New Delhi, Oct 22 (UNI) India has risen to the ninth spot in the world ranking for total forest area, moving up from the previous10th position, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization report, Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025. While, in terms of annual forest gain there has been no change with India maintaining its third position worldwide.
Russia tops the list with the world’s largest forest area — 832,630 thousand hectares, nearly double that of Brazil (486,087 thousand hectares), which ranks second. India, with 72,739 thousand hectares, ranks ninth, accounting for about 2 percent of the world’s total forest area. The assessment is based on data that individual countries report and member nations review.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday took to social media to highlight the nation’s achievement. Referring to the FAO’s assessment and India’s position in terms of annual forest area gain, he stated it reaffirms the country’s commitment to sustainable forest management and ecological balance.
He attributed India’s accomplishment to government policies and programmes for forest protection, afforestation, and community-led environmental action under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Yadav added that Modi’s continued insistence on environmental consciousness has encouraged the people across the nation to participate actively in tree plantation and protection.
“This growing public participation is fostering a strong sense of collective responsibility towards a greener and sustainable future. The achievement comes on the back of the Modi government’s planning and policies for protection and enhancement of the forest and massive plantation efforts by State Governments,” an environment ministry note quoted Yadav as saying.
As per the latest definition, “all land, more than one hectare in area, with a tree canopy density of more than 10 percent, irrespective of ownership and legal status” are considered ‘Forests’ in India. These land may include plantations, including rubber, coffee, coconut, and others may not necessarily be a recorded forest area.
The country’s green cover has increased while the India State of Forest 2023 report highlighted both — the degradation of large tracts of forests and an increase in plantations. The 2023 report found that the total area available for density upgradation inside recorded forest area was approximately 92,989 Km2, with a carbon sequestration potential of 636.50 million tonnes. It pointed out that between 2011 and 2021, forest density over an area of 40,709.28 km2 was degraded, reducing these from very dense and moderately dense to open forests.
