Korea, Democratic People’s Republic of Forest Area

North Korea’s forest area has contracted steadily over the 35‑year span from 57.40 percent of land in 1990, the all‑time peak, to 49.20 percent in 2025, the lowest level recorded and the figure that places the country at 52nd position globally. The decline reflects persistent pressures from timber harvesting, fuelwood collection and limited reforestation capacity within a centrally planned economy that prioritises industrial and agricultural expansion. Compared with peer nations of similar rank, the Russian Federation reports a slightly higher forest cover of 49.78 percent, while Ecuador records 49.03 percent, underscoring that North Korea’s loss is marginally larger than that of some peers despite comparable starting points. The downward trajectory aligns with broader regional trends of forest depletion in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, yet the pace may moderate if the regime intensifies afforestation programs and adopts stricter land‑use controls, offering a modest prospect for stabilising the forest share in the coming decade.