World's top 10 countries with largest forest area; know India's position

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s “Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025” (GFRA 2025), global forest cover now stands at approximately 4.14 billion hectares, making up around 32 percent of the world’s total land area. Yet, what is even more revealing is that the world’s forests are highly concentrated, just five nations hold over half of the global forest area. These include the Russian Federation, Brazil, Canada, the United States, and China. The study also notes that Asia is the only region to record a net gain in forest area since 1990, largely due to large-scale afforestation drives in countries like China and India. Good news for India because the country has climbed one position up in the 2025 global ranking report, showcasing remarkable progress.

The Russian Federation remains the world’s leader in forest area, spanning an astounding 832.6 million hectares. Covering more than 20 percent of the world’s total forest land, Russia’s green cover stretches across its Siberian territory, forming the largest continuous expanse of boreal forest on Earth. These forests are also home to rich biodiversity, including Siberian tigers, brown bears, and numerous migratory bird species.

Brazil is home to approximately 486 million hectares of forest, making it the country with the largest tropical forest area in the world. The Amazon Rainforest alone constitutes nearly 60 percent of this expanse and is famously known as the “lungs of the Earth.” While the Amazon plays a crucial role in storing vast amounts of carbon and sustaining millions of plant and animal species, it remains highly susceptible to threats such as deforestation driven by agricultural expansion, cattle ranching, and illegal logging.

Ranked third in the world, Canada is home to an impressive 368.8 million hectares of forest, celebrated for their pristine beauty and rich biodiversity. The country’s vast Boreal Forest stretches from Newfoundland and Labrador in the east to the Yukon in the west, blanketing nearly 40% of Canada’s total land area. This immense wilderness provides a haven for grizzly bears, wolves, moose, reindeer, and countless other species that thrive within its diverse ecosystems.

The United States is home to about 308.9 million hectares of forested land, showcasing an incredible range of ecosystems. From the dense coniferous woods of Alaska and the towering redwoods of the Pacific Northwest to the colorful deciduous forests of the Appalachians and the tropical rainforests of Hawaii, the country’s forest landscapes are immensely varied. These vast woodlands provide vital habitats for an array of wildlife, including brown bears, gray wolves, elk, moose, the legendary bison, cougars, and many other species.

China’s 227.2 million hectares of forest mark is a remarkable success story of human-driven restoration. The country once faced severe deforestation, but slowly yet steadily reversed the trend through one of the largest reforestation campaigns in human history. Between 2015 and 2025, China recorded the world’s highest annual net forest gain, averaging about 1.69 million hectares per year.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has around 139 million hectares of forest, making it the largest forested nation in Africa. Home to the Congo Basin Rainforest, the world’s second-largest tropical forest after the Amazon, these rainforests are biodiversity hotspots, and are home to thousands of plant and animal species like the elusive okapi, the iconic mountain gorilla, African forest elephant, white-bellied pangolin to name a few.

Australia’s 133.5 million hectares of forest cover comprises the tropical rainforests in Queensland to eucalyptus woodlands and temperate forests in Tasmania. Australian forests are home to endemic wildlife such as koalas, wombats, and cockatoos. Daintree Rainforest, the world's oldest rainforest, is a part of this wonderful ecosystem.

Indonesia’s forests, covering around 95.9 million hectares, are among the most biologically rich on Earth. The country's forest cover spans the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua. Indonesia's tropical rainforests are home to orangutans, Sumatran tigers, and several endangered and endemic species. Over the past decades, Indonesia has faced serious deforestation due to palm oil cultivation and illegal logging. But things are slowly changing (for good), thanks to the combined efforts of concerned organisations and community-led conservation initiatives.

India’s forests span approximately 72.7 million hectares, and notably, the country has moved up one place in the FAO’s 2025 global ranking. The increase is the result of consistent government-led and community-driven reforestation projects, along with improved monitoring under the Forest Survey of India. India’s forests are among the most diverse globally, from the mangroves of the Sundarbans and the rainforests of the Western Ghats to the pine and deodar woodlands of the Himalayas

Peru, with around 72.1 million hectares of forest area, is in 10th position. Much of the forest cover in Peru is in the Amazon Basin, and helps sustain rich biodiversity and numerous Indigenous communities. However, deforestation from agriculture, mining, and infrastructure expansion remains a concern.