Ecosystems

Savannah

Savannah biome

The savannah in the world

Tropical forests, or rainforests, occupy the so-called inter-tropical area of the planet, that is the area between the Tropic of the Cancer and that of the Tropic of the Capricorn. Large rainforests are mainly in Latin America (Amazonia) where they are called selva, in Africa (Congo, Cameroon, Madagascar, etc.), in the Indo-Malay area (Philippines, Indonesia, etc.) where they are called "jungle" (from the Sanskrit jangala) and in the Australian area (Australia, New Guinea); altogether, they cover 10% of the lands above sea level. Among these, the Amazonian forest makes up approximately one third of all the tropical forests and is the greatest freshwater reserve on earth.