Forests are a lifeline for planet Earth; as they cover over 30% of the global landmass, they are critical in supporting flora and fauna and providing all living beings including humans with oxygen and food. Here are some of the largest forests in the world. Amazon Rainforest It’s the largest and most biodiverse forest in the world with an area of 2,300,000 square miles. Given its size, Amazon is spread across Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Venezuela, and the Republic of Suriname. It houses 1 in 10 of the wildlife species known in the entire world but, is facing an unprecedented time due to rapid deforestation and wildfires. Congo Rainforest Congo rainforest at 1,400,000 square miles is a part of the larger African Congo Basin and runs through Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Congo rainforest has five UNESCO World Heritage Sites designated national parks and along with the Amazon, Rainforest is known as Earth’s second lung. New Guinea Rainforest This rainforest spreads across 303,500 square miles of vast mountainous landscapes and covers half of Congo country’s land area. The unique thing about the Congo rainforest is it is located on an island therefore, is home to some native and indigenous human tribes and animal species. And they have literally no human contact. Valdivian Temperate Rainforest This forest has a couple of unique attributes despite its substantial 95,800 square miles in size. The rainforest has one of the highest occurrences of pollination done by animals registered at any temperate biome. Secondly, 90% of the plant species within the Valdivian rainforest is either native or restricted to this exact area. Tongass National Forest It is the largest national forest in the USA, located in the South of Alaska and has a landmass of over 26,560 square miles. It has around a third of Earth’s old-growth temperate rainforests, which makes them exceptionally vital given its high amount of stored carbon and biomass. Bosawas Biosphere Reserve Situated in Nicaragua, this UNESCO recognized research is spread across 8500 square miles and is home to around 13% of the world’s known species. Furthermore, Bosawas Biosphere Reserve houses 20 unique indigenous human communities thatpreserve the natural habitat of the forest area and sustain them economically off the reserve. Apart from these, we also have the likes of Xishuangbanna Tropical Rainforest, Daintree Rainforest, Kinabalu National Park and Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve that preserves Earth’s biodiversity.
