Sri Lanka — Forest area
Forest Area (% of Land Area) for Sri Lanka, 1990–2024.
Forest area for Sri Lanka was 34.36% in 2024, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 35 years, from 1990 to 2024. The highest recorded value was 37.79% in 1990. The lowest was 33.64% in 2014 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.28% per year.
Sri Lanka ranks 98 of 214 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 46%. The median for South Asia is 34.36%, so Sri Lanka sits level with it. It peaked in 1990 and has fallen 9% since. Over the last decade (2014–2024) the figure moved up 2%. Within South Asia it ranks 3 of 6 economies; India (24.44%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 73rd of 178 in 1990 → 92nd of 207 in 2000 → 98th of 209 in 2010 → 97th of 214 in 2020 → 98th of 209 in 2024.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2024
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 34.36% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 34.44% | -0.1 pp |
| 2022 | 34.52% | -0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 34.6% | -0.1 pp |
| 2020 | 34.68% | +0.2 pp |
| 2019 | 34.53% | +0.2 pp |
| 2018 | 34.37% | +0.2 pp |
| 2017 | 34.21% | +0.2 pp |
| 2016 | 34.05% | +0.2 pp |
| 2015 | 33.9% | +0.3 pp |
| 2014 | 33.64% | -0.2 pp |
| 2013 | 33.83% | -0.2 pp |
| 2012 | 34.01% | -0.2 pp |
| 2011 | 34.2% | -0.2 pp |
| 2010 | 34.38% | -0.1 pp |
| 2009 | 34.5% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 34.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 34.74% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 34.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 34.98% | -0.1 pp |
| 2004 | 35.1% | -0.1 pp |
| 2003 | 35.22% | -0.1 pp |
| 2002 | 35.34% | -0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 35.46% | -0.1 pp |
| 2000 | 35.58% | -0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 35.8% | -0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 36.02% | -0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 36.24% | -0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 36.46% | -0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 36.69% | -0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 36.91% | -0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 37.13% | -0.2 pp |
| 1992 | 37.35% | -0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 37.57% | -0.2 pp |
| 1990 | 37.79% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sri Lanka’s Forest area in 1991?
37.57% (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 Sri Lanka’s Forest area growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2024 the series was shrinking overall: -9.1% in total — about 0.3% 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: 34.36%; 2023: 34.44%; 2022: 34.52%; 2021: 34.6%; 2020: 34.68%. 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.