Forest area (sq. km) in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Forest area (sq. km) was 21,207 sq. km in 2025. ▼ Falling
Forest area in Sri Lanka, 1990–2025
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
In 2025, forest area in Sri Lanka stood at 21,207 sq. km.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and up 1.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in Sri Lanka peaked at 23,699 sq. km in 1990 and was at its lowest, 20,982 sq. km, in 2015.
That places Sri Lanka 106th out of 214 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Forest area (sq. km) in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 23,699 sq. km | — |
| 1991 | 23,561 sq. km | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 23,422 sq. km | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 23,283 sq. km | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 23,144 sq. km | -0.6% |
| 1995 | 23,005 sq. km | -0.6% |
| 1996 | 22,867 sq. km | -0.6% |
| 1997 | 22,728 sq. km | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 22,589 sq. km | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 22,450 sq. km | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 22,311 sq. km | -0.6% |
| 2001 | 22,236 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 22,161 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2003 | 22,086 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2004 | 22,011 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 21,936 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2006 | 21,860 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 21,785 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 21,710 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 21,635 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 21,560 sq. km | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 21,444 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 2012 | 21,329 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 2013 | 21,213 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 2014 | 21,098 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 2015 | 20,982 sq. km | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 21,077 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 21,171 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 21,266 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 21,360 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 21,454 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 21,405 sq. km | -0.2% |
| 2022 | 21,355 sq. km | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 21,306 sq. km | -0.2% |
| 2024 | 21,256 sq. km | -0.2% |
| 2025 | 21,207 sq. km | -0.2% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 21,207 sq. km is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 22,937 sq. km, 92% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 21,207 sq. km is below the median for South Asia, which is 23,977 sq. km, 88% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 23,075 sq. km | 22,450 sq. km | 23,699 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 21,973 sq. km | 21,635 sq. km | 22,311 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 21,250 sq. km | 20,982 sq. km | 21,560 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 21,330 sq. km | 21,207 sq. km | 21,454 sq. km | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 103 Dominican Republic 22,575 sq. km compare
- 104 Lithuania 22,163 sq. km compare
- 105 Bosnia and Herzegovina 21,621 sq. km compare
- 107 Guinea-Bissau 20,996 sq. km compare
- 108 Hungary 20,874 sq. km compare
- 109 Malawi 20,317 sq. km compare
More agriculture & rural data for Sri Lanka
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.0051 % 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 0.109 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0.0043 % 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 0.1293 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 9.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0836 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 418.3 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -0.9172 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in Sri Lanka?
- Forest area in Sri Lanka was 21,207 sq. km in 2025, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest forest area recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 23,699 sq. km in 1990.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 20,982 sq. km in 2015.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for forest area?
- Sri Lanka ranks 106th out of 214 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sri Lanka 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.