Malaysia — Forest area
Forest Area (% of Land Area) for Malaysia, 1990–2024.
Forest area for Malaysia was 57.66% in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1990 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 62.76% in 1990. Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.25% per year.
Malaysia ranks 37 of 214 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 17%. The median for East Asia & Pacific is 52.26%, so Malaysia sits above it. It peaked in 1990 and has fallen 8% since. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved down 2%. Within East Asia & Pacific it ranks 13 of 35 economies; Samoa (57.64%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 32nd of 178 in 1990 → 40th of 207 in 2000 → 40th of 209 in 2010 → 35th of 214 in 2020 → 37th of 209 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2024
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 57.66% | -0.2 pp |
| 2023 | 57.84% | -0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 58.03% | -0.2 pp |
| 2021 | 58.21% | -0.2 pp |
| 2020 | 58.39% | -0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 58.56% | -0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 58.73% | -0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 58.9% | -0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 59.07% | -0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 59.24% | +0.3 pp |
| 2014 | 58.93% | +0.3 pp |
| 2013 | 58.61% | +0.3 pp |
| 2012 | 58.3% | +0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 57.98% | +0.3 pp |
| 2010 | 57.67% | -0.2 pp |
| 2009 | 57.9% | -0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 58.12% | -0.2 pp |
| 2007 | 58.35% | -0.2 pp |
| 2006 | 58.58% | -0.2 pp |
| 2005 | 58.8% | -0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 59.03% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 59.26% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 59.48% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 59.71% | -0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 59.93% | -0.3 pp |
| 1999 | 60.22% | -0.3 pp |
| 1998 | 60.5% | -0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 60.78% | -0.3 pp |
| 1996 | 61.06% | -0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 61.35% | -0.3 pp |
| 1994 | 61.63% | -0.3 pp |
| 1993 | 61.91% | -0.3 pp |
| 1992 | 62.19% | -0.3 pp |
| 1991 | 62.47% | -0.3 pp |
| 1990 | 62.76% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Malaysia’s Forest area in 1991?
62.47% (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 Malaysia’s Forest area growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2024 the series was shrinking overall: -8.1% in total — about 0.2% 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: 57.66%; 2023: 57.84%; 2022: 58.03%; 2021: 58.21%; 2020: 58.39%. 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.