Benin — Forest area
Forest Area (% of Land Area) for Benin, 1990–2024.
Forest area for Benin was 28.12% in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1990 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 61.90% in 1990. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -2.29% per year.
Benin ranks 114 of 214 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 53%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 22.46%, so Benin sits above it. It peaked in 1990 and has fallen 55% since. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved down 13%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 19 of 48 economies; Botswana (27.76%) is just below it. That is 6% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 38th of 178 in 1990 → 58th of 207 in 2000 → 86th of 209 in 2010 → 114th of 214 in 2020 → 114th of 209 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2024
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 28.12% | -0.3 pp |
| 2023 | 28.45% | -0.3 pp |
| 2022 | 28.78% | -0.3 pp |
| 2021 | 29.11% | -0.3 pp |
| 2020 | 29.44% | -0.3 pp |
| 2019 | 29.78% | -0.3 pp |
| 2018 | 30.11% | -0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 30.44% | -0.3 pp |
| 2016 | 30.77% | -0.3 pp |
| 2015 | 31.1% | -1.3 pp |
| 2014 | 32.45% | -1.3 pp |
| 2013 | 33.79% | -1.3 pp |
| 2012 | 35.13% | -1.3 pp |
| 2011 | 36.47% | -1.3 pp |
| 2010 | 37.82% | -1.3 pp |
| 2009 | 39.07% | -1.3 pp |
| 2008 | 40.32% | -1.3 pp |
| 2007 | 41.57% | -1.3 pp |
| 2006 | 42.82% | -1.3 pp |
| 2005 | 44.07% | -1.3 pp |
| 2004 | 45.32% | -1.3 pp |
| 2003 | 46.57% | -1.3 pp |
| 2002 | 47.82% | -1.3 pp |
| 2001 | 49.07% | -1.3 pp |
| 2000 | 50.32% | -1.2 pp |
| 1999 | 51.48% | -1.2 pp |
| 1998 | 52.64% | -1.2 pp |
| 1997 | 53.8% | -1.2 pp |
| 1996 | 54.95% | -1.2 pp |
| 1995 | 56.11% | -1.2 pp |
| 1994 | 57.27% | -1.2 pp |
| 1993 | 58.43% | -1.2 pp |
| 1992 | 59.59% | -1.2 pp |
| 1991 | 60.74% | -1.2 pp |
| 1990 | 61.9% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Benin’s Forest area in 1991?
60.74% (1991). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in % of land area, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Benin’s Forest area growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2024 the series was shrinking overall: -54.6% in total — about 2.3% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator AG.LND.FRST.ZS. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2024: 28.12%; 2023: 28.45%; 2022: 28.78%; 2021: 29.11%; 2020: 29.44%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
AG.LND.FRST.ZS — Forest Area (% of Land Area). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.