-- Russia has the largest area under forests -- 850 million hectares (2.1 billion acres) -- taking up just over half the country's land area.

-- Tropical forests account for more than half world's forest area and boreal/polar forests one quarter.

-- More than 8,000 tree species -- 10 percent of the world's total -- are threatened with extinction.

-- Forests are home to 300 million people around the world and more than 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods.

-- The global annual trade in forest products is worth some $270 billion. Losses due to illegal cutting of forests are estimated at $10 billion.

-- Forests provide habitats to about two-thirds of all species on earth.

-- Wood energy accounts for 7 to 9 percent of energy consumed worldwide. More than 2 billion people depend on wood fuel for cooking, heating and food preservation.