Contributing largely to the green carpet of our planet earth, forests are the primary reason of our existence and life. They add the much needed freshness to our planet and our lives. From producing oxygen that we need for existence to being the home to innumerable animals and species, forests contribute a lot more than we can even imagine. They are the reason behind a balanced eco-system and animal population. However, despite of their importance, we don’t know much about forests and their facts. For instance, do you know the names of the world’s 5 largest forests or the fact that there are over 154 distinct bird species inhabiting in the Sinharaja Forest of Sri Lanka itself?
So, here is a list of the world’s deepest and largest forests and a few interesting facts about them that will peak your interest in them.
AMAZON RAINFOREST
Location: South America
Size: 2,300,000 square miles
Type: Broadleaf Rainforest
The largest forest in the whole world, Amazon is considered and acknowledged as the world’s most important forest for maintaining a balance in the Earth’s climatic system. This amazing broadleaf forest is home to some of the world’s most endangered species of animals and plants, including the Capybara (world’s largest rodent) and the Amazon River Dolphins.
Fact: The Sahara Desert of Africa and the Amazon Rainforest has an unexpected bond with each other. The dust from the Sahara desert blows over the Atlantic Ocean and later deposit in the Amazon forest providing minerals for its local flora.
CONGO RAINFOREST
Location: Africa
Size: 781,249 square miles
Type: Tropical Rainforest
Considered as the biodiversity hotspot, the Congo Rainforest is home to more than 6,000 species of exotic trees and almost 10,000 different varieties of animals. This wide spectrum of species plays one of the most integral parts in balancing and controlling the forest’s vegetation and development.
Fact: Despite the battle for preserving the forest continues, the existence of the forest is under threat due to wood trade, mining, over-hunting, local violence, etc.
VALDIVIAN TEMPERATE RAINFOREST
Location: South America
Size: 95,800 square miles
Type: Temperate Rainforest
Yet another beautiful forest located in South America, the most unique thing about the Valdivian forest is that it also comprises of a glacier on the Andean Mountains. This huge difference in its altitude gives way to biodiversity, allowing the forest to be home evergreen trees as well as the undergrowing vegetation like ferns and bamboo trees.
Fact: It is home to the world’s smallest deer (Southern Pudú) and the smallest cat (Kodkod).
TONGASS TEMPERATE RAINFOREST
Location: North America
Size: 26,278 square miles
Type: Temperate Rainforest
America’s largest National Forest, the Tongass Rainforest covers most of Southeastern Alaska and is a true wonder. However, the size of the forest has been steadily decreasing due to de-forestation and logging for harvesting consumable products and this has been interfering with the forest’s natural landscape.
Fact: The rainforest exists with the tundras (cold desert) and are not known by a lot of people across the world.
SUNDARBANS
Location: Asia and India
Size: 3,861 square miles
Type: Mangrove Halophytic Rainforest
The massive Sundarban forest is located at the delta region of river basins of Brahmaputra, Meghna and Padma, in the coastal area of Bay of Bengal. The forest is highly prioritized and considered a conservation area for its incomparable biodiversity and is constantly evolving due to the changing climate, coastal winds, sedimentary deposits, erosion, etc. The forest is home to some of the most endangered species in the world such as the Bengal tiger, Indian Python and the Estaurine crocodile.
Fact: The forest is famous for its wide stretch of mangroves.
