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| India - Overview |
FOREST VEGETATION OF INDIA
Forest Survey of India estimates the forest cover of the
country at "63.73 million ha constituting 19.39% of the
geographic area of the country out of which 37.74 million
ha (11.48%) is dense forest, 25.50 million ha (7.76%)
open forest and 0.49 million ha (0.15%) mangroves. Madhya
Pradesh accounts for the largest forest cover of the country
i.e. 20.68% followed by Arunachal Pradesh (10.80%), Orissa
(7.38%), Maharashtra (7.32%) and Andhra Pradesh (6.94%).
The seven North-Eastern states together comprise 25.70%
of the total forest cover."
An FSI report notes that the forest coverage of the country
has shown a net increase of 3,3896 sq km during the period
from 1997 (year of last survey conducted) to 1999. It
was found out that the area of dense forest has increased
by 10,098 sq.km; that of mangroves by 44 sq km.However
the increase in the forest coverage is not uniform for
all the states. Some states registered a net gain in the
forest area while others show a declining trend.
For instance, " in Andhra Pradesh, net increase of 939
sq.km. in forest cover has occurred in 5 years (1993-98),
whereas in Mizoram, loss of 437 sq.km has occurred in
4 years (1994-98). Other states where gains have been
recorded are; Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal
Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra Orissa,
Punjab, Rajasthan Tripura, U.P., West Bengal and Delhi.
The states where forest cover has declined are Assam,
Bihar, Goa, Mizoram, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland,
Sikkim, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Dadar Nagar Haveli."
The FSI observes that the reasons for gains and losses
are varied and many. Inclusion of established large block
plantations in the forest cover, improvement in the density
of forest due to Joint Forest Management and natural regeneration
of mangroves have been instrumental in the increasing
of forest area. Negative growth are attributed to shifting
cultivation, encroachment and tree fellings.
The following is the comprehensive list of the statewise
forest coverage in sq. km:
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Sl. No. |
States/Union Territories |
Forest Coverage(Sq.Km.) |
| 1 |
Andhra Pradesh |
47112 |
| 2 |
Arunachal Pradesh |
68621 |
| 3 |
Assam |
24061 |
| 4 |
Bihar |
26561 |
| 5 |
Goa |
1250 |
| 6 |
Gujarat |
12320 |
| 7 |
Haryana |
603 |
| 8 |
Himachal Pradesh |
12501 |
| 9 |
Karnataka |
32382 |
| 10 |
Kerala |
10366 |
| 11 |
Madhya Pradesh |
135164 |
| 12 |
Maharashtra |
43843 |
| 13 |
Manipur |
17558 |
| 14 |
Meghalaya |
15714 |
| 15 |
Mizoram |
18576 |
| 16 |
Nagaland |
14291 |
| 17 |
Orissa |
47107 |
| 18 |
Punjab |
1.34 |
| 19 |
Rajasthan |
13280 |
| 20 |
Sikkim |
3127 |
| 21 |
Tamil Nadu |
17.77 |
| 22 |
Tripura |
5538 |
| 23 |
Uttar Pradesh |
33986 |
| 24 |
West Bengal |
8276 |
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UNION TERRITORIES |
|
| 1 |
Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
7615 |
| 2 |
Chandigarh |
7 |
| 3 |
Dadra & Nagar Haveli |
204 |
| 4 |
Daman & Diu |
3 |
| 5 |
Delhi (National Capital Territory) |
26 |
| 6 |
Pondicherry |
N.A. |
| 7 |
Lakshadweep |
N.A. |
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Delhi
