Top 10: countries with increasing forest areas

Deforestation is a growing,human-made calamity. Over 47,000 km² (an area almost twice the size of Wales) of forest is lost worldwide annually. In fact, 17 per cent of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed in the past 50 years alone. But some countries have recently logged surprising increases in forest space.

Here are the top nations with the highest net gain of woodland per year:

10. Romania

410km²

(Almosteighttimesthe size ofNorwich)

9. Italy

540km²

(Overfourtimesthe size ofBelfast)

8. France

830km²

(15 times the size of Bolton)

7. USA

1,080km²

(23timesthe size ofExeter)

6. Turkey

1,140km²

(35timesthe size ofSlough)

5. Vietnam

1,260km²

(Ninetimesthe size ofCardiff)

4. Chile

1,490km²

(25timesthe size ofDundee)

3. India

2,660km²

(61timesthe size ofLuton)

2. Australia

4,460km²

(16timesthe size ofBirmingham)

1. China

19,370km²

(An area over12 timesthe size ofLondon)

SOURCE: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

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