Tree Cover Loss in Malaysia

Malaysia: Tree Cover Loss was 263,254 hectares in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
263,254 hectares
Change on year
down 6.8%
World rank
13th
of 189 countries
All-time high
646,027 hectares
in 2014
All-time low
184,058 hectares
in 2003
Years of data
25
2001–2025

Tree Cover Loss in Malaysia, 2001–2025

200.0k300.0k400.0k500.0k600.0k2001201320252001: 332.8k hectares2002: 312.8k hectares2003: 184.1k hectares2004: 352.0k hectares2005: 375.8k hectares2006: 334.5k hectares2007: 405.7k hectares2008: 368.3k hectares2009: 623.1k hectares2010: 431.0k hectares2011: 463.1k hectares2012: 628.4k hectares2013: 333.4k hectares2014: 646.0k hectares2015: 454.5k hectares2016: 565.6k hectares2017: 483.5k hectares2018: 438.0k hectares2019: 395.4k hectares2020: 268.8k hectares2021: 277.6k hectares2022: 248.1k hectares2023: 308.7k hectares2024: 282.5k hectares2025: 263.3k hectares

Source: Global Forest Watch. Tree Cover Loss (Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA). Measured in hectares.

Analysis

The most recent figure for tree cover loss in Malaysia is 263,254 hectares, measured in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.8% on the previous year and down 42.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, tree cover loss in Malaysia peaked at 646,027 hectares in 2014 and was at its lowest, 184,058 hectares, in 2003.

That places Malaysia 13th out of 189 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 365,449 hectares 184,058 hectares 623,093 hectares 9
2010s 483,883 hectares 333,362 hectares 646,027 hectares 10
2020s 274,824 hectares 248,127 hectares 308,656 hectares 6

Countries ranked near Malaysia

  1. 10 Angola 377,712 hectares compare
  2. 11 Sweden 291,434 hectares compare
  3. 12 Zambia 277,033 hectares compare
  4. 14 Madagascar 262,864 hectares compare
  5. 15 Peru 248,922 hectares compare
  6. 16 Mozambique 248,493 hectares compare

See the full ranking of 190 places →

More agriculture & rural data for Malaysia

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is tree cover loss in Malaysia?
Tree cover loss in Malaysia was 263,254 hectares in 2025, according to Global Forest Watch. Tree Cover Loss (Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA).
What is the highest tree cover loss recorded in Malaysia?
The highest recorded value was 646,027 hectares in 2014.
What is the lowest tree cover loss recorded in Malaysia?
The lowest recorded value was 184,058 hectares in 2003.
How does Malaysia rank for tree cover loss?
Malaysia ranks 13th out of 189 countries with data for 2025.
Is tree cover loss rising or falling in Malaysia?
Over the last ten years it is down 42.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Malaysia data come from?
The figures come from Global Forest Watch. Tree Cover Loss (Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA), published as part of Tree Cover Loss (hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

About this data

Indicator
Tree Cover Loss (hectares)
Unit
hectares
Source
Global Forest Watch. Tree Cover Loss (Hansen/UMD/Google/USGS/NASA)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
190 places, 4,725 data points, 2001–2025
Last refreshed

Shows year-by-year tree cover loss, defined as stand level replacement of vegetation greater than 5 meters, within the selected area. The tree cover loss data set is a collaboration of the University of Maryland, Google, USGS, and NASA, and uses Landsat satellite images to map annual tree cover loss at a 30 × 30 meter resolution. Note that “tree cover loss” is not the same as “deforestation” – tree cover loss includes change in both natural and planted forest, and does not need to be human caused. The data from 2011 onward were produced with an updated methodology that may capture additional loss. Comparisons between the original 2001-2010 data and future years should be performed with caution.