Russia (832.6 million hectares) had the highest forest area globally, followed by Brazil (486 million hectares), Canada (368.8 million ha), and the US (308.9 million ha).

India has climbed one spot to ninth globally in terms of total forest area, according to a report released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Bali. The country also maintained its third position worldwide in terms of annual forest area gain.

The area under forest cover in India stood at 72.7 million hectares, according to the Global Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA) 2025.

India's rise from the 10th to the ninth position marks a "major achievement" in sustainable forest management and ecological conservation, minister for environment, forest and climate change Bhupender Yadav said in a post on X.

Russia (832.6 million hectares) had the highest forest area globally, followed by Brazil (486 million hectares), Canada (368.8 million ha), and the US (308.9 million ha). Other countries ahead of India were China (227 million ha), Democratic Republic of Congo (139 million ha), Australia (133.5 million ha) and Indonesia (95.9 million ha).

The minister noted that this progress underscores the success of the government's policies and programmes under Prime Minister Narendra Modi aimed at forest protection, afforestation and community-led environmental action.

The Prime Minister's call for 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' and his continued emphasis on environmental consciousness have inspired people across the nation to participate actively in tree plantation and protection, according to Yadav.

"Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam" (One Tree in Mother's Name) is a nationwide campaign that encourages citizens to plant a tree. It was launched on World Environment Day.

This growing public participation fosters a strong sense of collective responsibility towards a greener and sustainable future, the minister stated.