Only one-third of the estimated 4.20 million hectare (ha) forest area, or 4.8 per cent of Pakistan's total geographical area, is productive. The remaining two-third is maintained for environmental protection. According to sources, the forest sector, owing to very small productive forest area in the country, contributed about 0.1 per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 0.4 per cent to the agricultural sector during the fiscal year 1998-99. In the Northwest Frontier Province, forest covers about 1,214,000 ha, while in Baluchistan it covers only 333,000 ha. In Punjab, forest area is about 687,000 ha. It is 923,000 ha in Sindh and 660,000 ha in Northern Areas.
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