Rainforest Concern Facts

For a downloadable booklet of rainforest facts and other materials for use in the classroom, please go to Resources for Schools Tropical rainforests - where and what are they? Tropical rainforests are found across the world between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer, 22.5° North and 22.5° South of the Equator. Almost half of the remaining tropical rainforest is found in tropical America, a bit more than a third in Asia and Oceania, and fifteen percent in Africa. Tropical rainforests cover approximately 8% of the world’s land surface - an area of approximately 1.2 billion hectares - and yet contain over half of the earth’s species of animals and plants. The LAYERS OF THE RAINFOREST The rainforest is divided into four main layers: the emergent layer consists of the tallest trees (emergent trees) which can grow to heights of 70m.

NASA: Earth Observatory Temperature 20°C to 25°C, must remain warm and frost-free Precipitation 2,000 to 10,000 millimeters of rain per year Vegetation Vines, palm trees, orchids, ferns Location Between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn Other There are two types of rainforests, tropical and temperate. Example: Campa Pita, Belize Description There are two types of rainforests, tropical and temperate. The tropical rainforest is a hot, moist biome where it rains all year long.