Madhya Pradesh Has the Largest Forest Area In India, But This Tiny Northeast State Is 83% Covered in Trees
India’s forests and trees cover 25.17% of the country’s land, which is 827,357 square kilometres. Of this, 715,343 square kilometers (21.76%) is actual forest, while 112,014 square kilometres (3.41%) is tree cover outside forests. Do you know which state has the most forest by area and which one has the highest percentage? Let’s find out together!
Pragati hai toh prakriti hai (“If there is nature, there is progress.”) Forests are like the "lungs of our planet". They help keep the Earth healthy by absorbing vast amounts of carbon dioxide, keeping our water fresh, and stopping soil from washing away.
Plus, they are home to more than 80% of land animals and plants. According to the PIB, the total global forest cover is about 4.14 billion hectares, which means that 32% of Earth's land is covered by forests.
However, do you know which country has the largest forest cover in the world? The answer is simple: Russia. This country has 20% of its land covered in forests. But let's come to the main point: where does India stand?
India sits at #9 on the list of countries with the most forest cover. If you put all of India's forests together, they would cover 715,343 square kilometres. To picture how big that is, imagine breaking India's land into five equal pieces. Forests would take up about one of those pieces.
India has 28 states and 8 union territories, with Rajasthan being the largest state by area, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Since half of Rajasthan is surrounded by deserts, Madhya Pradesh is crowned the Indian state with the largest forest area, covering 77,073 sq km.
But here's a catch: Madhya Pradesh is an undisputable leader among the Indian states with the largest forest cover by area, but there's another state in India which, though small in size, has more forests and trees than Madhya Pradesh.
And it's not located in the Western, Southern or Eastern part of India. It's in the northeastern part of India. Is it Tripura? Nagaland? Arunachal Pradesh? Manipur? To uncover the name, read till the end to know the name of this forested state.
What is the Difference b/w Forest Cover by Total Area vs Forest Percentage by Geographic Area?
Before we dive into the topic, let's check out this simple example. Imagine you have a large pizza with 20 slices, out of which 10 slices are loaded with cheese. Whereas your friend has a small pizza with 4 slices, and all 4 slices are loaded with cheese.
So, if someone asks you, "Which pizza has the most slices?" Your answer would be Pizza A, with 20 slices. However, if someone asks you, "Which pizza has the most cheese percentage?" Your answer would be Pizza B, the one with 4 slices.
Confusing, right? Why not Pizza A, which has 10 cheese slices? Why Pizza B? Pizza A had 20 slices, out of which 10 had cheese. Its percentage would be: 10/20* 100 = 50%. For the second one, with all slices loaded with pizza, the percentage would be 4/4* 100 = 100%.
Similarly, in terms of forest cover, Madhya Pradesh has more forest land: 50% of the state's land is covered by forests and trees, while the rest is urban area. Understand it this way: Big land, so the forest cover is more, but that doesn't mean that the complete state is covered with forest.
Now, Mizoram, the 24th smallest state with an area of 21,081 sq km, has the highest forest percentage of 100%, as the entire state is forested. Even the urban areas are also covered with forests.
Which Indian State Has The Largest Forest Cover By Total Area?
If we are talking about an Indian state with the largest forest cover, then Madhya Pradesh will take the crown. The state has a forest cover of 77,073 sq km. Here's the list of the top 5 Indian states with the most forest area.
| State | Forest Area (Size) | Percentage (%) | Why This Forest is Super Important! |
| Madhya Pradesh | 77,073 sq km | 25% | It has the biggest forest area in India. It is famous as the "Tiger State" because its vast forests provide wild tigers with a huge, safe habitat. |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 65,882 sq km | 79% | This state is almost entirely green! Its super thick mountain forests protect rare and beautiful animals like the cute Red Panda. |
| Chhattisgarh | 55,812 sq km | 41% | Nearly half of this state is covered in trees. These giant forests act like a massive sponge, soaking up dirty air and helping keep the air clean. |
| Odisha | 52,156 sq km | 33% | This state has a mix of regular woods and special water-loving trees called mangroves on the coast. These trees protect the land from big storms at sea! |
| Maharashtra | 50,798 sq km | 17% | Even though it's a giant state with big cities, its forests are packed with mountains that catch rain clouds, helping to bring water to rivers. |
Which Indian State Has The Largest Forest Percentage By Geographic Area?
In terms of forest cover percentage in India, Lakshadweep, a UT of India, has the highest at 91.33%. Even though the union territory spans around 32.62 km², it has this high percentage because the whole UT is covered with forests and trees. Complete 100%.
But since the article is about the state, Mizoram stands as the eminent leader, with 85.34% of the state covered by forests. This means that if we divide Mizoram into 4 parts, at least 3 of them are covered by forests. Mizoram is followed by another incredible union territory, i.e., the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which has a total forest cover percentage of 81.62%.
Kriti Barua is a skilled digital journalist and communications professional with 4+ years of experience, currently writing for the General Knowledge section at Jagran New Media. She has established herself as a subject matter expert in History, Geography, Trending National and International News, Sports, Science, and Defence, producing clear, reliable, and search-optimised content that connects with readers worldwide.
Kriti holds a BA degree from Delhi University and a one-year diploma in TV Production and Journalism, an academic background that adds research depth and strong storytelling instincts to her writing. Her experience spans brand writing, content marketing, and digital media, giving her a sharp understanding of what makes content both helpful to readers and visible in search.
At Jagran New Media, she applies this expertise to national and international news coverage, query-based articles, and in-depth pieces across her specialist subject areas. Her content is defined by easy language, factual accuracy, strong keyword strategy, and reader-friendly storytelling.
