Ranked: The 15 Countries With the Most Forest
Key Takeaways
- Russia has about 70% more forest area than Brazil, the second-ranked country.
- Nearly three-quarters of the world’s forests are concentrated in just 15 countries.
- Eight of the 15 countries with the most forest are in the Americas.
Forests are among the planet’s most important natural resources, storing carbon, supporting biodiversity, and supplying everything from timber to clean water.
This graphic ranks the 15 countries with the most forest in 2025, from Russia’s vast boreal forests to the tropical forests of South America and Central Africa.
The data comes from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization via Our World in Data.
Russia Has 70% More Forest Than Brazil
Russia ranks first with 833 million hectares of forest, about 70% more than second-ranked Brazil and equal to roughly one-fifth of the global total.
| Rank | Country | Hectares (2025) | Global Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Russia |
833M | 20.1% |
| 2 |  Brazil |
486M | 11.7% |
| 3 |  Canada |
369M | 8.9% |
| 4 |  U.S. |
309M | 7.5% |
| 5 |  China |
227M | 5.5% |
| 6 |  DR Congo |
139M | 3.4% |
| 7 |  Australia |
134M | 3.2% |
| 8 |  Indonesia |
96M | 2.3% |
| 9 |  India |
73M | 1.8% |
| 10 |  Peru |
67M | 1.6% |
| 11 |  Mexico |
66M | 1.6% |
| 12 |  Angola |
63M | 1.5% |
| 13 |  Colombia |
59M | 1.4% |
| 14 |  Bolivia |
54M | 1.3% |
| 15 |  Venezuela |
47M | 1.1% |
Canada ranks third with 369 million hectares, followed by the U.S. at 309 million and China at 227 million hectares.
Russia’s vast forest area is closely tied to its geography. Much of it stretches across Siberia, part of the enormous boreal forest belt spanning the northern reaches of the planet.
15 Countries Hold Nearly Three-Quarters of Global Forests
Together, the 15 countries in this ranking account for nearly three-quarters of the world’s forest area.
The Americas are especially prominent, with eight countries making the list: Brazil, Canada, the U.S., Peru, Mexico, Colombia, Bolivia, and Venezuela.
The top five countries, Russia, Brazil, Canada, the U.S., and China, account for more than half of global forest area.
For another look at the 2025 data, see our earlier ranking of countries with the largest forests.
America’s Forests Are Also a Water Resource
Forest area matters for more than timber, biodiversity, and carbon storage. In the U.S., which ranks fourth globally, forests also play an outsized role in the country’s water supply.
Overall, forests generate about 46% of the surface water supply in the contiguous U.S.
By capturing precipitation, filtering water, and feeding rivers and reservoirs, forests directly support water supplies that millions of Americans rely on every day.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic on the countries with the most freshwater.
