Global forest resources assessment

Abstract

The world has a total forest area 4.06 billion hectares (ha) which is 31% of the total land area. this area is equivalent to 0.52 ha per person. The world has lost a net area of 178 million ha of forest since 1990, which is an area bout the size of Libya. The rate of the net forest loss decreased substantially over the period 1990-2020 due to a reduction in deforestation in some countries, plus increases in forest area in others through afforestation and the natural expansion of forests.