 69,003 sq. km | -1.4% |
| 1993 | 68,009 sq. km | -1.4% |
| 1994 | 67,016 sq. km | -1.5% |
| 1995 | 66,023 sq. km | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 65,030 sq. km | -1.5% |
| 1997 | 64,037 sq. km | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 63,043 sq. km | -1.6% |
| 1999 | 62,050 sq. km | -1.6% |
| 2000 | 61,057 sq. km | -1.6% |
| 2001 | 60,064 sq. km | -1.6% |
| 2002 | 59,071 sq. km | -1.7% |
| 2003 | 58,077 sq. km | -1.7% |
| 2004 | 57,084 sq. km | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 56,091 sq. km | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 55,098 sq. km | -1.8% |
| 2007 | 54,105 sq. km | -1.8% |
| 2008 | 53,111 sq. km | -1.8% |
| 2009 | 52,118 sq. km | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 51,125 sq. km | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 50,904 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 50,683 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 50,461 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2014 | 50,240 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2015 | 50,019 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 49,798 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2017 | 49,577 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 49,356 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2019 | 49,134 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 48,913 sq. km | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 48,692 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 48,471 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 2023 | 31,075 sq. km | -35.9% |
Nicaragua compared with similar countries
- Nicaragua's 31,075 sq. km is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 37,741 sq. km, 82% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Nicaragua's 31,075 sq. km is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 9,999 sq. km, 3.1× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Forest area (sq. km) in Nicaragua changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | -35.9% | 48,471 sq. km | 31,075 sq. km |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 66,520 sq. km | 62,050 sq. km | 70,989 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 56,588 sq. km | 52,118 sq. km | 61,057 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 50,130 sq. km | 49,134 sq. km | 51,125 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 44,288 sq. km | 31,075 sq. km | 48,913 sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near Nicaragua
More agriculture & rural data for Nicaragua
- 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 0.0001 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.2567 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.041 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.7276 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 12.55 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1448 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 459.4 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.8714 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in Nicaragua?
- Forest area in Nicaragua was 31,075 sq. km in 2023, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest forest area recorded in Nicaragua?
- The highest recorded value was 70,989 sq. km in 1990.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in Nicaragua?
- The lowest recorded value was 31,075 sq. km in 2023.
- How does Nicaragua rank for forest area?
- Nicaragua ranks 91st out of 214 countries with data for 2023.
- Is forest area rising or falling in Nicaragua?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Nicaragua 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.