Russia has the most forests, but where does India rank? Check top 15 nations with largest forest cover

From Russia’s vast Siberian wilderness to Brazil’s dense Amazon rainforest, the world’s forests cover millions of hectares and serve as crucial lifelines for the planet. But which countries have the largest forest areas, and where does India stand on the global list? Latest data compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and featured by Visual Capitalist reveals the 15 nations with the biggest forest cover worldwide. 

Brazil and Canada Follow Russia 

Russia tops the ranking with 833 million hectares of forestapproximately 70% more than Brazil, the second-placed country. 

Brazil ranks second globally with 486 million hectares of forest, representing 11.7% of the world’s total. Canada is third with 369 million hectares, while the United States occupies fourth place with 309 million hectares. China completes the top five with 227 million hectares. Together, Russia, Brazil, Canada, the U.S. and China account for more than half of the world’s forest area.

The Democratic Republic of Congo ranks sixth with 139 million hectares, followed by Australia with 134 million hectares and Indonesia with 96 million hectares.

India Has 73 Million Hectares

India ranks ninth on the list, with approximately 73 million hectares of forest, equivalent to 1.8% of the global total. It is positioned between Indonesia and Peru, which have 96 million and 67 million hectares, respectively. Mexico, Angola, Colombia, Bolivia and Venezuela complete the 15-country ranking.

ALSO READ: 60% of world's wild Asian elephants live in India: Why their survival matters

Top 15 Countries With the Most Forest 

 

 

Rank	Country	Forest area (in million hectares)	Global share
1	Russia	833	20.10%
2	Brazil	486	11.70%
3	Canada	369	8.90%
4	United States	309	7.50%
5	China	227	5.50%
6	Democratic Republic of the Congo	139	3.40%
7	Australia	134	3.20%
8	Indonesia	96	2.30%
9	India	73	1.80%
10	Peru	67	1.60%
11	Mexico	66	1.60%
12	Angola	63	1.50%
13	Colombia	59	1.40%
14	Bolivia	54	1.30%
15	Venezuela	47	1.10%

Americas Dominate the List

Eight countries from the Americas feature in the ranking: Brazil, Canada, the U.S., Peru, Mexico, Colombia, Bolivia and Venezuela. Collectively, the 15 countries account for nearly three-quarters of the world’s forests.

ALSO READ: Iceland, Bhutan, Canada among top 10 countries with the most freshwater per person. Check full list here

Forests play a vital role beyond timber production. They store carbon, protect biodiversity, filter water and support rivers and reservoirs. Forests generate around 46% of the surface water supply in the contiguous United States, highlighting their importance to national water security.