The 15 Countries With the Most Forest in 2025, Ranked

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - 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, while Brazil followed with 486 million hectares.

The 15 Countries With the Most Forest in 2025

Together, the 15 countries in the ranking account for nearly three-quarters of the world's forest area. Eight are in the Americas, while the five largest forest countries—Russia, Brazil, Canada, the United States and China—account for more than half of the global total.

1. Russia — 833 Million Hectares

Russia had the largest forest area in the world in 2025, covering about 833 million hectares, or 20.1 percent 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.

2. Brazil — 486 Million Hectares

Brazil ranked second with about 486 million hectares of forest, equivalent to 11.7 percent 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.

3. Canada — 369 Million Hectares

Canada ranked third with approximately 369 million hectares of forest, representing 8.9 percent 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.

4. United States — 309 Million Hectares

The United States ranked fourth, with about 309 million hectares of forest, accounting for 7.5 percent of the global total.

Beyond supporting biodiversity and storing carbon, U.S. forests are also an important source of water. Forests generate about 46 percent of the surface water supply in the contiguous United States by capturing precipitation, filtering water and feeding rivers and reservoirs.

5. China — 227 Million Hectares

China ranked fifth with about 227 million hectares of forest, or 5.5 percent of the global total.

Together, Russia, Brazil, Canada, the United States and China account for more than half of the world's forest area.

6. Democratic Republic of the Congo — 139 Million Hectares

The Democratic Republic of the Congo ranked sixth with approximately 139 million hectares of forest, representing 3.4 percent of global forest area.

Its forests form a major part of the Congo Basin, one of the world's most significant tropical forest regions.

7. Australia — 134 Million Hectares

Australia ranked seventh with about 134 million hectares of forest, equivalent to 3.2 percent of the global total.

Its forest landscapes range from tropical and subtropical forests to eucalyptus-dominated woodlands and other forest ecosystems.

8. Indonesia — 96 Million Hectares

Indonesia ranked eighth with approximately 96 million hectares of forest, accounting for 2.3 percent of global forest area.

Its forests span numerous islands and include important tropical ecosystems that support diverse plant and animal species.

9. India — 73 Million Hectares

India ranked ninth with about 73 million hectares of forest, representing 1.8 percent of the global total.

The country's forests range across several ecological zones, from Himalayan forests to tropical forests in central and southern India.

10. Peru — 67 Million Hectares

Peru ranked 10th with approximately 67 million hectares of forest, or 1.6 percent of global forest area.

Much of the country's forest lies within the Amazon Basin, making Peru one of the world's major tropical forest countries.

11. Mexico — 66 Million Hectares

Mexico ranked 11th with about 66 million hectares of forest, equivalent to 1.6 percent of the global total.

Its forests encompass a range of ecosystems, including tropical forests, temperate forests and other wooded landscapes.

12. Angola — 63 Million Hectares

Angola ranked 12th with approximately 63 million hectares of forest, representing 1.5 percent of global forest area.

The country is one of the two African nations outside the Democratic Republic of the Congo to appear in the top 15.

13. Colombia — 59 Million Hectares

Colombia ranked 13th with about 59 million hectares of forest, accounting for 1.4 percent of the global total.

The country's forests are particularly important for biodiversity, with large areas located within the Amazon and other tropical ecosystems.

14. Bolivia — 54 Million Hectares

Bolivia ranked 14th with approximately 54 million hectares of forest, or 1.3 percent of global forest area.

Like several other countries near the top of the ranking, much of Bolivia's forest coverage is associated with the Amazon Basin.

15. Venezuela — 47 Million Hectares

Venezuela ranked 15th with about 47 million hectares of forest, representing 1.1 percent of the global total.

Its forests include large tropical areas and form part of the broader forest ecosystems of northern South America.

Eight of the 15 Countries Are in the Americas

The Americas are particularly prominent in the ranking, with eight countries among the 15 with the largest forest areas: Brazil, Canada, the United States, Peru, Mexico, Colombia, Bolivia and Venezuela.

The concentration highlights the importance of the continent's forests to the global environment, particularly through their role in carbon storage, biodiversity and water resources.

Russia's 833 million hectares alone account for roughly one-fifth of the world's forest area and are about 70 percent greater than Brazil's total.

Forests, however, provide benefits beyond their total area. In the United States, for example, they generate about 46 percent of the surface water supply in the contiguous country. By capturing rainfall, filtering water and feeding rivers and reservoirs, forests help sustain water supplies relied upon by millions of people.

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