India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2023
Key findings of ISFR 2023 (18th edition): forest cover, tree cover, mangroves, carbon stock, bamboo, and state-wise changes vs global GFRA 2025 data.
About the Report
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | India State of Forest Report (ISFR) |
| Published by | Forest Survey of India (FSI) under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) |
| Frequency | Biennial (every 2 years) since 1987 |
| Latest edition | ISFR 2023 — 18th edition (released December 2024) |
| Next edition | ISFR 2025 — not yet released as of April 2026 |
| Methodology | Remote sensing satellite data interpretation + field-based National Forest Inventory (NFI) |
| Definitions | Forest cover = all land with tree canopy density >10%, area >1 ha (irrespective of legal ownership) |
Forest Cover Classification
| Category | Canopy Density | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Very Dense Forest (VDF) | >70% | Typically undisturbed natural forest |
| Moderately Dense Forest (MDF) | 40–70% | Partially disturbed or managed forests |
| Open Forest (OF) | 10–40% | Degraded, scrubby, or early-stage forests |
| Scrub | <10% canopy | Degraded land — NOT included in forest cover |
| Tree cover | Trees outside forests on <1 ha patches | Counted separately from forest cover |
Note: FSI uses LISS-III satellite imagery (Resourcesat-2 and 2A) at 23.5 m resolution for mapping. From ISFR 2021 onwards, 1:50,000 scale mapping is used for most areas.
ISFR 2023 — National Headline Figures
| Metric | Value | % of Geographical Area |
|---|---|---|
| India's total geographical area | 32,87,263 km² | 100% |
| Forest Cover | 7,15,343 km² | 21.76% |
| Very Dense Forest | 99,779 km² | 3.04% |
| Moderately Dense Forest | 3,06,890 km² | 9.33% |
| Open Forest | 3,08,675 km² | 9.39% |
| Tree Cover | 1,12,014 km² | 3.41% |
| Forest + Tree Cover (combined) | 8,27,357 km² | 25.17% |
| Scrub | 48,657 km² | 1.48% |
| Mangrove Cover | 4,992 km² | 0.15% |
| Bamboo-bearing area | 1,54,670 km² | — |
| Total Carbon Stock | 7,285.5 million tonnes | — |
| Carbon stock increase from 2021 | +81.5 Mt | — |
Change from ISFR 2021
| Category | Change (km²) | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Total Forest + Tree Cover | +1,445 km² | ↑ Increase |
| Forest Cover alone | +156 km² | ↑ Increase |
| Tree Cover | +1,289 km² | ↑ Increase |
| Mangrove Cover | +17 km² | ↑ Increase |
Forest Cover by State — Top and Bottom
Top 5 States by Total Forest Cover (Area)
| Rank | State | Forest Cover (km²) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madhya Pradesh | 77,073 |
| 2 | Arunachal Pradesh | 66,431 |
| 3 | Chhattisgarh | 55,611 |
| 4 | Odisha | 52,156 |
| 5 | Maharashtra | 50,778 |
Top 5 States by Forest Cover as % of State Area
| Rank | State/UT | % of State Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lakshadweep | 90.33% |
| 2 | Mizoram | 85.34% |
| 3 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 81.62% |
| 4 | Arunachal Pradesh | 79.33% |
| 5 | Manipur | 74.34% |
States with Highest Forest Cover Gain (since ISFR 2021)
| State | Gain (km²) | Reason cited |
|---|---|---|
| Chhattisgarh | +684 | Afforestation + forest protection |
| Odisha | +537 | Conservation efforts |
| Rajasthan | +394 | Plantation drives on degraded land |
States with Notable Forest Cover Loss
| State | Loss (km²) | Reason cited |
|---|---|---|
| Arunachal Pradesh | −257 | Jhum cultivation, infrastructure |
| Manipur | −249 | Shifting cultivation |
| Nagaland | −235 | Jhum cultivation |
Concern: Northeast India — historically richest in biodiversity — showing persistent forest loss due to jhum (shifting) cultivation, infrastructure development, and population pressure.
Carbon Stock Analysis
| Carbon Pool | Value (Million Tonnes) |
|---|---|
| Soil Organic Carbon | 4,003.3 |
| Biomass (above + below ground) | 3,282.2 |
| Total Carbon Stock | 7,285.5 |
| Change from 2021 | +81.5 Mt |
- India's forest carbon stock = 30.43 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.
- This exceeds the 2005 base year by +2.29 billion tonnes CO₂ eq.
- India's 2030 NDC target: 2.5–3.0 billion tonnes additional carbon stock → target nearly achieved (1 year early), per ISFR 2023 estimates.
India's NDC commitment: Create an additional carbon sink of 2.5–3.0 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030 (Paris Agreement pledge).
Mangrove Cover
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| India's total mangrove cover (ISFR 2023) | 4,992 km² |
| Change from 2021 | +17 km² (increase) |
| India's global rank | 2nd largest mangrove country globally |
| % of world's mangroves | ~3% |
Mangrove Cover by State (Top 5)
| Rank | State | Mangrove Area (km²) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Bengal | 2,114 |
| 2 | Gujarat | 1,177 |
| 3 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 616 |
| 4 | Andhra Pradesh | 404 |
| 5 | Odisha | 231 |
State-wise Mangrove Change (ISFR 2023 vs 2021)
| State | Change | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | +13 km² | ↑ |
| Maharashtra | +12 km² | ↑ |
| Gujarat | −36 km² | ↓ (largest loss) |
MISHTI Programme (2023–onward): Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes — launched under Union Budget 2023-24 to restore mangroves along India's coastline. In 2025: 4,536 ha restored (PIB Year-end Review 2025).
Bamboo Resources
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Bamboo-bearing area (ISFR 2023) | 1,54,670 km² |
| India's bamboo area (GFRA 2025) | ~11.8 million ha |
| India's global share | ~40% of world's bamboo forests |
| India's global rank | 1st in bamboo area |
| India's bamboo species | 136 species (2nd in diversity after China) |
Top bamboo states:
- Northeastern states + West Bengal → >50% of India's bamboo.
- Others: Andaman & Nicobar, Chhattisgarh, MP, Western Ghats.
Forest Fire
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Forest fire-prone area | ~35.46% of India's total forest cover |
| Very highly fire-prone | ~2.81% of forest cover |
| Highly fire-prone | ~7.85% |
| States most affected | Odisha, Chhattisgarh, MP, Uttarakhand, Andhra Pradesh |
| Fire season | February–June (peaks in March–April in most regions) |
| Technology used | MODIS and VIIRS satellite data for near-real-time alerts |
| Forest Fire Alert System | Operated by FSI; sends SMS/email alerts to state forest departments |
Tip for UPSC: Forest fire is listed as a separate chapter in ISFR reports. Fire reduces carbon stock, destroys biodiversity, causes soil erosion, and displaces wildlife.
Biodiversity Insights from ISFR 2023
| Metric | Leader |
|---|---|
| Maximum tree species richness | Karnataka |
| Maximum shrub species richness | Arunachal Pradesh |
| Maximum herb species richness | Jammu & Kashmir |
| Maximum overall species richness (trees+shrubs+herbs) | Arunachal Pradesh (followed by TN, Karnataka) |
| Highest tree diversity (forest type) | Tropical Wet Evergreen + Semi-Evergreen of Western Ghats, followed by Northeastern forests |
| Lowest tree diversity | Sub-tropical dry evergreen (J&K); forest-deficit states (Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan) |
ISFR Series — Key Milestones
| Year | Edition | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | 1st | First systematic FSI assessment |
| 2001 | 8th | Digital maps introduced |
| 2009 | 12th | Tree cover reported separately for first time |
| 2011 | 13th | Carbon stock assessment added |
| 2017 | 15th | Bamboo resources chapter added |
| 2019 | 16th | Wetland cover mapped |
| 2021 | 17th | 1:50,000 scale maps; district-level data |
| 2023 | 18th | Carbon NDC target tracking; MISHTI impact; latest official report |
| 2025 | 19th | Not yet released (as of April 2026) |
Global Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA) 2025
Published by FAO, released in Bali, October 22, 2025.
| India's Metric | Rank | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Total forest area | 9th globally (up from 10th in GFRA 2020) | ~72.7 million ha |
| Annual net forest gain (2015–2025) | 3rd globally | ~1.91 lakh ha/year |
| Carbon sinks (forests) | 5th globally | ~150 Mt CO₂/year |
| Bamboo area | 1st globally | ~11.8 million ha |
| Rubber plantations | 5th globally | 831,000 ha |
Global context:
- World total forest area: ~4.14 billion ha (~32% of Earth's land area)
- Annual net forest loss fell: 10.7 Mha/year (1990–2000) → 4.12 Mha/year (2015–2025)
- Drivers of India's forest gain: Green India Mission, CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund), National Afforestation Programme (NAP), farm forestry.
Key Government Policies and Programmes
| Programme | Ministry | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Green India Mission (GIM) | MoEFCC | 10 Mha additional forest/tree cover; improve quality of forest cover |
| CAMPA | MoEFCC | Compensatory Afforestation from diversion of forest land for development |
| National Afforestation Programme (NAP) | MoEFCC | Afforestation of degraded forest land through Forest Development Agencies |
| MISHTI | MoEFCC / State govts | Mangrove restoration along coastline |
| National Bamboo Mission (NBM) | MoEFCC | Promote bamboo cultivation, processing, and marketing |
| Project BOLD | KVIC | Bamboo-based green patches in arid/semi-arid zones |
| Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam | PMO / MoEFCC | Mass tree-planting campaign — 262.4 crore saplings by December 2025 |
UPSC Corner
Key One-Liners for Prelims
- ISFR published by FSI (Forest Survey of India) under MoEFCC — biennial since 1987
- Latest ISFR = 18th edition (2023) released December 2024; ISFR 2025 = not yet released
- India's forest cover = 7,15,343 km² = 21.76% of geographical area (ISFR 2023)
- India's forest + tree cover = 8,27,357 km² = 25.17%
- India's NDC target = additional 2.5–3.0 billion tonnes CO₂ equivalent carbon sink by 2030 — nearly achieved
- India's mangrove cover = 4,992 km² — 2nd largest globally — West Bengal has most (Sundarbans)
- Carbon stock = 7,285.5 million tonnes (+81.5 Mt from 2021)
- Most forested state by area: Madhya Pradesh; by % of area: Lakshadweep (90.33%)
- Max forest gain: Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Rajasthan; Max forest loss: Arunachal, Manipur, Nagaland
- India = 9th globally in forest area, 3rd in annual gain, 5th carbon sink (GFRA 2025, FAO)
- India = 1st in bamboo area globally (~11.8 Mha, ~40% of world) — GFRA 2025
Mains GS3 Questions
- "Critically analyse the findings of ISFR 2023 in the context of India's commitments under the Paris Agreement."
- "Discuss the threats to India's forest cover in the Northeast and the policy measures to address them."
- "What is compensatory afforestation? Evaluate the effectiveness of CAMPA in protecting India's forest cover."
- "Examine the significance of mangroves as a coastal protection mechanism and assess India's performance in mangrove conservation."
MCQ Trap Awareness
- Trap: "India has 25.17% forest cover" → Misleading — 25.17% is forest + tree cover; forest cover alone is 21.76%.
- Trap: "ISFR is published annually" → Wrong — published biennially (every 2 years).
- Trap: "Latest ISFR is 2025" → Wrong — ISFR 2025 not released yet (April 2026); latest is ISFR 2023.
- Trap: "India has the largest mangrove cover globally" → Wrong — India ranks 2nd (Indonesia is 1st).
- Trap: "India ranks 10th globally in forest area" → Outdated — India is 9th per GFRA 2025.
- Trap: "GFRA is published by MoEFCC" → Wrong — GFRA is published by FAO (UN).
- Trap: "Maximum forest cover % is in Mizoram" → Wrong for UTs — Lakshadweep (90.33%) is highest; among states (excluding UTs), Mizoram (85.34%) is highest.
- Trap: "India's NDC carbon target is already achieved" → Careful — ISFR 2023 says nearly achieved (2.29 billion tonnes added, target is 2.5–3.0 Bt) — not fully achieved yet.
- Trap: "Northeast India is gaining forest cover" → Largely wrong — Arunachal, Manipur, Nagaland are showing forest loss due to jhum cultivation and development pressure.
The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) is published biennially (every 2 years) since 1987 by the Forest Survey of India (FSI) under MoEFCC. The latest edition is ISFR 2023 (18th edition), released December 2024; ISFR 2025 has not been released as of April 2026.
India's forest cover (ISFR 2023) is 7,15,343 km² = 21.76% of geographical area; forest + tree cover combined = 8,27,357 km² = 25.17%. These two figures are a major MCQ trap — 25.17% is NOT the forest cover alone.
FSI classifies forest cover into Very Dense Forest (>70% canopy), Moderately Dense Forest (40–70%), and Open Forest (10–40%). Scrub (<10% canopy) is NOT counted as forest cover.
India's total carbon stock in forests (ISFR 2023) is 7,285.5 million tonnes (+81.5 Mt from 2021), equivalent to 30.43 billion tonnes of CO₂. This has exceeded the 2005 baseline by +2.29 billion tonnes CO₂ eq — approaching India's Paris Agreement NDC target of 2.5–3.0 billion tonnes additional carbon sink by 2030.
Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover by area (77,073 km²) among all states. Lakshadweep has the highest forest cover as a percentage of state area (90.33%), followed by Mizoram (85.34%).
The top three states by forest cover gain since ISFR 2021 are Chhattisgarh (+684 km²), Odisha (+537 km²), and Rajasthan (+394 km²).
Arunachal Pradesh (−257 km²), Manipur (−249 km²), and Nagaland (−235 km²) showed the highest forest cover loss — primarily due to jhum (shifting) cultivation and infrastructure development.
India's mangrove cover (ISFR 2023) is 4,992 km² — a net increase of 17 km² from 2021. West Bengal leads with 2,114 km², followed by Gujarat (1,177 km²). India ranks 2nd globally in mangrove area (Indonesia is 1st).
India's bamboo-bearing area (ISFR 2023) is 1,54,670 km². India ranks 1st globally in bamboo area (~11.8 million ha, ~40% of world) and 2nd in bamboo species diversity (136 species, after China), per GFRA 2025.
Karnataka has the maximum tree species richness; Arunachal Pradesh has the maximum overall species richness (trees + shrubs + herbs); J&K has the maximum herb species richness — ISFR 2023.
India ranked 9th globally in total forest area (~72.7 million ha), 3rd in annual net forest gain (~1.91 lakh ha/year), and 5th as a carbon sink (~150 Mt CO₂/year absorbed) per GFRA 2025 (FAO, Bali, October 2025).
The Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam campaign planted 262.4 crore saplings by December 2025. CAMPA (Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act 2016) has accumulated a corpus of over ₹67,000 crore, though release to states has been slow.
The MISHTI scheme (Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes), launched in Union Budget 2023-24, restored 4,536 ha of mangroves in 2025 using MNREGA + CAMPA fund convergence.
Related Chapters
Natural Vegetation of India
India's five forest types, vegetation zones by rainfall/altitude, biodiversity hotspots, Biosphere Reserves, and conservation framework.
Environmental Laws, EIA & Pollution Geography of India
Biodiversity and Protected Areas of India
India's biodiversity — 4 hotspots (Western Ghats, Eastern Himalayas), 22 protected area categories, Project Tiger (3,167 tigers), Project Elephant, 18 Biosphere Reserves, wildlife corridors, endangered species, invasive plants, WPA 1972, and Kunming-Montreal GBF 30×30 target.
Climate Change and India's Changing Geography