Forest area in Uganda
Uganda: Forest area was 22,141 sq. km in 2023. ▼ Falling
Forest area in Uganda, 1990–2023
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
In 2023, forest area in Uganda stood at 22,141 sq. km. That is the lowest value across all 34 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.8% on the previous year and down 15.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in Uganda peaked at 35,755 sq. km in 1990 and was at its lowest, 22,141 sq. km, in 2023.
Uganda ranks 101st of 214 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 34 years of available data.
Forest area in Uganda, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 35,755 sq. km | — |
| 1991 | 35,342 sq. km | -1.2% |
| 1992 | 34,930 sq. km | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 34,517 sq. km | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 34,105 sq. km | -1.2% |
| 1995 | 33,692 sq. km | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 33,280 sq. km | -1.2% |
| 1997 | 32,867 sq. km | -1.2% |
| 1998 | 32,454 sq. km | -1.3% |
| 1999 | 32,042 sq. km | -1.3% |
| 2000 | 31,630 sq. km | -1.3% |
| 2001 | 31,217 sq. km | -1.3% |
| 2002 | 30,804 sq. km | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 30,392 sq. km | -1.3% |
| 2004 | 29,979 sq. km | -1.4% |
| 2005 | 29,567 sq. km | -1.4% |
| 2006 | 29,154 sq. km | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 28,742 sq. km | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 28,329 sq. km | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 27,917 sq. km | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 27,504 sq. km | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 27,092 sq. km | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 26,679 sq. km | -1.5% |
| 2013 | 26,267 sq. km | -1.5% |
| 2014 | 25,854 sq. km | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 25,442 sq. km | -1.6% |
| 2016 | 25,029 sq. km | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 24,617 sq. km | -1.6% |
| 2018 | 24,204 sq. km | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 23,792 sq. km | -1.7% |
| 2020 | 23,379 sq. km | -1.7% |
| 2021 | 22,966 sq. km | -1.8% |
| 2022 | 22,554 sq. km | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 22,141 sq. km | -1.8% |
Uganda compared with similar countries
- Uganda's 22,141 sq. km is below the median for low income countries, which is 39,804 sq. km, 56% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Uganda's 22,141 sq. km is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 59,081 sq. km, 37% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 33,898 sq. km | 32,042 sq. km | 35,755 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 29,773 sq. km | 27,917 sq. km | 31,630 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 25,648 sq. km | 23,792 sq. km | 27,504 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 22,760 sq. km | 22,141 sq. km | 23,379 sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near Uganda
- 98 Sierra Leone 24,757 sq. km compare
- 99 Estonia 24,384 sq. km compare
- 100 Equatorial Guinea 24,233 sq. km compare
- 102 Lithuania 22,054 sq. km compare
- 103 Bosnia and Herzegovina 21,879 sq. km compare
- 104 Dominican Republic 21,684 sq. km compare
More agriculture & rural data for Uganda
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 22.05 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2613 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 315.24 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1.75 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6806 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 26.1% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 26.1% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 1.4% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.2% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in Uganda?
- Forest area in Uganda was 22,141 sq. km in 2023, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest forest area recorded in Uganda?
- The highest recorded value was 35,755 sq. km in 1990.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in Uganda?
- The lowest recorded value was 22,141 sq. km in 2023.
- How does Uganda rank for forest area?
- Uganda ranks 101st out of 214 countries with data for 2023.
- Is forest area rising or falling in Uganda?
- Over the last ten years it is down 15.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Uganda 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.