Forests and land use

depend on forestsfor their livelihoods

Forests cover 1/3 ofthe total land area

Forests contain most of theworld’s terrestrial biodiversity

Widespread forest restoration and tree-planting are

signi�cantly reducing thenet loss of forest area

Sound policies are needed to ensure

a future for forests

Forests must be managedsustainably to help reverse

the e�ects of land degradationand deforestation

of medicinal plantsfrom tropical forests

The rate of deforestation,though slowing,

is still alarmingly high

5.2 million hectares lost each year; equivalent to the size

of a soccer �eld every second

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nationswww.fao.org/forestry www.fao.org/es/ess

Source: FAOSTAT (faostat.fao.org)

Arable landand crops

Forestarea

Otherland

Meadowsand pastures

26% 31%31%12%The world’s land areas

Americas

Asia

Europe

Oceania

Africa

Africa

Africa

AmericasAmericas Americas

Asia

Asia

Asia

Europe

EuropeEurope

Oceania Oceania Oceania

Africa

Forests are invaluable to all life on earth

A sustainable future for forests