Forest area ranking 1997 — the top 20 economies
The twenty largest economies by Forest Area (% of Land Area) in 1997, ranked by the exact World Bank figures. The leader: Guyana (94.36%). A total of 205 economies reported a value that year.
The leader, Guyana, stood at 94.36%. The twentieth economy, Brazil, reported 69.16% — a 1.4× spread inside the top 20 alone. Of 205 economies reporting that year, these twenty are the ones usually quoted.
| # | Country | % of land area (1997) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guyana | 94.36% |
| 2 | Equatorial Guinea | 94.14% |
| 3 | Suriname | 92.78% |
| 4 | Gabon | 92.07% |
| 5 | Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | 91.11% |
| 6 | Solomon Islands | 90.55% |
| 7 | American Samoa | 89.15% |
| 8 | Palau | 85.11% |
| 9 | Liberia | 83.15% |
| 10 | Vanuatu | 79.92% |
| 11 | Guinea-Bissau | 79.03% |
| 12 | Dominica | 78.17% |
| 13 | Brunei Darussalam | 76.24% |
| 14 | Papua New Guinea | 76.1% |
| 15 | Central African Republic | 74.14% |
| 16 | Timor-Leste | 73.35% |
| 17 | St. Vincent and the Grenadines | 73.15% |
| 18 | Finland | 73.13% |
| 19 | Seychelles | 70.89% |
| 20 | Brazil | 69.16% |
Where are they now?
The top five of 1997 and their rank in the latest published year:
| Country | Rank in 1997 | Rank today |
|---|---|---|
| Guyana | #6 | #6 |
| Equatorial Guinea | #7 | #7 |
| Suriname | #2 | #2 |
| Gabon | #3 | #3 |
| Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | #1 | #1 |
Other years
Frequently asked questions
Which country had the largest Forest area in 1997?
Guyana, with 94.36% (% of land area).
How many countries are included?
205 economies reported a value for AG.LND.FRST.ZS in 1997. Coverage widens over time — earlier years include fewer reporting economies.