The present study aims to estimate the above-ground biomass (AGB) distribution in ten 1-ha permanent plots, established in five sites each in inland and coastal tropical dry evergreen forests of peninsular India. Two linear regression equations, one using basal area (BA, Method 1) and the other using BA and height (Method 2) were followed. On using method 1, the AGB varied from 39.69 to 170.02 Mg ha(-1) and by method 2, it varied from 73.06 to 173.10 Mg ha(-1). The relationship between BA and AGB yielded a positive correlation for all the five sites of inland and coastal areas. The basic wood specific gravity of 41 tree species determined by oven-dry weight by volume, ranged from 0.46 to 0.92 g cm(-3) for inland sites and 0.47 to 0.89 g cm(-3) for the coastal sites. The AGB estimation obtained in this study represents a more realistic picture of biomass of tropical dry evergreen forests, because a relatively large area was sampled. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.