25 Latest Deforestation Statistics & Facts (2024)

Lush, green forests are a beautiful sight and an essential part of our ecosystem. These deforestation statistics & facts tell an informative yet sad story about the state of the world’s forests.

Deforestation Statistics & Facts

1. Forests cover 31% of the global land area. (FAO)
2. 2,400 trees are cut down every minute. (The Forest Stewardship Council)
3. Between 2015 and 2020, deforestation was approximately 10 million hectares annually, down from 16 million in the 1990s. (FAO)
4. An estimated 420 million hectares of forest have been lost through conversion to other land uses since 1990. (FAO)
5. In 2016, a record-breaking 29.7 million hectares of forest disappeared. (The World Counts)
6. Large-scale commercial agriculture accounted for 40% of tropical deforestation between 2000 and 2010. (FAO)
7. According to some estimates, by 2030, only 10% of the world’s rainforests could be left. (WWF)
8. Deforestation increased by 12% globally in 2020. (The World Resources Institute)
9. 18% of the world’s forest area falls within legally established protected areas, including national parks. (FAO)
10. Around 5 billion trees are planted around the world annually. (Tree Nation)

Deforestation’s Impact

11. Tropical deforestation contributes 20% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. (Environmental Defence Fund)
12. A single tree can absorb up to 48 pounds of carbon dioxide annually, making it the most effective carbon filtration system on earth. (One Tree Planted)
13. In 2017, deforestation added approximately 7.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, almost 50% more than all energy-related CO2 emissions from the US. (The World Counts)
14. Deforestation causes approximately $2 trillion to $4.5 trillion in lost biodiversity annually. (The Balance)
15. 31% of modern diseases are due to deforestation. (EcoHealth Alliance)
16. 90% of people living in extreme poverty depend on forests for at least part of their livelihoods. (FAO)
17. Over 1,400 tree species are considered critically endangered and urgently need conservation. (FAO)

Deforestation around the World

18. Over half of the world’s forests are found in only five countries: Russia, Brazil, Canada, the United States and China. (FAO)
19. 54% of global primary forest loss takes place in Latin America. (Science)
20. About 17% of the Amazonian rainforest has been destroyed over the past 50 years. (National Geographic)
21. The main drivers of tree cover loss between 2001 and 2015 were wildfires in North America (56%) and Russia/China/South Asia (58%), deforestation in Latin America (56%) and Southeast Asia (78%), forestry for Europe (99%) and shifting agriculture for Africa (92%). (Mongabay)
22. If tropical deforestation were a country, it would rank third in carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions, behind China and the US. (National Geographic)
23. Brazil reduced Amazon deforestation rates by two-thirds between 2004 and 2012. (Nature)
24. Indonesia reduced its deforestation rates by 40%. (Mongabay)
25. South America has the largest share of forests in protected areas (31%) and the lowest in Europe (5%). (FAO)