Share of land covered by forest in India
India: Share of land covered by forest was 24.5% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Share of land covered by forest in India, 1990–2025
Source: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2013) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
India recorded 24.5% for share of land covered by forest in 2025. That is the highest value across all 36 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of land covered by forest in India peaked at 24.5% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 21.5%, in 1990.
That places India 123rd out of 216 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 36 years of available data.
Share of land covered by forest in India, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 21.5% | — |
| 1991 | 21.6% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 21.8% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 21.9% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 22.0% | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 22.1% | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 22.2% | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 22.4% | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 22.5% | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 22.6% | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 22.7% | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 22.8% | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 22.9% | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 22.9% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 23.0% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 23.1% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 23.1% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 23.2% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 23.2% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 23.3% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 23.4% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 23.5% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 23.6% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 23.6% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 23.7% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 23.8% | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 23.9% | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 24.0% | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 24.1% | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 24.2% | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 24.3% | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 24.3% | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 24.4% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 24.4% | +0.1% |
| 2024 | 24.4% | +0.1% |
| 2025 | 24.5% | +0.1% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 24.5% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 25.2%, 97% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 24.5% is below the median for South Asia, which is 29.4%, 83% of the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 22.1% | 21.5% | 22.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 23.0% | 22.7% | 23.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.8% | 23.4% | 24.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.4% | 24.3% | 24.5% | 6 |
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 share of land covered by forest in India?
- Share of land covered by forest in India was 24.5% in 2025, according to Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2013) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of land covered by forest recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 24.5% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of land covered by forest recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.5% in 1990.
- How does India rank for share of land covered by forest?
- India ranks 123rd out of 216 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of land covered by forest rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (2013) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of land covered by forest. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 36 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Share of land area covered by forest, including both natural forests and forest plantations.