Drivers of deforestation in India
India: Drivers of deforestation was 2,099 hectares in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Drivers of deforestation in India, 2001–2023
Source: Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in hectares.
Analysis
India recorded 2,099 hectares for drivers of deforestation in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 36.0% on the previous year and down 89.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drivers of deforestation in India peaked at 139,942 hectares in 2017 and was at its lowest, 736.6 hectares, in 2006.
That places India 44th out of 166 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Drivers of deforestation in India, year by year
| Year | hectares | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 8,333 hectares | — |
| 2002 | 26,843 hectares | +222.1% |
| 2003 | 25,632 hectares | -4.5% |
| 2004 | 47,527 hectares | +85.4% |
| 2005 | 16,396 hectares | -65.5% |
| 2006 | 736.6 hectares | -95.5% |
| 2007 | 2,989 hectares | +305.8% |
| 2008 | 6,141 hectares | +105.4% |
| 2009 | 20,765 hectares | +238.2% |
| 2010 | 1,755 hectares | -91.6% |
| 2011 | 8,011 hectares | +356.6% |
| 2012 | 11,186 hectares | +39.6% |
| 2013 | 20,638 hectares | +84.5% |
| 2014 | 84,915 hectares | +311.4% |
| 2015 | 77,497 hectares | -8.7% |
| 2016 | 115,135 hectares | +48.6% |
| 2017 | 139,942 hectares | +21.5% |
| 2018 | 74,276 hectares | -46.9% |
| 2019 | 25,258 hectares | -66.0% |
| 2021 | 1,389 hectares | -94.5% |
| 2022 | 3,282 hectares | +136.2% |
| 2023 | 2,099 hectares | -36.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 2,099 hectares is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 225.28 hectares, 9.3× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- India's 2,099 hectares is above the median for South Asia, which is 55.79 hectares, 37.6× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 17,263 hectares | 736.6 hectares | 47,527 hectares | 9 |
| 2010s | 55,861 hectares | 1,755 hectares | 139,942 hectares | 10 |
| 2020s | 2,257 hectares | 1,389 hectares | 3,282 hectares | 3 |
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)
- 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)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is drivers of deforestation in India?
- Drivers of deforestation in India was 2,099 hectares in 2023, according to Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest drivers of deforestation recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 139,942 hectares in 2017.
- What is the lowest drivers of deforestation recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 736.6 hectares in 2006.
- How does India rank for drivers of deforestation?
- India ranks 44th out of 166 countries with data for 2023.
- Is drivers of deforestation rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is down 89.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Singh et al. (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Drivers of deforestation. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 22 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Estimates of commodity-driven deforestation, measured in hectares per year. This includes deforestation caused by the production of agricultural products and forestry, which account for approximately 90% of the world's deforestation.