Top 15 Forest Countries in 2025: Russia Leads, India Ranks Ninth
Forests are among the planet’s most important natural resources, storing carbon, supporting biodiversity, and supplying everything from timber to clean water. But forest cover is distributed unevenly around the world, with a small number of countries accounting for a large share of the global total.
Data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), compiled by Visual Capitalist, shows which countries had the largest forest areas in 2025. Russia ranked first, with about 833 million hectares of forest—approximately 70% more than Brazil, the second-placed country. Brazil followed with 486 million hectares.
The Global Leaders
Russia had the largest forest area in the world in 2025, covering about 833 million hectares, or 20.1% of the global total. Its vast forest coverage is closely linked to the country's geography; much of Russia's forest stretches across Siberia, forming part of the enormous boreal forest belt that spans the northern reaches of the planet.
Brazil ranked second with about 486 million hectares, equivalent to 11.7% of the global total. The country's forests include large areas of tropical forest in the Amazon, making Brazil one of the world's most important countries for forest conservation and biodiversity.
Canada ranked third with approximately 369 million hectares, representing 8.9% of the world's total. Its forests form part of the vast boreal forest region that stretches across much of the country's northern territory.
The United States ranked fourth, with about 309 million hectares, accounting for 7.5% of the global share. China completed the top five with 227 million hectares (5.5%). Together, Russia, Brazil, Canada, the U.S. and China account for more than half of the world's forest area.
India and the Rest of the Top 15
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 (96 million hectares, 2.3%) and Peru (67 million hectares, 1.6%).
The Democratic Republic of Congo ranks sixth with 139 million hectares (3.4%), followed by Australia with 134 million hectares (3.2%) and Indonesia with 96 million hectares (2.3%).
The remaining countries in the ranking are Peru (67 million hectares, 1.6%), Mexico (66 million hectares, 1.6%), Angola (63 million hectares, 1.5%), Colombia (59 million hectares, 1.4%), Bolivia (54 million hectares, 1.3%) and Venezuela (47 million hectares, 1.1%).
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.
The Role of Forests
Forests play a vital role beyond timber production. They store carbon, protect biodiversity, filter water and support rivers and reservoirs. In the United States, for example, forests generate about 46% of the surface water supply in the contiguous United States by capturing precipitation, filtering water and feeding rivers and reservoirs.
Each country’s forests also reflect its unique geography. The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s forests form a major part of the Congo Basin. Australia’s forest landscapes range from tropical and subtropical forests to eucalyptus-dominated woodlands. Indonesia’s forests span numerous islands and include tropical ecosystems that support diverse plant and animal species. India’s forests range across several ecological zones, from Himalayan forests to tropical forests in central and southern India.
Much of Peru’s forest lies within the Amazon Basin. Mexico’s forests encompass a range of ecosystems, including tropical forests, temperate forests and other wooded landscapes. Angola is one of the two African nations outside the Democratic Republic of the Congo to appear in the top 15. Colombia’s forests are particularly important for biodiversity, with large areas located within the Amazon and other tropical ecosystems. Bolivia’s forest coverage is largely associated with the Amazon Basin, and Venezuela’s forests include large tropical areas and form part of the broader forest ecosystems of northern South America.