Above-ground forest biomass in India
India: Above-ground forest biomass was 79 tonnes per hectare in 2025. ▲ Rising
Above-ground forest biomass in India, 1990–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in tonnes per hectare.
Analysis
The most recent figure for above-ground forest biomass in India is 79 tonnes per hectare, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.
The figure is up 15.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, above-ground forest biomass in India peaked at 79 tonnes per hectare in 2025 and was at its lowest, 57.39 tonnes per hectare, in 1990.
That places India 146th out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 10 years of available data.
Above-ground forest biomass in India, year by year
| Year | tonnes per hectare | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 57.39 tonnes per hectare | — |
| 2000 | 69.78 tonnes per hectare | +21.6% |
| 2010 | 67.61 tonnes per hectare | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 68.7 tonnes per hectare | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 68.7 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 68.7 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 68.7 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 68.7 tonnes per hectare | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 76.04 tonnes per hectare | +10.7% |
| 2025 | 79 tonnes per hectare | +3.9% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 79 tonnes per hectare is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 90.22 tonnes per hectare, 88% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
- India's 79 tonnes per hectare is below the median for South Asia, which is 96.74 tonnes per hectare, 82% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 57.39 tonnes per hectare | 57.39 tonnes per hectare | 57.39 tonnes per hectare | 1 |
| 2000s | 69.78 tonnes per hectare | 69.78 tonnes per hectare | 69.78 tonnes per hectare | 1 |
| 2010s | 68.52 tonnes per hectare | 67.61 tonnes per hectare | 68.7 tonnes per hectare | 6 |
| 2020s | 77.52 tonnes per hectare | 76.04 tonnes per hectare | 79 tonnes per hectare | 2 |
Countries ranked near India
More environment data for India
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 11.05 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 12.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 0.954 °C (2025)
- Wood-based panels — Production, annual growth rate 17.18 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 3.92 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 1.12 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is above-ground forest biomass in India?
- Above-ground forest biomass in India was 79 tonnes per hectare in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest above-ground forest biomass recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 79 tonnes per hectare in 2025.
- What is the lowest above-ground forest biomass recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 57.39 tonnes per hectare in 1990.
- How does India rank for above-ground forest biomass?
- India ranks 146th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is above-ground forest biomass rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Above-ground forest biomass. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Above-ground biomass in forest (tonnes per hectare).