China vs India: Forest area as share of land area
China
24.2
in 2025
India
24.46
in 2025
China rank
125th
India rank
123rd
Forest area as share of land area over time
- China
- India
How they compare
India currently reports 24.46 against 24.2 in China, a difference of 0.26.
Across all 36 years both countries report, India has been ahead every year.
China ranks 125th and India ranks 123rd of 216 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 | 17.69 | 22.06 | 4.37 | India |
| 2000s | 19.99 | 23.02 | 3.04 | India |
| 2010s | 22.28 | 23.79 | 1.51 | India |
| 2020s | 23.77 | 24.39 | 0.626 | India |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher forest area as share of land area, China or India?
- India, at 24.46 against 24.2 in China as of 2025.
- What is the difference in forest area as share of land area between China and India?
- 0.26, with India ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for China and India?
- 36 years are reported by both, from 1990 to 2025.
- How do China and India rank globally for forest area as share of land area?
- China ranks 125th and India ranks 123rd of 216 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Forest area as share of land area. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.