Some 129 million hectares of forest - an area almost equivalent in size to South Africa - have been lost since 1990, as populations increase and forest land is converted to agriculture and other uses. However, building on comprehensive data covering 234 countries and territories, this report shows that over the past 25 years the rate of net global deforestation has slowed by more than 50 percent. The publication also notes that an increasing amount of forest areas have come under protection while more countries are improving forest management, although positive trends need to be strengthened further. The Global Forest Resources Assessment was first published in 1948, and provides five-yearly updates on the status of the world's forests.