Mexico vs South Africa: Forest area

Forest area in 2024: 34.2% in Mexico and 18.8% in South Africa, by FAO estimates. In 2024 the value was higher in Mexico, by 15.4 percentage points, or 1.82 times that in South Africa.

Watch it change on the map

% of land · FAO

MexicoSouth AfricaWorld

What the numbers say

Mexico has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1990.
In 2024, Mexico ranked 100 and South Africa ranked 133 of 209 countries, counting from the highest.

Every year

% of land · FAO

Year	Mexico	South Africa	World
2024	34.2	18.8	–
2023	34.2	18.7	31.1
2022	34.3	18.7	31.1
2021	34.4	18.6	31.2
2020	34.4	18.5	31.2
2019	34.5	18.4	31.2
2018	34.6	18.4	31.3
2017	34.6	18.3	31.3
2016	34.7	18.2	31.3
2015	34.8	18.1	31.4
2014	34.8	18.1	31.4
2013	34.9	18	31.4
2012	34.9	17.9	31.5
2011	35	17.9	31.9
2010	35.1	17.8	32
2009	35.1	17.7	32
2008	35.2	17.6	32
2007	35.3	17.6	32.1
2006	35.4	17.5	32.1
2005	35.4	17.4	32.1
2004	35.5	17.4	32.2
2003	35.6	17.3	32.3
2002	35.7	17.2	32.3
2001	35.7	17.1	32.3
2000	35.8	17.1	32.4
1999	35.9	17	32.5
1998	36	16.9	32.5
1997	36.1	16.8	32.6
1996	36.3	16.8	32.7
1995	36.4	16.7	32.7
1994	36.5	16.6	32.8
1993	36.6	16.6	32.8
1992	36.7	16.5	33
1991	36.8	16.4	–
1990	36.9	16.3	–

Each country on its own

Good to know

The share of land under trees at least 5 metres tall, natural or planted, leaving out orchards and city parks.
Source: FAO, via the World Bank.
Ranks count the 209 countries with a value in 2024, highest first.
The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

Mexico vs South Africa: Forest area

What the numbers say

Every year

Each country on its own

Good to know

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