Desertification ratio is 37% in Asia which is higher than Africa at 32%. The desertification ratio on major continents, (source from Korean Forest Service)

• Each year 3,500㎢(1/3 of the size of Gyeongnam Province, 6 times the size of Seoul) is turning into a desert. 27% of China, and 90% of Mongolia has turned to desert.

The size of the desert in China is 2,636,200㎢(’based on 2004) which is 27.46% (Jun 2005, China State Forestry Bureau) of the entire member Parties,

• The causes for desertification in China are

1. Reckless cultivation and environmentally unfriendly ways of using land
   ※ Farmland increased by 70% by cultivating grassland, 22% by cultivating forests in the Western region between 1995~2000
2. Poor technique for controlling and managing grassland, promoting excessive grazing
3. Destruction of vegetation by reckless lumbering: Major source of energy - lumber
4. Abusing water resources: Wastes enormous amount of water resources by using natural irrigation
5. Destruction of vegetation in deserts by excessive hunting and reckless picking of medicinal herbs

Mongolia is located in the center of Asia and lies in a dry climate zone and the size of the desert is 626,800㎢ which is 40% of the entire land and 90% of the entire land is under the influence of desertification. The mid-south region of Mongolia including Gobi Desert is a region the most seriously threatened by desertification.

• Desertification is expanding in Mongolia because of rising temperatures and low rainfall. Desertification is further spreading by excessive grazing and poor agricultural technologies, forest diversion, absence of fire and pest prevention activities.