By Editor Sure, it’s true that India is not particularly considered a heavily forested nation in the world, but still, there are as many as 106 national parks in India. And that still is a considerable number right there. And if you look at the geography of India at present, you’ll see that some states are more heavily forested than others, like in the northeast, states have less land area but they have more forested area than other states in the country. If you feel intrigued about just that, then keep on reading because we’re here to talk about the Top 10 Highest Forest Percentage States In India 2025. Here we go then.
1. Mizoram
For starters, forests cover 84.53% of the land area of Mizoram, which gives the state the first position in the list of top forested states of India, that is about 17,820 square kilometers. This small state of Northeast India, located between Myanmar and Bangladesh, is nothing but hills and valleys that support the forests. There are some rare animals like the Himalayan serow and birds like Mrs. Hume’s pheasant, and plants like red vanda flowers and Indian rose chestnut trees.
2. Arunachal Pradesh
Arunachal Pradesh takes the second position with a forest cover of 79.33%, approximately 66,431 square kilometers. Meaning a huge mountainous land in northeast India, this state is located next to Bhutan, Myanmar, and China. It’s referred to as the “Land of the Dawn-Lit Mountains” because of thick forests surrounding the Ranges and Kangto, the highest peak at 7,060 meters. The Monpa and Nyishi tribes are the forest dwellers who cohabit with the trees and rivers, and due to only 17 people per square kilometer, the area remains very untamed.
3. Meghalaya
Meghalaya is the third most forested state in India with 76% of its land covered in forests, which is about 17,046 square kilometers. This state is the “abode of clouds” located in northeast India, just next to Assam and Bangladesh. It rains a lot there, some places get up to 12,000 millimeters per year! So, around 70% of the area is covered in very unique subtropical forests that are quite different from the flat tropical ones growing nearby. These forests are full of wonderful animals like clouded leopards and hill mynas.
4. Manipur
Manipur is in the fourth position with forest areas making up 74.34% of the total land area, which is approximately 16,598 square kilometers. This state in northeast India, which shares a boundary with Myanmar, has a large valley in the middle and hills around the valley where the majority of the people live. The forest coverage is high because of the hills, and the Naga and Kuki-Zo tribes are found living there.
5. Nagaland
Nagaland is ranked fifth with forest cover of 73.90%, which is approximately 12,251 sq km. It is a mostly mountainous state located in the northeast of India, bordered by Myanmar, Assam, and a few other states. The highest peak of Nagaland is Mount Saramati which is 3,840 meters. The land is dotted with natural wonders such as the Mizo Hills that have maintained the dense forests. The tribes like the Angami and Ao, who have different languages but share the same love for nature, are the inhabitants of this area.
6. Tripura
Tripura is in sixth position, ranked by forest cover percentage of 73.64% which is equivalent to around 7,722 square kilometers. The state, surrounded by Bangladesh on three sides with Assam and Mizoram on top, is a land of soft hills and valleys. The forests are evergreen and are full of bamboos and the sal trees which are the primary source of timber and other necessities of the people throughout the year. These green belts are also home to many wild animals like elephants and birds, etc which add to the beauty of the state.
7. Goa
Goa takes seventh place with a forest area of 60.62%, which is about 2,244 square kilometers. Located between Maharashtra and Karnataka, this little state on the west coast of India is flanked by the Arabian Sea on one side and the Western Ghats on the other. The ghats are not only a place of the diversity of evergreen forests but also a rich forest with teak and mango trees that are the natural habitats of leopards and king cobras.
8. Sikkim
Ranked eighth is Sikkim with 47.08% forest area that extends to around 3,341 sq. km. This tiny northeastern state lies the Himalayas, sharing borders with China, Bhutan, Nepal and West Bengal, and is home to towering peaks like Kangchenjunga, the third-highest mountain in the world. Almost one-third of Sikkim is made up of a national park and a world heritage site that are quite literally full of rhododendron flowers and a variety of plants.
9. Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand ranks ninth with forest cover that accounts for more than 45.44% of its land area, like approximately 24,305 square kilometers. The northern state that borders Himachal Pradesh, Tibet, Nepal, and Uttar Pradesh is known as the “Land of the Gods” because of the holy rivers such as the Ganges that originate here. The forests are a mixture of oak, pine, and deodar trees that coexist with wildlife such as Himalayan monals and musk deer.
10. Chhattisgarh
Rounding off the top 10, Chhattisgarh has forests that cover 41.21% of the area, which roughly translates to about 55,717 sq. kilometers. This central Indian state lies next to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Telangana, and is known for its flat plains and hilly areas like Bastar. Its forests, which are mostly dry deciduous, are dominated by sal trees that have become homes for tigers, wild boars, and birds.
Conclusion
If you’re particularly fond of greenery, well, these are the states you should look forward to visiting. It is not like other states aren’t as green as these, but since the land area of some of these states is small, that’s why the forested area covers most of it, and that’s how they ended up on this list today.