The importance of forests to a nation’s economy, society, and culture has been recognised and appreciated for a long time. Forests are an essential component of the life of any country.
The regulation of the water cycle, the prevention of soil erosion, the law of river flow, and the maintenance of wind patterns are only some of the ecological services that forests fulfil in addition to the economic advantages they provide.
The nature and quality of a country’s forests are primarily determined by its geography, despite the fact that forests constitute an essential resource for any nation. The following is a list of the 15 countries that contain the total forest area.
15. COLOMBIA (FORESTED AREA: 607,280 SQUARE KILOMETERS)
A forest that covers over 607,280 square kilometres and is home to approximately 10 per cent of the world’s species may be found in the nation that ranks as the second most ecologically diverse on the planet.
The forest covers areas ranging from dense tropical rainforest to cloud forests along the coast and vast savannas. According to the United Nations statistics, in 2003, Colombia lost 2,000 km2 of forest per year due to deforestation. This information is according to Wikipedia. The rainforest, which makes up more than 80 per cent of Colombia, is where most deforestation occurs.
The pressures of urbanisation, rising population, and agriculture are forcing many of these countries to cut down large forest areas to make way for more short-term economic gains.
Despite the fact that forests should be preserved because of their economic, ecological, cultural, and aesthetic value, many of these countries are being forced to do so. Developing nations like India, Indonesia, Brazil, and China are seeing a dramatic loss of forest cover at an alarming rate, and this trend must be stopped soon.
If the current pace of deforestation is allowed to continue, it will be challenging to lessen the negative impacts that climate change will have. Norway is the first country in the world to pass a law prohibiting deforestation, and other nations should quickly follow its lead.
14. MOZAMBIQUE (FORESTED AREA: 620,000 SQUARE KILOMETERS)
With an overall land area of 620,000 square kilometres, which accounts for about 49.6% of the country’s total land area, Mozambique is ranked as having the fourteenth most wooded land in the world.
According to the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, there are approximately 1167 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles living in the country forest.
Of these species, 1.5% are considered endemic, meaning they can only be found in the country and nowhere else. However, 3.7% of the population is in danger. The country forest is also home to at least 5692 vascular plants, of which 3.8% are indigenous to the region.
13. SUDAN (FORESTED AREA: 675,460 SQUARE KILOMETERS)
There are around 687,420 square kilometres of forestland in Sudan, which accounts for approximately 29.4% of the nation’s total land area. This ranks Sudan as the thirteenth most wooded country in the world.
According to the data provided by the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, the woodlands of these nations are home to several recognised species of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles. However, there is a worrying decline in the amount of land covered with forest.
12. PERU (FORESTED AREA: 687,420 SQUARE KILOMETERS)
The Amazon rainforest in Peru is home to the world’s most incredible variety of plant and animal life. It covers an area equivalent to 687,420 square kilometres of the entire territory of Peru.
The nation is home to several hundred unique plants and animal species. Eighty per cent of the country’s total forest has been designated as primary forest, which includes rainforests, pine forests, dry forests, and even rock forests.
11. MEXICO (FORESTED AREA: 710,000 SQUARE KILOMETERS)
There are around 710,000 square kilometres of forest land in Mexico, which accounts for approximately 34.5% of the nation’s total land area.
This places Mexico as the 11th most wooded region in the world. In addition, the government has a plentiful supply of natural resources, including oil, silver, copper, and agricultural goods.
The many types of trees and types ecosystems that make up the country’s forests are used to classify the various types of forests found there, such as tropical forests, temperate forests, cloud forests, riparian forests, and so on. The Comisión Nacional Forestal is the government organisation looking after the country’s woodlands.
10. INDIA (FORESTED AREA: 802,088 SQUARE KILOMETERS)
India is one of the most physically varied areas globally and ranks as the seventh biggest nation in total land area and the tenth largest in the total forest area.
It has every form of forest imaginable, from tropical rainforests to shrublands and flora more typical of deserts, alpine forests to temperate and deciduous woods, and everything in between.
Each of these woods has its unique ecology, which is responsible for the survival of a wide range of small and big animals and a significant number of indigenous medicinal plants.
9.INDONESIA (FORESTED AREA: 884,950 SQUARE KILOMETRES)
Despite its relatively modest size, Indonesia is home to some of the world’s most densely forested and well-preserved rainforests. Forested land accounts for more than 46% of the total land area, making this one of the most significant forest regions.
The total land area is around 8.8 lakh square kilometres. This area gets a considerable amount of precipitation because of its meteorological conditions and proximity to the equator, which are favourable for establishing forests.
Orang-utans and other one-of-a-kind birds and mammals may be discovered living in the tropical jungles of Indonesia. However, in this nation and many others, rainforests are in danger due to expanding populations and increasing urbanisation, both of which strain the earth’s natural resources and make it necessary to clear-cut trees. Additionally, Indonesia is one of the nations that have some of the world’s longest beaches.
8. ARGENTINA (FORESTED AREA: 945,336 SQUARE KILOMETRES)
This South American nation is immediate to the south of Brazil and has a forest cover percentage of 32 per cent over its geographical area.
This amounts to little less than 9.5 million square kilometres in all. Because of the excellent temperature and lots of rainfall it gets on the Andes Mountains’ windward side, which forms this nation’s western boundary, the northern region of Argentina has a more significant amount of forest cover than the southern region.
Patagonia is a region in South America that is especially well-known for its unusual fauna and lush woods; as a result, Argentina has developed Patagonia into a renowned tourist destination. One nation with the most amount of land covered in forests.
7. THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
Despite the country’s relatively small size, roughly 52% of Congo’s territory is covered in forest, placing it in second place behind Russia regarding the land covered in forest.
Most of the landmass is made up of lush tropical rainforests sustained by the rivers flowing out of the Congo basin. The abundance of water and suitable climatic conditions have contributed to the high quality and rich diversity of animal and plant life inside the woods.
However, due to the continuous violence and political instability in Congo, the country’s tourist industry has been unable to pick up any steam.
6. AUSTRALIA (FORESTED AREA: 1,470,832 SQUARE KILOMETERS)
After China, Australia has the second smallest proportion of the world’s most significant forest area relative to its overall land area. The first country to hold this distinction was China.
Although woods cover just 19% of the site, this is mainly attributable to the arid desert-like conditions that prevail over the majority of the nation. It boasts about 14 lakh square kilometres of wooded area and is home to some scarce and exotic species of flora and fauna.
Because of Australia’s location on the other side of the planet from the rest of the world, its animal life has developed into something unique and indigenous to the nation.
Even though there is enough room in the county, the county’s woods have not been able to flourish due to the insufficient quantity of water and the poor quality of the soil.
5. CHINA (FORESTED AREA: 2,083,210 SQUARE KILOMETERS)
China, while one of the world’s most powerful nations, has the smallest amount of land area expressed as a percentage of its total size compared to every other country on this list.
Even though woods cover just 18% of China’s geographical location, the whole forest coverage is more than 20 million square kilometres.
The growing urbanisation, mining, and deforestation that are taking place across China to modernise the nation pose a danger to the country’s forested areas.
Most of the country’s woods are now located on top of coal and oil deposits, and they may be cleared soon to meet the nation’s expanding requirements in energy production and agricultural production.
4. UNITED STATES (FORESTED AREA: 3,100,950 SQUARE KILOMETRES)
In the United States, woods encompass around 30 per cent of the total area, which amounts to more than 31 million square kilometres of land.
The United States is home to many tree densities, plant communities, and animal species, all of which contribute to the country’s diverse forest ecosystems.
This is because the nation’s enormous expanse creates favourable conditions for developing many kinds of forests throughout the country, including marshlands, softwoods, alpine forests, and scrub vegetation in the desert areas.
The majority of the forest areas are protected as either state or national parks, which guarantees that they will be preserved.
3. BRAZIL (FORESTED AREA: 4,776,980 SQUARE KILOMETRES)
In addition to being one of the most powerful nations in the world, Brazil is also the location of the Amazon Rainforest, the world’s largest tropical rainforest.
Although Brazil does not contain the whole Amazon rainforest, the country is home to the vast bulk of the Amazon. Over 47 million square kilometres of land in Brazil is covered in forest, which accounts for approximately 56 per cent of the country’s total land mass.
As a point of fact, the amount of land covered in forests in Brazil is equivalent to that of the whole nation of India. The Amazon rainforest in Brazil is home to some of the world’s most densely populated and biologically diverse ecosystems.
Yet, these forests are in danger due to Brazil’s growing urbanisation and widespread tree cutting. Regarding the total land covered by trees, Brazil is second only to Russia among all the global nations.
3. CANADA (FORESTED AREA: 4,916,438 SQUARE KILOMETRES)
The nation of Canada is the second biggest in the world, and around thirty per cent of its total area is covered with forest. This is equivalent to around 49 million square kilometres, or nearly the size of the country of India.
As in Russia, a significant portion of Canada is devoid of human habitation and spends most of the year under a blanket of snow, conditions that are excellent for developing alpine and tundra plants.
Many mountains, rivers, and lakes create an ideal environment for growing forests. These woods are home to a substantial number of animal species that are unique to the area. The country of Canada has the third biggest forest area in the world.
1. RUSSIA (FORESTED AREA: 8,149,300 SQUARE KILOMETRES)
The world’s biggest nation also boasts the most significant forest area, which is more than 81 million square kilometres and is located in Asia.
Few people live in the northern portion of Russia since it is mainly covered with alpine woods, and there is very little human settlement there.
The landmass known as Siberia is blanketed in snow for the better part of the year and is home to a distinct environment. Because of the varied topography, the high-altitude mountains, river basins, and lower subtropical regions are all covered in different kinds of woods.
This is because of the varying climates that exist in these areas. Russia is among the nations that have the most significant amount of land covered in forests.
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