According to the General Department of Statistics, the rate of forest covered area (%) is calculated annually, based on data of existing area of forest compared with total natural land area. This rate is computed for the whole country and for 64 provinces, cities.

This report also shows that, nationwide, land area with forest as of December 31^st 2005 is over 12,6 million hectares, of which 1,9 million hectares of specially used forest, 6,2 million hectares of protection forest and 4,5 million hectares of production forest. From these, the proportion of newly planted forest is about 1/6 of total forest area.

Among 64 provinces and cities nationwide, Nghe An is a province with a largest forest area: 775,000 hectares, and Tay Nguyen (Western Highland) is a region comprising many provinces with large forest area such as Gia Lai (760,500 ha), Kon Tum (629,000 ha), Lam Dong, Dak Lak... However, always as per the report, some provinces are entirely forestless such as Vinh Long, Can Tho city and Hung Yen. The forest area with fallow land and bare hill nationwide still occupies 6,4 million hectares, mainly in Northwestern region.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the publication of national forest state is a basis for monitoring the annual development of forest in Vietnam.

Source: vnn.vn 17/7/2006