Tree cover loss by dominant driver in Australia

Australia: Tree cover loss by dominant driver was 1,238 hectares in 2024. ▼ Falling

Latest (2024)
1,238 hectares
Change on year
down 13.8%
World rank
19th
of 186 countries
All-time high
5,861 hectares
in 2003
All-time low
1,238 hectares
in 2024
Years of data
24
2001–2024

Tree cover loss by dominant driver in Australia, 2001–2024

1.0k2.0k3.0k4.0k5.0k6.0k2001201220242001: 2.4k hectares2002: 2.9k hectares2003: 5.9k hectares2004: 4.4k hectares2005: 4.4k hectares2006: 3.7k hectares2007: 4.6k hectares2008: 3.9k hectares2009: 3.4k hectares2010: 2.7k hectares2011: 2.4k hectares2012: 3.6k hectares2013: 2.9k hectares2014: 3.1k hectares2015: 2.8k hectares2016: 4.2k hectares2017: 3.4k hectares2018: 2.2k hectares2019: 2.5k hectares2020: 1.8k hectares2021: 2.2k hectares2022: 2.2k hectares2023: 1.4k hectares2024: 1.2k hectares

Source: Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.

Analysis

In 2024, tree cover loss by dominant driver in Australia stood at 1,238 hectares. That is the lowest value across all 24 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 13.8% on the previous year and down 60.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, tree cover loss by dominant driver in Australia peaked at 5,861 hectares in 2003 and was at its lowest, 1,238 hectares, in 2024.

Australia ranks 19th of 186 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 3,956 hectares 2,425 hectares 5,861 hectares 9
2010s 2,969 hectares 2,203 hectares 4,180 hectares 10
2020s 1,777 hectares 1,238 hectares 2,219 hectares 5

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 16 Thailand 1,361 hectares compare
  2. 17 Sweden 1,301 hectares compare
  3. 18 Cameroon 1,270 hectares compare
  4. 20 Finland 1,215 hectares compare
  5. 21 Norway 1,152 hectares compare
  6. 22 Turkey 1,111 hectares compare

See the full ranking of 186 places →

More reference data data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is tree cover loss by dominant driver in Australia?
Tree cover loss by dominant driver in Australia was 1,238 hectares in 2024, according to Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest tree cover loss by dominant driver recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 5,861 hectares in 2003.
What is the lowest tree cover loss by dominant driver recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 1,238 hectares in 2024.
How does Australia rank for tree cover loss by dominant driver?
Australia ranks 19th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
Is tree cover loss by dominant driver rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is down 60.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Australia data come from?
The figures come from Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Tree cover loss by dominant driver. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 24 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Tree cover loss by dominant driver
Unit
hectares
Source
Global Forest Watch (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
186 places, 4,195 data points, 2001–2024
Last refreshed

Tree cover loss due to the expansion and intensification of roads, settlements, urban areas, or other built infrastructure.