Tree cover loss by dominant driver in South Korea
South Korea: Tree cover loss by dominant driver was 1,422 hectares in 2024. ▼ Falling
Tree cover loss by dominant driver in South Korea, 2001–2024
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 South Korea stood at 1,422 hectares.
That represents a change of down 10.4% on the previous year and down 21.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tree cover loss by dominant driver in South Korea peaked at 3,592 hectares in 2008 and was at its lowest, 800.52 hectares, in 2003.
That places South Korea 15th out of 186 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 24 years of available data.
Tree cover loss by dominant driver in South Korea, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 993.91 hectares | — |
| 2002 | 869.91 hectares | -12.5% |
| 2003 | 800.52 hectares | -8.0% |
| 2004 | 2,230 hectares | +178.6% |
| 2005 | 1,872 hectares | -16.1% |
| 2006 | 2,372 hectares | +26.7% |
| 2007 | 2,074 hectares | -12.6% |
| 2008 | 3,592 hectares | +73.2% |
| 2009 | 3,354 hectares | -6.6% |
| 2010 | 2,870 hectares | -14.4% |
| 2011 | 2,315 hectares | -19.3% |
| 2012 | 2,973 hectares | +28.4% |
| 2013 | 1,308 hectares | -56.0% |
| 2014 | 1,815 hectares | +38.8% |
| 2015 | 1,972 hectares | +8.7% |
| 2016 | 2,549 hectares | +29.2% |
| 2017 | 2,225 hectares | -12.7% |
| 2018 | 1,960 hectares | -11.9% |
| 2019 | 1,578 hectares | -19.5% |
| 2020 | 1,548 hectares | -1.9% |
| 2021 | 1,385 hectares | -10.5% |
| 2022 | 1,486 hectares | +7.3% |
| 2023 | 1,588 hectares | +6.8% |
| 2024 | 1,422 hectares | -10.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 1,422 hectares is above the median for high income countries, which is 97.53 hectares, 14.6× the median. (63 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 1,422 hectares is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 106.67 hectares, 13.3× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Tree cover loss by dominant driver in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | +178.6% | 800.52 hectares | 2,230 hectares |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 2,018 hectares | 800.52 hectares | 3,592 hectares | 9 |
| 2010s | 2,156 hectares | 1,308 hectares | 2,973 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 1,486 hectares | 1,385 hectares | 1,588 hectares | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More reference data data for South Korea
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.9638 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.9281 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 3.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2074 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 3.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.23 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 4.37 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 5.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 19.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.13 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tree cover loss by dominant driver in South Korea?
- Tree cover loss by dominant driver in South Korea was 1,422 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 South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3,592 hectares in 2008.
- What is the lowest tree cover loss by dominant driver recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 800.52 hectares in 2003.
- How does South Korea rank for tree cover loss by dominant driver?
- South Korea ranks 15th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is tree cover loss by dominant driver rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Korea 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
Tree cover loss due to the expansion and intensification of roads, settlements, urban areas, or other built infrastructure.