November 16, 2025
ANUPA MUKHERJEE
Forests are vital carbon sinks, covering over 4 billion hectares globally. See the six nations that hold half of the world's total tree cover.
Home to the immense Siberian Taiga, Russia holds approximately 833 million hectares of forest—roughly 20% of the world's total tree cover. This boreal region is the world's largest single biome.
Brazil is second with 486 million hectares, dominated by the Amazon Rainforest. This tropical ecosystem stores about one-quarter of all land-based carbon, making it a critical climate player.
Nearly half of Canada's landmass is forested, totaling 369 million hectares. Its vast boreal and temperate rainforests stretch coast-to-coast, sustaining incredible wildlife and crucial water cycles.
The U.S. has maintained a substantial forest cover of 309 million hectares, spanning everything from Alaskan wilderness to the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest.
With 227 million hectares, China has aggressively grown its forest cover through massive, decades-long reforestation programs like the "Great Green Wall," aiming to combat desertification.
The DRC has 139 million hectares of vital tropical forest, encompassing a significant portion of the Congo Basin—the second-largest rainforest on Earth and a major biodiversity hotspot.
Half of this top list belongs to equatorial nations (Brazil, DRC). Their moist, biodiverse forests are essential for global rainfall and atmospheric stability, acting as the planet's humidifiers.