Rainforests
What is a rainforest?
The rainforests are precious ecosystems that are teeming with life.
A rainforest is a tall, dense forest that receives lots of rain every year. Rainforests are full of biodiversity, meaning there are lots of different species of plants and animals that live there.
There are two types of rainforests: tropical rainforests and temperate rainforests. There are many more tropical than temperate rainforests; when people talk about rainforests, they are usually referring to tropical rainforests.
Where are the tropical rainforests located?Tropical rainforests are found near the equator, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. These are invisible lines that go all the way around the Earth.
The largest tropical rainforests are in the Amazon River Basin (South America), the Congo River Basin of West Africa, and parts of southeast Asia.
Map showing the location of tropical rainforests across the world.