Where are TRopical RAINFORESTS found?
Tropical rainforests are found in a band around the equator. Temperatures at and around the equator are high, which cause an increase in the evaporation of water. This results in frequent rain in forested areas in the tropics. This band around the equator is located mostly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. This 4800 km wide band is commonly referred to as the “tropics”. Tropical rainforests are found in South and Central America, Africa, Oceania (or the islands around Australia), and in Asia. They cover only 7% of the Earth’s surface. The most substantial rainforests are found in the Amazon River Basin (in South America), the Congo River Basin (in western Africa), as well as throughout much of southeast Asia. Many other more minimal rainforests are located in Central America, Madagascar, Australia and Oceania, India, and several other locations in the tropics.