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Which one of the following types of forests cover the largest area in India ?
Explanation
In India, Tropical Deciduous forests are the most widespread, commonly referred to as monsoon forests [c1][t2]. These forests are further categorized into 'Moist' and 'Dry' deciduous types based on rainfall availability [c1]. According to specific forest group data, Tropical Moist Deciduous forests cover the largest percentage of India's forest area at approximately 37%, followed by Tropical Dry Deciduous forests at roughly 28.6% [c4][c5]. While some sources suggest dry deciduous forests cover vast areas [c1], the statistical breakdown provided in the India State of Forest Report (ISFR) frameworks consistently identifies the Tropical Moist Deciduous group as the single largest forest type by area [c4][c5][t3]. These forests thrive in regions with rainfall between 100-200 cm and are found in the northeastern states, the foothills of the Himalayas, and the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats [c1][t2].
Sources
- [1] INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation > Tropical Deciduous Forests > p. 44
- [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 30: Climatic Regions > Explanation: > p. 468
- [3] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 12: Major Crops and Cropping Patterns in India > India: Area under Forests > p. 80
- [4] https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/kegy105.pdf