Forests cover more than 4
billion hectares, ie nearly a third of the landmass of the
planet. 300 million people live in forests but more
than a quarter of the world population, 1.6 billion
people, depend on forest resources for their livelihoods.
What's a forest?
Forest is defined in the Food and Agriculture
Organization’s (FAO) Global Forest Resources
Assessment as land spanning more than 0.5 hectares
with trees higher than 5 metres and a canopy cover
of more than 10 percent, or trees able to reach these
thresholds in situ.
Primary forests
are forest of native species, where there are no clearly
visible indications of human activities and the ecological
processes are not significantly disturbed.
|
Human interest
More than half the world's
forests are destined primarily for production of wood
and non wood forest products. In addition to logging
for industrial purposes (construction, pulp and paper ...),
forests are essential to the survival of many poor people
by supplying them with firewood, but also
food (fruits, honey, berries, mushrooms, game ...), feedstocks,
medicinal plants, resins ...
Ecological interest
Forests have not only an economic
and social function, their ecological role is fundamental.
Forests provide a habitat for different plants, animals
and microorganisms. In that capacity they are the most important
source of biodiversity in the world as they harbour
80% of terrestrial species.
Environmental interest
Forests play a crucial regulating
role in the Earth’s climate. Forest ecosystems (including
biomass, dead wood and soil) "capture"
over 650 billion tons of carbon, more than the total
of all carbon in the atmosphere.
Likewise, forests prevent
erosion and reduce the effects of extreme events
(avalanches, floods ...). Indeed, the different layers that
make up the forest preserve and stabilize soils and reduce
runoff. Fluctuations in river water levels are reduced and
water, filtered by forest soil, can be used as surface water
of good quality.
Forests repartition
|
|
Forests area in 2010 (1000 ha ) |
% of the world's forests |
% of total land area |
% of forest area reported to be
primary forest |
Countries with the largest forest
area |
Annual forest change
2000-2010
(1000 ha)
|
Annual forest change 1990–2000
(1000 ha) |
|
Africa |
674 419 |
16 |
23 |
10 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Sudan |
- 3 414 |
- 4 067 |
|
Asia |
592 512 |
14 |
19 |
19 |
China, Indonesia |
+ 2 235 |
- 595 |
|
Oceania |
191 384 |
5 |
23 |
Australia |
- 700 |
- 41 |
|
Europe (excluding Russian Fed.) |
195 911 |
5 |
34 |
3 |
|
+ 694 |
+ 845 |
|
Russian Federation |
809 090 |
19 |
49 |
23 |
Russian Federation |
- 18 |
+ 32 |
|
Latin America and the Caribbean |
890 782 |
21 |
49 |
75 |
Brazil, Peru, Colombia |
- 4 195 |
- 4 534 |
|
Near East |
122 327 |
3 |
6 |
14 |
|
+ 90 |
- 518 |
|
North America |
678 958 |
16 |
34 |
41 |
Canada, USA |
+ 188 |
+ 32 |
|
World |
4 155 383 |
|
|
|
|
- 5 120 |
- 8 846 |
The five
most forest-rich countries account for more than half of
the total forest area
