Locate on a map - Rainforests of the world
Geography Resource Description
The task of locating and labelling rainforests around the world is an educational activity that helps to highlight the distribution of these vital ecosystems. The Amazon rainforest, the most extensive tropical rainforest, is situated in South America, predominantly within Brazil but also spreading into several neighbouring countries. Madagascar, an island nation off the southeast coast of Africa, is home to its own unique rainforests, famed for their endemic species. The Congo River Basin, located in Central Africa, encompasses another significant tropical rainforest, second only to the Amazon in size. South East Asia includes a variety of rainforests spread across countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Lastly, Central America, a region connecting North and South America, features a chain of tropical rainforests across countries like Costa Rica and Panama.
Rainforests are created by a combination of warm temperatures and high rainfall, which result in lush, biodiverse environments. These conditions are typically found in equatorial regions, where the climate remains consistently humid and warm throughout the year, providing the perfect environment for a wide variety of plant and animal life. The world's most famous rainforests are located in these equatorial regions, with the Amazon, Congo, and Southeast Asian rainforests being some of the most well-known. They play a crucial role in global ecology, including carbon storage, climate regulation, and habitat provision for countless species, many of which are yet to be studied.