KATHMANDU:- Nepal has 46.08 percent forest cover, making it the second-highest in South Asia after Bhutan, according to the Economic Survey for fiscal year 2082/083 released on Wednesday.

The survey shows that Nepal’s forest cover has steadily increased over the years, rising from 39.6 percent in the 1990s to 44.74 percent in 2015, 45.31 percent in 2019 and 46.08 percent in 2024.

Of the total forest area, 43.38 percent is classified as forest and 2.7 percent as shrub and bush land.

The report also states that 34,420 square kilometres of land, or 23.4 percent of Nepal’s total area, is under protected area status.

Similarly, 23,162 community forest user groups are managing about 2.5 million hectares of forest land across the country. In addition, 899 community forest groups have been formed in buffer zones and protected areas, while partnership and concession forests also contribute to local forest management.

The Economic Survey highlights community forestry and protected area management as key contributors to Nepal’s forest conservation efforts.