 Although China's forest cover is only 21.15%
 the country has some of the largest expanses of forested land in the world, making it a top target for forest preservation efforts.In 2001, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) listed China among the top 15 countries with the most "closed forest," i.e., virgin, old growth forest or naturally regrown woods.12% of China's land area, or more than 111 million hectares, is closed forest.