Location and Climate

The land between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn is  home to the world’s tropical rainforests. With its average temperature between 20 to 25 degrees Centigrade and 2000 to 10,000 millimeters of rainfall per year (Rainforest Biome, pars. 1,2) it supplies the greatest amount of plant growth of all the biomes of Earth (Tropical Rainforest Overview, par. 1). Tropical rain forests are located closer to the equator then temperate rainforests (Rainforest Biome, par. 5). The Amazon hosts the world’s largest tropical rainforest. Twenty percent of plants and birds on Earth, and ten percent of mammal species can be discovered in the Amazon. Central America was once entirely covered with rainforests. Unfortunately, many acres of land have been cleared for commercial use. Africa has the title of the second largest rainforest, and includes high cloud forests. The rainforests of Australia are home to many unique animals found nowhere else. (Where are the Rainforests, pars. 2, 3, 4, 6).

National Geographic 9/15/2008

Data courtesy World Wildlife Fund

The yellow areas are the tropical rainforests.