Forest is the lungs of our planet. It is one of the most essential factors to live on this planet. Humans and animals all depend upon forests directly or indirectly for survival. Generally, the vast area of forest is covered with different kinds of plants and trees. Every forest has its unique biodiversity. It provides a huge variety of necessities for everyone. Besides, forests cover more than 30 percent of the world’s land area.
Discover the beauty of nature! Here’s a list of the top 10 largest forests in the world.
- Amazon RainForest
- Congo RainForest
- Valdivian Temperate Rainforest
- Tongass
- Xishuangbanna RainForest
- Sundarbans
- Daintree Forest
- Kinabalu National Park
- Mindo-Nambillo Cloud Forest
- Sinharaja Forest Reserve
1- Amazon Rainforest:
The Amazon is the largest rainforest and as well as the richest biological forest in the world. The Amazon is popularly known as Amazon Jungle or Amazonia. It is a tropical rainforest located in South America. The forest is spread in 9 locations that are Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana (France), Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. The forest has the largest and most unique kind of species. Almost 50% of the animals and plants depend on it for survival, and it’s home to more than 30 million people. Amazon Rainforest is also referred to as “Lungs of the Earth” because it’s the source of 20% of Earth’s oxygen.
Interesting Fact:
- Area: 2,100,000 square miles
- Inside the Amazon rainforest flows the world’s second-largest river, which is known as the “Amazon River”.
2- Congo Rainforest:
The Congo rainforest is the largest in Africa and the 2nd-largest forest in the world after the Amazon. The Congo rainforest is spread out over six countries including—Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. Congo is rich in biodiversity. There are almost 600 species of trees and 10,000 species of animals. The most famous inhabitants of Congo include forest elephants, gorillas, chimpanzees, okapi, and leopards. The Congo River that flows through the forest is the second-largest river in Africa. Congo is rich in natural resources including industrial diamonds, cobalt, and copper.
Interesting Facts:
- Area: 777,000 square miles
- The Congo’s forest holds around 8% of the world’s forest-based carbon.
3- Valdivian Temperate Rainforest:
The Valdivian temperate rainforest is located on the west coast of South America. It is the 3rd largest forest in the world that encompasses parts of Chile and Argentina. Southern Chile’s Founder was Pedro de Valdivia. The jungle is named after Valdivia. It is considered a biogeography Island. It includes a lot of exotic plants and animal species. The forest contains national parks, lakes, beaches, rivers, islands, and hiking trails. The vegetation of the forest includes evergreen trees and the endemic Monkey Puzzle Tree, as well as understory vegetation such as bamboo and massive ferns.
Interesting Facts:
- Area: 95,800 square miles.
- The woodpecker is found in the Valdivian Temperate Rainforest, which is South America’s largest woodpecker, called the Magellanic woodpecker.
4- Tongass:
The Tongass forest is located in Alaska and is the largest national forest in the United States. Tongass is a treasure trove of natural resources. The glacier is the most attractive part of the forest. Nearly 50% of the Tongass region is comprised of ice, water bodies, wetlands, and rocky terrain. Approximately 25% of the old-growth trees in Tongass National Forest are protected from logging by the Forest Service. Old-growth trees produce a lot of oxygen and food. Tongass is rich in wildlife including Brown bears, moose, porpoises, humpback whales, mountain goats, killer whales, sea otters, hair seals, black bears, and wolves. Besides, bald eagles are more commonly found in this region of the world. Tongass is a fascinating place to visit. It has various activities to do including camping, hiking, boating, and fishing.
Interesting Facts:
- Area: 26,100 square miles
- Approx, every year one million people visit Tongass National Forest. Through cruise ships, most tourists visit the park.
5- Xishuangbanna RainForest:
Xishuangbanna Rainforest is situated in the southwest part of Yunnan Province in Southern China. It is the 5th largest forest in the world and the most comprehensive tropical forest in China. It has a very humid climate. Likewise, it contains the richest biodiversity in China. It’s home to many animals including birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Endangered species of animals are also found in the forest such as Indo-Chinese tigers, Asian elephants, and gibbons. Tropical vegetation is abundant in this rainforest. It contains 16% of the total plant diversity of China, including more than 5,000 species of vascular plants.
Interesting Facts:
- Area: 7,422 square miles
- Xishuangbanna Rainforest is the second biggest producing place of rubber.
6- Sundarbans:
The Sundarbans forest is the 6th largest forest in the world and lies between Bangladesh and India. The forest is rich in natural beauty. Meandering streams, estuaries, and the many unique animals, trees, and a lot of attractive views, take four moons to its beauty. The forest includes 290 species of birds, 120 species of fish, 42 mammal species, 35 species of reptiles, and eight amphibian species. The region has numerous endangered species including Bengal Tiger, Ganges and Irawadi dolphins, estuarine crocodiles, and snakes. The main rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra, Padma, and Meghna fall in the Bay of Bengal through the Sundarbans.
Interesting Facts:
- Area: 3,900square miles
- The name Sundarbans is to be derived from sundri or Sundari (Heritiera fomes), the name of the large mangrove trees that are most plentiful in the area.
7- Daintree Forest:
The Daintree Rainforest is situated in Tropical North Queensland, Australia. The Daintree is included in the world’s oldest rainforest which is over 135 million years old. The Daintree Rainforest is also famous for its biodiversity. It has inhabitants such as various venomous snakes, insects, lizards, colorful birds, beautiful Butterflies, frogs, mammals, and many reptiles. Listed as a world heritage site, the Daintree Rainforest is also known for its beautiful lush canopy and vines, fast-flowing streams, attractive waterfall, forest-clad mountains, and stunning valleys. It attracts people globally. It is a wonderful place to visit and a larger number of visitors visit the Daintree Rainforest every year.
Interesting Facts:
- Area: 460 square miles
- The Daintree Rainforest is named after Richard Daintree who was an Australian photographer and Geologist.
8- Kinabalu National Park:
Kinabalu National Park is located in the Malaysian State of Sabah, on the northern end of the island of Borneo. It is famous for its attractive mountain. Mount Kinabalu is one of the world’s youngest and most charming non-volcanic mountains. The park features more than 4500 species of flora and fauna, some of which are rare and endemic to the area, including 326 birds about 100 mammal species, and over 110 species of land snails. The park has over 5,000 vascular species of plants, including Rhododendron, orchid fern, and Rafflesia. Most mammal species are rarely seen. These include the orangutan and Bornean gibbons. However, Two exceptional avian species, namely the Kinabalu mountain blackbird and the Kinabalu friendly warbler, showcase an exclusive presence unfound anywhere else across the globe.
Interesting Facts:
- Area: 291 square miles
- The Kinabalu National Park was established in 1964. It is Malaysia’s first world heritage site. Designated by UNESCO for its “outstanding universal values in December 2000 (rich in biodiversity).
9- Mindo-Nambillo Cloud Forest:
The Mindo Cloud Forest is a unique ecosystem in Ecuador famous for its biodiversity and birding worldwide. It is home to over 1,600 species of wildlife including butterflies, frogs, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and other animals, Moreover, it is home to about 450 different species of birds. Besides that, Mindo Cloud Forest is also popular for tourism all around the world. There are lots of activities in Mindo, such as trekking, bird watching, canopying, hiking, swimming, rafting, and taking a plunge under some of the most amazing waterfalls.
Interesting Facts:
- Area: 74 square miles
- There are around 1000 species of butterflies found in Mindo and the opportunity to see all 4 stages of the butterfly life cycle.
10- Sinharaja Forest Reserve:
Sinharaja Forest is a world heritage site. It is located in southwest Sri Lanka. Sinharaja Forest is rich in biodiversity. There are several endemic species of plants and animals in the forest. It is home to more than 50% of Sri Lanka’s endemic species including mammals, butterflies, insects, reptiles, and rare amphibians. Sinharaja Forest hosts a variety of birds. It is home to 95% indigenous bird species including the red-faced malkoha and the Sri Lanka blue magpie. It is home to more than 50% of Sri Lanka’s endemic species of mammals, butterflies, insects, reptiles, and rare amphibians. Sinharaja is one of the most popular wildlife tourist destinations in Sri Lanka.
Interesting Facts:
- Area: 34 square miles
- The name comes from two words, “Sinha” meaning lion, and “raja” meaning King, which means “lion kingdom” The popular folk it that the legendary lion lived in the forest and protected forest.
Conclusion:
The forest is home to millions of species of plants and animals. It’s a natural climate solution. The future of forests is in danger. We can’t ignore the devastating consequences of deforestation and global warming. Without Forests, global warming and other environmental issues will only worsen. We must take action now to save our forests – plant more trees, reduce deforestation, and invest in green energy sources.