According to the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025, India has improved its global ranking for forest area size from 10th to 9th, and remains in 3rd place globally for net annual forest gain. Russia has the largest forest area, which is 832,630 hectares, followed by Brazil and Canada (486,087 hectares), and the United States (308,895 hectares).
According to India, forest area is defined as land area greater than one hectare, with a tree canopy density of more than 10%, irrespective of ownership or legal status. This definition includes plantations such as rubber, coffee, and coconut, which may not be classed as recorded forests.
Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav stated that the assessment shows India’s serious commitment to sustainable forest management and ecological conservation. He acknowledged the achievement of the Government of India’s policies and programmes, such as afforestation and nature protection initiatives and the work of communities in support of conservation, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for this achievement. India’s improved ranking signals its commitment to sustainable development which balances development with sustainability.
Click Here for Chhattisgarh News
Click Here for Entertainment News