Nepal Becomes Second Largest Forest Covered Country In South Asia

Nepal has become the second most forest-covered country in South Asia after Bhutan, according to the Economic Survey for fiscal year 2082/83 released on Wednesday.

The report states that forests now cover 46.08 percent of Nepal’s total land area. Bhutan ranks first with 69.71 percent forest coverage, while Sri Lanka stands third with 34.1 percent.

The survey shows Nepal’s forest area has steadily increased over the years. Forest coverage was 39.6 percent in the 1990s, which rose to 44.74 percent in 2015, 45.31 percent in 2019, and finally 46.08 percent in 2024.

Out of Nepal’s total land area, 43.38 percent is forest, and 2.7 percent consists of bushes and shrubland.

The report also states that 34,420 square kilometers of Nepal’s land, or 23.4 percent of the country, is under protected areas.

Community forest programs continue to play a major role in forest management, with over 23,000 community forest user groups managing more than 25 lakh hectares of forest land across the country.