🌳 5 Major Forest Types of India
Rainfall >200 cm | Temp >22°C | Trees >60m | W.Ghats, NE India, A&N
Rainfall 70–200 cm | Largest spread (220 lakh ha) | Sal, Teak | Most commercial timber
Rainfall <50 cm | Rajasthan, Gujarat | Khejri, Babool, Neem | Only for fuel
Himalayan + Nilgiri/Palani Hills | Deodar, Oak, Pine | Shola forests in S.India
Tidal/coastal | Sundarbans (world's largest) | Hard wood for boats & tanning
25.17% of India | 8,27,357 sq.km | MP = largest forest state
🏆 Key Forest Facts
25.17%
India's Total Forest & Tree Cover (2023)
220 lakh ha
Deciduous Forest Area (Largest)
46 lakh ha
Evergreen Forest Area
33%
Target Forest Cover (Policy 2018)
- World's largest mangrove forest → Sundarbans
- Max biodiversity → Western Ghats
- Max forest cover (state) → Madhya Pradesh (77,073 sq.km)
- Max forest % of total area → Lakshadweep (91.33%)
- Max deciduous forest → Madhya Pradesh (41,017 sq.km)
- State with max mangrove → West Bengal
- Chipko Movement → Sunderlal Bahuguna, Uttarakhand
- Arid Forest Research Institute → Jodhpur
🚨 EXAM TRAP
- Max forest area = MP | Max forest % = Lakshadweep (91.33%) — dono alag!
- Deciduous = largest spread (220 lakh ha) | Evergreen = only 46 lakh ha
- Chipko = Sunderlal Bahuguna (NOT Medha Patkar — woh Narmada Bachao)
- Forest Policy 1st = 1952 | 1st amendment = 1988 | 2nd = 2018
🌲 Tropical Evergreen & Semi-Evergreen Forests
Spread:
Western Ghats
Assam
Kerala
West Bengal
Andaman & Nicobar
Meghalaya
Mizoram
Manipur
Tripura
Arunachal Pradesh
Major Trees:
Rosewood
Mahogany
Bamboo
Cinchona
Ebony
White Senger
Cane
Rubber
Coconut
⚡ SPECIAL NOTE
Maximum Biodiversity → Western Ghats (UNESCO World Heritage Site 2012)
🚨 EXAM TRAP
- Evergreen = rainfall >200 cm | trees >60 m height
- Cinchona = source of Quinine (anti-malaria drug) — evergreen forest
- Max biodiversity = Western Ghats (NOT Amazon or NE India)
- Evergreen forests = 46 lakh ha only — much less than Deciduous (220 lakh ha)
🍂 Tropical Deciduous (Monsoon) Forests — Most Important
Max Spread
MP (41,017 km²)
- Forests of greatest importance
- Abundance of commercial timber
- Trees less tall and open forests
- Maximum spread in Madhya Pradesh
Foothills of Himalayas
Madhya Pradesh
Chhattisgarh
Karnataka
Maharashtra
E. slopes W.Ghats
Odisha
West Bengal
Jharkhand
Uttar Pradesh
Bihar ★
Sal ★
Teak ★
Shisham
Sandalwood
Mango
Saakhu
Amla
Mahua
Haldu
Harad
Baheda
Tendu (Bidi leaves)
⚡ TENDU LEAVES
Tendu leaves → used for making
Bidi (important for Central India economy — MP, CG, JH)
| Type |
Rainfall |
Feature |
| Moist Deciduous |
150–200 cm |
Denser, taller trees; Teak, Sal dominant |
| Dry Deciduous |
70–150 cm |
More open; Grasses underneath |
🚨 EXAM TRAP
- Deciduous = largest spread (220 lakh ha) — most important forests commercially
- Bihar is in Deciduous forest zone — Sal, Mahua, Tendu Bihar mein bhi milte hain
- Tendu = Bidi leaves — Jharkhand, MP, CG mein major livelihood
- MP = max deciduous forest = 41,017 sq.km
- Deciduous forests drop leaves in dry season (monsoon ke baad)
🌵 Tropical Thorny / Desert Forests
Spread
Widest in UP (dry)
States:
Rajasthan
SW Punjab
SW Haryana
Gujarat
Madhya Pradesh
Dry UP
Major Trees:
Ber
Khair
Neem
Khejri ★
Palash
Babool
- Trees: small, thorny, thick bark
- Use: Only for fuel
- Khejri = State tree of Rajasthan
🏔️ Mountain Forests
- Deodar — Temperate Belt of Western Himalayas
- Bhojpatra tree — found in Himalayas (alpine category)
- Source of medicines, herbs, raw materials
Major Trees:
Deodar
Oak
Maple
Chestnut
Pine
Spruce
Silver Fir
Shisham
Cedar
Magnolia
Laurel
- Spread on: Nilgiri, Annamalai, Palani Hills
- Shola Forests (unique to S.India hills)
- Grasses, moss, lichens present
- Predominance of precious timber
🚨 EXAM TRAP
- Khejri = State tree of Rajasthan | Thorny forests = only for fuel
- Deodar = W.Himalayas temperate belt | National tree of India = Banyan
- Bhojpatra = Himalayan tree (ancient manuscripts written on its bark)
- Shola forests = Southern India hills (Nilgiri, Annamalai, Palani)
📊 India's 18th Forest Status Report — 2023
8,27,357 km²
Total Forest & Tree Cover (25.17%)
7,15,343 km²
Forest Cover Only (21.76%)
1,12,014 km²
Tree Cover (3.41%)
+1,445 km²
Increase vs 2021 (Total)
+156 km²
Forest Cover Change
+1,289 km²
Tree Cover Change
🏆 State Rankings — Forest Cover
| Rank |
State |
Area (km²) |
| 1 |
Madhya Pradesh |
85,724 |
| 2 |
Arunachal Pradesh |
67,083 |
| 3 |
Maharashtra |
65,383 |
| Rank |
State |
Forest Cover (km²) |
| 1 |
Madhya Pradesh |
77,073 |
| 2 |
Arunachal Pradesh |
65,882 |
| 3 |
Chhattisgarh |
56,812 |
| Rank |
State |
Increase (km²) |
| 1 |
Chhattisgarh |
684 |
| 2 |
Uttar Pradesh |
559 |
| 3 |
Odisha |
559 |
| 4 |
Rajasthan |
394 |
| Rank |
State |
Increase (km²) |
| 1 |
Mizoram |
242 |
| 2 |
Gujarat |
180 |
| 3 |
Odisha |
152 |
| Rank |
State/UT |
% Cover |
| 1 |
Lakshadweep |
91.33% |
| 2 |
Mizoram |
85.34% |
| 3 |
Andaman & Nicobar |
81.62% |
⚡ MASTER QUICK RECALL — Ch09
- Max forest area → MP | Max forest % → Lakshadweep (91.33%)
- Max forest increase → Chhattisgarh (684 km²)
- Forest cover only increase → Mizoram (242 km²)
- India forest cover 2023 → 25.17% | Target → 33%
- World's largest mangrove → Sundarbans (WB)
- Max biodiversity → W.Ghats
- Chipko → Sunderlal Bahuguna, Uttarakhand
- Bihar = Tropical Deciduous forest zone → Sal, Mahua, Tendu
🚨 EXAM TRAP — FSR 2023
- Total cover 25.17% includes Forest + Tree cover both
- Forest cover only = 21.76% (3rd = Chhattisgarh, NOT Maharashtra)
- Max increase (total) = Chhattisgarh | Max increase (forest only) = Mizoram
- Mangrove overall = decreased 7.43 km² (2021→2023)