Forest area in India
India: Forest area was 729,592 sq. km in 2023. ▲ Rising
Forest area in India, 1990–2023
Source: FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in sq. km.
Analysis
India recorded 729,592 sq. km for forest area in 2023. That is the highest value across all 34 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 3.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, forest area in India peaked at 729,592 sq. km in 2023 and was at its lowest, 639,380 sq. km, in 1990.
That places India 9th out of 214 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 34 years of available data.
Forest area in India, year by year
| Year | sq. km | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 639,380 sq. km | — |
| 1991 | 643,033 sq. km | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 646,686 sq. km | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 650,339 sq. km | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 653,992 sq. km | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 657,645 sq. km | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 661,298 sq. km | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 664,951 sq. km | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 668,604 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 1999 | 672,257 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 675,910 sq. km | +0.5% |
| 2001 | 677,815 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2002 | 679,720 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2003 | 681,625 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 683,530 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 685,435 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 687,340 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 689,245 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 691,150 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 693,055 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 694,960 sq. km | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 697,624 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 700,288 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 702,952 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 705,616 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 708,280 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2016 | 710,940 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2017 | 713,610 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 716,270 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2019 | 718,940 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 721,600 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2021 | 724,260 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 726,930 sq. km | +0.4% |
| 2023 | 729,592 sq. km | +0.4% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 729,592 sq. km is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 36,019 sq. km, 20.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 729,592 sq. km is above the median for South Asia, which is 24,173 sq. km, 30.2× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 655,818 sq. km | 639,380 sq. km | 672,257 sq. km | 10 |
| 2000s | 684,482 sq. km | 675,910 sq. km | 693,055 sq. km | 10 |
| 2010s | 706,948 sq. km | 694,960 sq. km | 718,940 sq. km | 10 |
| 2020s | 725,596 sq. km | 721,600 sq. km | 729,592 sq. km | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
More agriculture & rural data for India
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual -2.83 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.1623 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 438.73 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 0.4067 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.6431 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 16.2% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 16.2% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.9% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is forest area in India?
- Forest area in India was 729,592 sq. km in 2023, according to FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest forest area recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 729,592 sq. km in 2023.
- What is the lowest forest area recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 639,380 sq. km in 1990.
- How does India rank for forest area?
- India ranks 9th out of 214 countries with data for 2023.
- Is forest area rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Forest area (sq. km). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Forest area is land under natural or planted stands of trees of at least 5 meters in situ, whether productive or not, and excludes tree stands in agricultural production systems (for example, in fruit plantations and agroforestry systems) and trees in urban parks and gardens.