Forest Area - Ranking 2023
In 2023, Suriname (94.45%), Micronesia, Federated States of (92.16%), and Gabon (91.18%) ranked highest in forest area among all countries. Qatar ranked lowest at 0.00%.
Data & analysis
- Suriname — 94.30
- Micronesia, Federated States of — 92.24
- Gabon — 91.09
- Palau — 90.89
- Solomon Islands — 90.01
The 2025 World Bank data on forest area as a percentage of land reveals a stark global divide, with the top positions dominated by small, often island nations. Suriname leads at 94.295%, while the Federated States of Micronesia follows closely at 92.2429%, both benefiting from low population density and limited industrial deforestation. Gabon, at 91.0902%, represents a continental outlier, its vast rainforest preserved by a small population and conservation policies. At the bottom, Qatar, Nauru, and Monaco each record 0.0%, a structural outcome of extreme aridity or, in Monaco’s case, near-total urbanization with negligible natural land. The year 2025 thus captures a ranking where geography and development history largely determine forest cover. Future shifts could arise if large-scale reforestation initiatives, such as Saudi Arabia’s Green Initiative, alter the bottom tier, or if accelerated deforestation in the Amazon reshuffles the top.
| Rank | Country | Value | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|