How many trees do we have?

Contact Counsellor

Last Updated06/02/2024

Several years ago, an analysis of the world's trees was conducted, employing ground-based sample counts and satellite imagery.
The study revealed a surprising estimate of three trillion trees on Earth, significantly higher than previous scholarly projections.

On average, there are slightly over 400 trees per human, with South American rainforests housing 15-20% of all trees.
The Boreal forests in Canada and Russia boast a high concentration of conifers, providing every Canadian resident with nearly 9,000 trees.
In contrast, the Middle Eastern nation of Bahrain, with a population of 1.5 million, has a meagre 3,100 trees, averaging five trees per square kilometre.

While trees are essential oxygen sources, vast grasslands contribute almost as much oxygen as trees.
Additionally, marine cyanobacteria and algae play a significant role in oxygen production, contributing as much as land plants.

Apart from oxygen production, trees play a crucial role in carbon sequestration.
Millennia-old trees, turned into coal after submersion and burial, lock up carbon for an extended period.

India's estimate stands at 28 trees per person, influenced by high population density and a history of deforestation.
- Bangladesh, with three times the population density of India, has only six trees per citizen.
- Nepal and Sri Lanka have slightly over a hundred trees per person.
The diversity in India’s geography results in large differences in natural forest cover.
Moist tropical forests with dense canopies, high rainfall, and rich biodiversity are prominent in the Western and Eastern Ghats, the Northeast, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
80% of the land area in Arunachal Pradesh is under forest cover; in Rajasthan it is less than 10%.

Despite reforestation efforts, India is still working towards achieving its Forest Policy goal of one-third of the country under forest cover.
The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) 2021 identifies Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu as the states with the most significant improvement in forest cover.