中国历代森林覆盖率的探讨

中国历史上曾经是一个多林的国家 ,经考证分析在 40 0 0年前的远古时代 ,森林覆盖率高达 6 0 %以上 .但是随着历史的发展 ,森林资源日趋减少 .到 2 2 0 0年前的战国末期降为 46 % ,110 0年前的唐代约为 33% ,6 0 0年前的明代之初为 2 6 % ,1840年前后约降为 17% ,新中国成立前夕降为 12 .5 % .中国近代是森林资源受破坏最严重的时期 .森林资源的消长与人口数量、社会生产力水平有关 ,森林的消失必然导致一系列生态和社会问题 .中国在 2 1世纪 ,必须严格控制人口 ,努力发展科学技术 ,扩大森林资源 ,以保证全社会的可持续发展 .

Percentage of forest cover in different historic periods of China.

As a country rich in forest resources in early history, according to the textual researches, China had a high percentage of forest cover over 60% before the Xia Dynasty established 4 000 years ago. But, since then, the area of forest decreased continuously. To the end of the Warring States, 221 B C, the percentage of forest cover dropped to 46%. In the Tang Dynasty(618～907) forest coverage was 33%,and at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, 600 years ago, it was 26%.In 1840,it reduced to 17%. Before the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, it was only 12.5%. 1840～1949 is the period in which the forest vanished with the fastest speed. The change of forest is connected with the amount of population and the level of economy development. The decrease of forest in large scale has caused and will continue to lead to a series of ecological and social problems. Therefore, in the 21st century, China should control the population strictly, develop the science and technology and enlarge the forest resources with great efforts in order to assure the sustainable development of the whole country.