Tree cover loss in Australia
Australia: Tree cover loss was 180,504 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Tree cover loss in Australia, 2001–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Australia recorded 180,504 for tree cover loss in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.3% on the previous year and down 35.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tree cover loss in Australia peaked at 2.36 million in 2020 and was at its lowest, 118,634, in 2022.
That places Australia 24th out of 197 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Tree cover loss in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 217,718 | — |
| 2002 | 311,125 | +42.9% |
| 2003 | 371,664 | +19.5% |
| 2004 | 123,487 | -66.8% |
| 2005 | 175,722 | +42.3% |
| 2006 | 185,044 | +5.3% |
| 2007 | 370,789 | +100.4% |
| 2008 | 204,491 | -44.8% |
| 2009 | 202,312 | -1.1% |
| 2010 | 289,057 | +42.9% |
| 2011 | 120,062 | -58.5% |
| 2012 | 137,862 | +14.8% |
| 2013 | 258,393 | +87.4% |
| 2014 | 279,935 | +8.3% |
| 2015 | 260,745 | -6.9% |
| 2016 | 430,366 | +65.1% |
| 2017 | 236,405 | -45.1% |
| 2018 | 250,385 | +5.9% |
| 2019 | 1.66 million | +563.2% |
| 2020 | 2.36 million | +41.9% |
| 2021 | 260,521 | -88.9% |
| 2022 | 118,634 | -54.5% |
| 2023 | 190,607 | +60.7% |
| 2024 | 180,504 | -5.3% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 180,504 is above the median for high income countries, which is 7,323, 24.7× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Australia's 180,504 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 39,449, 4.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Tree cover loss in Australia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +563.2% | 250,385 | 1.66 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 240,261 | 123,487 | 371,664 | 9 |
| 2010s | 392,373 | 120,062 | 1.66 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 621,201 | 118,634 | 2.36 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Australia
More reference data data for Australia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.21 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 28.02 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 38.41 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 4.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 6.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 118.71 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 170.29 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.9 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tree cover loss in Australia?
- Tree cover loss in Australia was 180,504 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest tree cover loss recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.36 million in 2020.
- What is the lowest tree cover loss recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 118,634 in 2022.
- How does Australia rank for tree cover loss?
- Australia ranks 24th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Is tree cover loss rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 35.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Tree cover loss. 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).