China vs United States: Tree cover loss by dominant driver
China
36,528 hectares
in 2024
United States
49,343 hectares
in 2024
China rank
2nd
United States rank
1st
Tree cover loss by dominant driver over time
- China
- United States
How they compare
United States currently reports 49,343 hectares against 36,528 hectares in China, a difference of 12,815 hectares.
That makes United States's figure about 1.4 times China's.
Across all 24 years both countries report, United States has been ahead every year.
China ranks 2nd and United States ranks 1st of 186 countries.
United States has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 15,490 hectares | 90,729 hectares | 75,239 hectares | United States |
| 2010s | 29,941 hectares | 54,440 hectares | 24,499 hectares | United States |
| 2020s | 31,672 hectares | 55,273 hectares | 23,601 hectares | United States |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher tree cover loss by dominant driver, China or United States?
- United States, at 49,343 hectares against 36,528 hectares in China as of 2024.
- What is the difference in tree cover loss by dominant driver between China and United States?
- 12,815 hectares, with United States ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and United States?
- 24 years are reported by both, from 2001 to 2024.
- How do China and United States rank globally for tree cover loss by dominant driver?
- China ranks 2nd and United States ranks 1st of 186 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as Tree cover loss by dominant driver. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Tree cover loss due to the expansion and intensification of roads, settlements, urban areas, or other built infrastructure.