KATHMANDU, May 27: Nepal has 45.31 percent of its total land area covered by forests.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 31 percent of the world's land area is covered by forests. About 54 percent of the total forest area is in Brazil, Canada, China, Russia, and the United States. In South Asia, Nepal stands out with its substantial forest cover.
Forest guard fire aerial shots to disperse timber smugglers
Nepal's neighboring country, China, has 22.96 percent of its total land area covered by forests, while India has 21.71 percent. These figures show Nepal's relatively higher forest cover in the region.
The Economic Survey 2081 BS reports that Bhutan has the highest forest area in South Asia, with 69.71 percent of its land area covered by forests. Following Bhutan, Nepal has the second-highest percentage of forest area in the region. Sri Lanka has 34.1 percent of its land covered by forests, China has 22.96 percent, and India has 21.71 percent. Bangladesh has 12.8 percent, Pakistan 4.8 percent, Maldives 2.7 percent, and Afghanistan has the lowest forest cover in South Asia with only 1.9 percent of its land area forested.
