India is home to diverse ecosystems, hosting iconic forests that protect biodiversity, moderate the climate, and shelter unique species. On International Forest Day 2025, here are India’s ten largest and most significant forests.

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• Sundarbans Mangrove Forest, West Bengal: Largest mangrove forest, home to the Royal Bengal Tiger and estuarine crocodiles. Covers 10,000 sq km.
• Gir Forest, Gujarat: Last refuge of the Asiatic Lion, spreading over 1,412 sq km with dry deciduous forests.
• Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh: Covering 940 sq km, home to the rare Barasingha, tigers, leopards, and diverse birds.
• Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand: India’s oldest park, 1,318 sq km, famous for a healthy tiger population and diverse wildlife.
• Namdapha National Park, Arunachal Pradesh: Covers 1,985 sq km, home to all four big cat species and rich biodiversity.
• Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka: Spanning 866 sq km, famous for its black panthers, hornbills, and Malabar giant squirrels.
• Simlipal National Park, Odisha: A 2,750 sq km forest known for Bengal tigers, wild elephants, waterfalls, and tribal culture.
• Periyar National Park, Kerala: Located in the Western Ghats, covering 925 sq km, known for wild elephants and eco-tourism.
• Bandipur National Park, Karnataka: 874 sq km of forest housing tigers, elephants, and sloth bears, part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
• Kaziranga National Park, Assam: Spreads over 1,090 sq km, home to the Indian one-horned rhinoceros and floodplains wildlife.