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Sustainable Development and Climate Change 205

Figure 8: Top Ten Countries by Average Annual Net Gain in Forest Area (2010-20)

2500 1
0.93
0.85 0.9 0.9
2000 1937 0.8
0.7
0.58
Area ('000 Ha) 1000 0.53 0.5 0.62 0.5 % of 2010 Forest Area
0.6
1500
0.4
0.38
0.34
0.3
500 446 0.2
266
149 126 114 108 83 0.1
0.03 54 41
0 0
China Australia India Chile Vietnam Turkey USA France Italy Romania
Avg Annual Forest Area Net Gain 2010-20 ('000 Ha) Avg Annual Net Gain as % of 2010 Forest Area
Source: India State of Forest Report 2021
6.14 Forest cover comprises all lands, more than one hectare in area, with a tree canopy
density of more than 10 per cent, irrespective of ownership and legal status. Such lands may not
necessarily be a recorded forest area, and also include orchards, bamboo and palm plantations.
Figure 9 shows that India’s total forest cover was 7,13,789 sq km in 2021 reflecting an increase
of 3.14 per cent in the forest cover over 2011, from 21.05 per cent of the country’s geographical
area in 2011 to 21.71 per cent in 2021. This increase in total forest cover is mainly attributed
to increase in very dense forest (all lands with tree canopy density of 70 per cent and above),
which rose by 19.54 per cent between 2011 and 2021. Open forest (all lands with tree canopy
density between 10-40 per cent) also improved by 6.71 per cent, while moderately dense forest
(all lands with tree canopy density between 40-70 per cent) declined by 4.32 per cent between
2011 and 2021.
Figure 9: Forest Cover of India (2011 and 2021)

800000 25
20 692,027 713,789
700000 20
600000
Forest Cover (sq. Km) 500000 320,736 306,890 287,820 7 307,120 3 10 % Change (2011-2021)
15
400000
5
300000
0
200000
100000
0 83,471 99,779 -4 -5
-10
Very Dense Forest Moderately Dense Forest Open Forest Total Forest Cover
Forest Cover 2011 Forest Cover 2021 % Change (2011-21)
Source: India State of Forest Report 2021 and 2011
Note: Very dense forest: All lands with tree canopy density of 70 per cent and above); Moderately dense
forest: All lands with tree canopy density between 40-70 per cent; and Open forest: All lands with tree
canopy density between 10-40 per cent