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Rainforest
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Ecuador: rainforest
Why are rainforests so important?
Which came first—the rain or the rainforest?
World map using color codes to show the distribution of tropical rainforests, dry or deciduous forests, and deforested areas in the early 21st century. Dense green highlights rainforests in regions like the Amazon Basin, Central Africa, Southeast Asia, and parts of Central America, while yellow and orange indicate dry forests and areas affected by deforestation.
The struggle to protect the Congo basin rainforest
temperate rainforest Illustration showing layers of a tropical rainforest, with tall trees forming a dense canopy above smaller trees and plants in the understory, highlighting the vertical structure of rainforest vegetation.
Glimpse the Amazon Rainforest's diverse wildlife, from anacondas and sloths to macaws and capybaras
Malaysia: rainforest Cameroon: rainforest
At a Glance
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rainforest summary
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Chutes d'Ekom - a waterfall on the Nkam river in the rainforest near Melong, in the western highlands of Cameroon in Africa.
Ecosystems
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Ecuador: rainforest
Ecuador: rainforest Rainforest vegetation grows along the northern coast of Ecuador.

Rainforest

ecosystem
Also known as: rain forest
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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Rainforest, luxuriant forest, generally composed of tall, broad-leaved trees and usually found in wet tropical uplands and lowlands around the Equator. A brief treatment of rainforests follows. For full treatment, see tropical forest. Rainforests usually occur in regions where there is a high annual rainfall of generally more than 1,800 mm (70 inches) and a hot and steamy climate. The trees found in these regions are evergreen. Rainforests may also be found in areas of...

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