RAS question
According to FAO's GFRA 2025, India ranks which position globally in total forest area?
Correct answer: (A) 9th.
According to FAO's Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025, India ranks 9th globally in total forest area.
Explanation
FAO's Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025 places India 9th in the world for total forest area. The PIB release makes the rank change explicit: India moved up from 10th in the previous assessment to 9th in GFRA 2025. Total forest area is distinct from forest-cover percentage, annual increase, and carbon-sink ranking. The same release separately notes that India maintained 3rd position in annual net gain of forest area, which supports the broader point that India's forest statistics improved across more than one indicator, while India's total forest-area rank in GFRA 2025 is 9th globally.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) 7th is wrong because the PIB release states that India moved to 9th globally in total forest area under GFRA 2025.
- (C) 5th is wrong because the PIB release associates the total forest-area rank with 9th, while 5th appears in the release for a different indicator, carbon sinks.
- (D) 12th is wrong because the PIB release says India was 10th in the previous assessment and rose to 9th in GFRA 2025, not 12th.
Concept
RAS environment-and-ecology preparation requires reading international indices by their exact indicator. The same report can give different ranks for total area, net gain, and related forest indicators.