China vs India: Forest area as a proportion of total land area
China
24.1%
in 2025
India
24.5%
in 2025
China rank
122nd
India rank
119th
Forest area as a proportion of total land area over time
- China
- India
How they compare
India currently reports 24.5% against 24.1% in China, a difference of 0.4%.
Across all 6 years both countries report, India has been ahead every year.
China ranks 122nd and India ranks 119th of 219 countries.
India has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | China | India | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 16.7% | 21.5% | 4.8% | India |
| 2000s | 18.8% | 22.7% | 3.9% | India |
| 2010s | 21.8% | 23.6% | 1.8% | India |
| 2020s | 23.7% | 24.4% | 0.7% | India |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher forest area as a proportion of total land area, China or India?
- India, at 24.5% against 24.1% in China as of 2025.
- What is the difference in forest area as a proportion of total land area between China and India?
- 0.4%, with India ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?
- 6 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do China and India rank globally for forest area as a proportion of total land area?
- China ranks 122nd and India ranks 119th of 219 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as Forest area as a proportion of total land area (%). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.