Iceland vs New Zealand: Area burned by wildfires by land cover type
Iceland
42.93 hectares
in 2024
New Zealand
64.4 hectares
in 2024
Iceland rank
140th
New Zealand rank
137th
Area burned by wildfires by land cover type over time
- Iceland
- New Zealand
How they compare
New Zealand currently reports 64.4 hectares against 42.93 hectares in Iceland, a difference of 21.47 hectares.
That makes New Zealand's figure about 1.5 times Iceland's.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 23 shared years of data; in 2002 it was New Zealand ahead.
Iceland ranks 140th and New Zealand ranks 137th of 225 countries.
New Zealand has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iceland | New Zealand | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 211.97 hectares | 523.23 hectares | 311.26 hectares | New Zealand |
| 2010s | 0 hectares | 931.62 hectares | 931.62 hectares | New Zealand |
| 2020s | 17.17 hectares | 1,181 hectares | 1,163 hectares | New Zealand |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher area burned by wildfires by land cover type, Iceland or New Zealand?
- New Zealand, at 64.4 hectares against 42.93 hectares in Iceland as of 2024.
- What is the difference in area burned by wildfires by land cover type between Iceland and New Zealand?
- 21.47 hectares, with New Zealand ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and New Zealand?
- 23 years are reported by both, from 2002 to 2024.
- How do Iceland and New Zealand rank globally for area burned by wildfires by land cover type?
- Iceland ranks 140th and New Zealand ranks 137th of 225 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Global Wildfire Information System (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as Area burned by wildfires by land cover type. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Area of shrubland and grassland burnt by wildfires each year, in hectares. Includes open and closed shrublands and grasslands without a significant tree cover.