Primary Forest Loss in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka: Primary Forest Loss was 246 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
246
Change on year
down 21.9%
World rank
58th
of 80 countries
All-time high
1,585
in 2012
All-time low
226
in 2013
Years of data
24
2002–2025
Primary Forest Loss in Sri Lanka, 2002–2025
Source: World Bank.
Analysis
Sri Lanka recorded 246 for primary forest loss in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 21.9% on the previous year and down 31.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, primary forest loss in Sri Lanka peaked at 1,585 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 226, in 2013.
That places Sri Lanka 58th out of 80 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Primary Forest Loss in Sri Lanka, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 524 | — |
| 2003 | 991 | +89.1% |
| 2004 | 467 | -52.9% |
| 2005 | 547 | +17.1% |
| 2006 | 413 | -24.5% |
| 2007 | 675 | +63.4% |
| 2008 | 498 | -26.2% |
| 2009 | 509 | +2.2% |
| 2010 | 355 | -30.3% |
| 2011 | 491 | +38.3% |
| 2012 | 1,585 | +222.8% |
| 2013 | 226 | -85.7% |
| 2014 | 365 | +61.5% |
| 2015 | 361 | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 425 | +17.7% |
| 2017 | 627 | +47.5% |
| 2018 | 437 | -30.3% |
| 2019 | 412 | -5.7% |
| 2020 | 283 | -31.3% |
| 2021 | 281 | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 239 | -14.9% |
| 2023 | 229 | -4.2% |
| 2024 | 315 | +37.6% |
| 2025 | 246 | -21.9% |
Sri Lanka compared with similar countries
- Sri Lanka's 246 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 11,223, 2% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
- Sri Lanka's 246 is below the median for South Asia, which is 402, 61% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 578 | 413 | 991 | 8 |
| 2010s | 528.4 | 226 | 1,585 | 10 |
| 2020s | 265.5 | 229 | 315 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sri Lanka
- 55 Bangladesh 508 compare
- 56 Brunei 394 compare
- 57 Nepal 296 compare
- 59 Guinea-Bissau 221 compare
- 60 South Africa 206 compare
- 61 Malawi 185 compare
More agriculture & rural data for Sri Lanka
- 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)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.7955 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 8.4% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 8.4% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 2.7% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.9% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is primary forest loss in Sri Lanka?
- Primary forest loss in Sri Lanka was 246 in 2025, according to the World Bank.
- What is the highest primary forest loss recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The highest recorded value was 1,585 in 2012.
- What is the lowest primary forest loss recorded in Sri Lanka?
- The lowest recorded value was 226 in 2013.
- How does Sri Lanka rank for primary forest loss?
- Sri Lanka ranks 58th out of 80 countries with data for 2025.
- Is primary forest loss rising or falling in Sri Lanka?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sri Lanka data come from?
- The figures come from the World Bank, published as part of Primary Forest Loss. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).