Jordan Forest Area

Jordan’s forest cover has remained static at 1.10 percent of its land area for the entire 35‑year series from 1990 to 2025, a level that also represents both the all‑time peak recorded in 2008 and the all‑time trough observed in 2025, placing the kingdom at rank 193 globally. The absence of any measurable change over three decades indicates that afforestation or natural regeneration programmes have not altered the country’s arboreal footprint, despite regional variability among peers such as Lesotho (1.14 percent) and Yemen, Republic of (1.04 percent). Jordan’s arid climate, limited rainfall and competing demands for water and land for agriculture constrain expansion of forested land, while policy focus has largely centered on desert reclamation and sustainable water use rather than tree planting. Unless substantial investment in reforestation, incentives for private landowners, and integration of forest objectives into broader land‑use planning are introduced, the forest‑area share is likely to persist at its current low level.