Every five years or so, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) takes stock of the world’s forests. The latest Global Forest Resources Assessment, released on October 21, 2025 at a meeting in Bali, Indonesia, covers 236 countries and areas, with data contributed by national correspondents from 197 of them. Its central message is mixed: deforestation has slowed in every region, but forests remain under pressure.
How much forest does the world have?
The FAO reports a total forest area of 4.14 billion hectares, about 32 percent of the world’s land. That works out to roughly 0.5 hectares of forest per person. Nearly half of the world’s forests are in the tropics. About 20 percent of forests, or 813 million hectares, lie inside protected areas.
What is the difference between deforestation and net forest loss?
The two terms are easy to confuse, and the assessment reports both.
- Deforestation is the conversion of forest to other land uses, such as farmland. The FAO estimates 10.9 million hectares a year were deforested from 2015 to 2025, down from 17.6 million hectares a year from 1990 to 2000.
- Net forest loss subtracts forest that grows back or is planted. The net loss was 4.12 million hectares a year from 2015 to 2025, down from 10.7 million hectares a year in the 1990s.
By our own arithmetic, the annual deforestation figure fell by about 38 percent between the two periods (from 17.6 to 10.9 million hectares). The net loss figure fell by more, because regrowth and planting offset part of what was cleared.
Key figures at a glance
- Forest area: 4.14 billion hectares, about 32 percent of land
- Deforestation, 2015 to 2025: 10.9 million hectares a year
- Net forest loss, 2015 to 2025: 4.12 million hectares a year
- Primary forest: at least 1.18 billion hectares
- Planted forest: about 312 million hectares
- Protected forest: about 813 million hectares
- Forest carbon stock: 714 gigatonnes, increasing
How have the trends changed since the 1990s?
Comparing the FAO’s two periods, net loss fell from 10.7 million hectares a year in the 1990s to 4.12 million hectares a year over 2015 to 2025. By our own arithmetic, that is a drop of about 61 percent. The gap between gross deforestation (10.9 million hectares) and net loss (4.12 million hectares) is about 6.8 million hectares a year, which is the amount offset by regrowth and planting. Our own reading is that the improvement comes from two sources, less clearing and more regrowth, and the assessment does not rank them.
Where did deforestation slow?
The FAO says deforestation slowed in all regions over the past decade. That does not mean every country improved, and the assessment is a global summary. It does mean the overall direction since the 1990s is toward less clearing, not more.
What are primary and planted forests?
Primary forest is naturally regenerated forest of native species where there are no clearly visible signs of human activity. The assessment finds at least 1.18 billion hectares of it, about one-third of all forest area. Planted forest covers about 312 million hectares, roughly 8 percent of the total. The distinction matters for wildlife and for resilience. A planted forest and an old natural forest can cover the same area but support very different biodiversity.
Why does natural regeneration matter?
The assessment reports that naturally regenerating forest declined most in Africa and South America, while Europe recorded an increase. Naturally regenerating forest is forest that grows back without planting. A decline in this category, even while the overall net loss falls, is one of the reasons the FAO describes forests as still under pressure.
How much carbon do forests hold?
The FAO reports forest carbon stocks of 714 gigatonnes, and says they are increasing. Forests that absorb more carbon than they release act as a carbon sink, which is why forest trends matter for climate change. The assessment also reports a growing stock of 630 billion cubic meters, a measure of the volume of living trees.
How to read these numbers
Three points help in reading the assessment. First, it relies on national reports, so the quality of the global picture depends on the data countries submit. Second, a forest in a statistical sense is defined by land use and tree cover, so a young plantation and an old forest can both be counted. Third, trends are averages over a decade, so they say little about any single year. Those cautions are our own framing and do not come from the FAO release. For the wider environmental picture, see our explainers on ecosystems and habitats.
Why was the report released in Indonesia?
The release took place at the plenary meeting of the Global Forest Observations Initiative in Bali. Indonesia has large tropical forests and is among the countries covered, but the FAO release does not tie its findings to the location of the event. Treat the venue as context and not as a finding.
What did the FAO say about its own assessments?
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu described the Forest Resources Assessments as the most comprehensive and transparent global evaluations of forest resources. The series has been used to track forest area, change, ownership and management for decades, and the 2025 edition continues that record.
Frequently asked questions
How much of the world is forest?
About 4.14 billion hectares, or 32 percent of global land, according to the FAO’s 2025 assessment.
Is deforestation still happening?
Yes. About 10.9 million hectares a year were deforested from 2015 to 2025, though that is lower than the 17.6 million hectares a year from 1990 to 2000.
What is net forest loss?
Deforestation minus forest that is regrown or planted. It was 4.12 million hectares a year from 2015 to 2025.
How much primary forest is left?
At least 1.18 billion hectares, about one-third of forest area.
How much forest is protected?
About 20 percent, or 813 million hectares.