Forest area in India
India: Forest area was 72,739 ha th in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
72,739 ha th
World rank
11th
of 255 countries
All-time high
72,739 ha th
in 2025
All-time low
63,938 ha th
in 1990
Years of data
6
1990–2025
Forest area in India, 1990–2025
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Measured in ha th.
Analysis
The most recent figure for forest area in India is 72,739 ha th, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 6 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in India peaked at 72,739 ha th in 2025 and was at its lowest, 63,938 ha th, in 1990.
India ranks 11th of 255 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
Forest area in India, year by year
| Year | ha th | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 63,938 ha th | — |
| 2000 | 67,591 ha th | +5.7% |
| 2010 | 69,496 ha th | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 70,828 ha th | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 72,309 ha th | +2.1% |
| 2025 | 72,739 ha th | +0.6% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 72,739 ha th is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 3,774 ha th, 19.3× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- India's 72,739 ha th is above the median for South Asia, which is 2,398 ha th, 30.3× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 63,938 ha th | 63,938 ha th | 63,938 ha th | 1 |
| 2000s | 67,591 ha th | 67,591 ha th | 67,591 ha th | 1 |
| 2010s | 70,162 ha th | 69,496 ha th | 70,828 ha th | 2 |
| 2020s | 72,524 ha th | 72,309 ha th | 72,739 ha th | 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 forest area in India?
- Forest area in India was 72,739 ha th in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest forest area recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 72,739 ha th in 2025.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 63,938 ha th in 1990.
- How does India rank for forest area?
- India ranks 11th out of 255 countries with data for 2025.
- Is forest area 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 United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Forest area (thousands of hectares). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 6 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).