Global deforestation slows but losses persist in South America and Africa - OWID

Since 1990, global forest trends have diverged, with continued losses in South America and Africa offset by expanding forest cover in Europe, North America and parts of Asia. / bne IntelliNews

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By bne IntelliNews February 27, 2026

In the past, forests around the world were cut down on a massive scale. We lost some of the world’s richest ecosystems, Our World in Data  (OWID) reports.

In recent decades, the picture has become more complex. Deforestation has not ended, but it is no longer happening everywhere. Since 1990, some regions have continued to lose large areas of forest, while others have slowed this long-run trend — and even reversed it.

The map shows regional changes in forest area based on the latest data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

Deforestation has been particularly large in South America and Africa. At the same time, the forested area has expanded in Europe, North and Central America, and large parts of Asia.

These gains show that deforestation is not inevitable. When pressure on land falls, forests can return.

I previously wrote about why deforestation is happening, and what we can do to bring the long history of deforestation to an end.