Net Forest conversion — Area in South America
South America: Net Forest conversion — Area was 4,477 1000 ha in 2025. ▼ Falling
Net Forest conversion — Area in South America, 1990–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in 1000 ha.
Analysis
In 2025, net forest conversion — area in South America stood at 4,477 1000 ha.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net forest conversion — area in South America peaked at 7,546 1000 ha in 1990 and was at its lowest, 3,836 1000 ha, in 2011.
That places South America 4th out of 31 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Net Forest conversion — Area in South America, year by year
| Year | 1000 ha | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 7,546 1000 ha | — |
| 1991 | 7,546 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 7,546 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 7,546 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 7,546 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 7,546 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 7,546 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 7,546 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 7,546 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 7,546 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 7,546 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 5,489 1000 ha | -27.3% |
| 2002 | 5,489 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 5,489 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 5,489 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 5,489 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 5,489 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 5,489 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 5,489 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 5,489 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 5,489 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 3,836 1000 ha | -30.1% |
| 2012 | 3,836 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 3,836 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 3,836 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 3,836 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 3,909 1000 ha | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 3,909 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3,909 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 3,909 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 3,909 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 4,477 1000 ha | +14.6% |
| 2022 | 4,477 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4,477 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 4,477 1000 ha | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 4,477 1000 ha | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 7,546 1000 ha | 7,546 1000 ha | 7,546 1000 ha | 10 |
| 2000s | 5,695 1000 ha | 5,489 1000 ha | 7,546 1000 ha | 10 |
| 2010s | 4,030 1000 ha | 3,836 1000 ha | 5,489 1000 ha | 10 |
| 2020s | 4,382 1000 ha | 3,909 1000 ha | 4,477 1000 ha | 6 |
Countries ranked near South America
- 1 Brazil 3,256 1000 ha compare
- 2 OECD 757.39 1000 ha compare
- 3 Angola 510.03 1000 ha compare
- 4 Canada 462.87 1000 ha compare
- 4 United Republic of Tanzania 469 1000 ha compare
- 5 Democratic Republic of the Congo 285.2 1000 ha compare
- 5 Myanmar 320.77 1000 ha compare
- 6 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 244.05 1000 ha compare
- 6 Cambodia 315.9 1000 ha compare
- 7 Lao People's Democratic Republic 62.67 1000 ha compare
- 7 Peru 305.58 1000 ha compare
More climate change data for South America
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 12.72 billion kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 1.01 million kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 224,200 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 781,384 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 846.04 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 27,907 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 123,748 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 96,422 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 27,326 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 363.86 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net forest conversion — area in South America?
- Net forest conversion — area in South America was 4,477 1000 ha in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest net forest conversion — area recorded in South America?
- The highest recorded value was 7,546 1000 ha in 1990.
- What is the lowest net forest conversion — area recorded in South America?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,836 1000 ha in 2011.
- How does South America rank for net forest conversion — area?
- South America ranks 4th out of 31 groups with data for 2025.
- Is net forest conversion — area rising or falling in South America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South America data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Net Forest conversion — Area. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (FAO).
About this data
The FAOSTAT domain on Emissions from Forests consists of CO2 emissions and removals corresponding to forest carbon stock changes (aboveground and belowground living biomass). Estimates are computed following the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (IPCC, 2006).