Forest area in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
South Asia (IDA & IBRD): Forest area was 856,400 sq. km in 2023. ▲ Rising
Forest area in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), 1990–2023
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
In 2023, forest area in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) stood at 856,400 sq. km. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.3% on the previous year and up 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 856,400 sq. km in 2023 and was at its lowest, 763,882 sq. km, in 1990.
South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 34th of 45 groups on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Forest area in South Asia (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 763,882 sq. km | — |
| 1991 | 767,559 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1992 | 771,236 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 774,913 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1994 | 778,590 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 782,268 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1996 | 785,945 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 789,622 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 793,299 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 796,976 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 800,653 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 802,744 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 804,835 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 806,926 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 809,016 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 811,107 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 813,198 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 815,289 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 817,380 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 819,470 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 821,561 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 824,285 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 827,010 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 829,734 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 832,458 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 835,182 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 837,831 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 840,489 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 843,137 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 845,794 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 848,443 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 851,091 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 853,750 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 856,400 sq. km | +0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 780,429 sq. km | 763,882 sq. km | 796,976 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 810,062 sq. km | 800,653 sq. km | 819,470 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 833,748 sq. km | 821,561 sq. km | 845,794 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 852,421 sq. km | 848,443 sq. km | 856,400 sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
More agriculture & rural data for South Asia (IDA & IBRD)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6421 units per person (2025)
- Rural population 1.09 billion (2025)
- Rural population growth 0.4% (2025)
- Rural population 64.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.6% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.0% (2024)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 421.99 current US$ per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -2.13 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.156 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 714.12 billion current US$ (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Forest area in South Asia (IDA & IBRD) was 856,400 sq. km in 2023, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest forest area recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 856,400 sq. km in 2023.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 763,882 sq. km in 1990.
- How does South Asia (IDA & IBRD) rank for forest area?
- South Asia (IDA & IBRD) ranks 34th out of 45 groups with data for 2023.
- Is forest area rising or falling in South Asia (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Asia (IDA & IBRD) 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.