What Is the Latitude and Longitude of the Tropical Rainforest?
The tropical rainforests are found at various longitudes and in the 3,000 mile band between the latitudes 23.5 degrees north and 23.5 degrees south. The line at 23.5 degrees north is known as the Tropic of Cancer, while 23.5 degrees south is called the Tropic of Capricorn; the area between these lines typically experiences a consistent tropical climate due to sun’s location high in the sky. The largest rainforests are found in South America, west Africa and southeast Asia.
Tropical rainforests are found on only 7 percent of the Earth’s surface. They are categorized by their year-round warm temperatures and high levels of precipitation. Tropical rainforests have only two main seasons: the dry season and the wet season. The average temperature in a tropical rainforest is 64 degrees Fahrenheit and the area receives around 100 inches of rain each year. This climate encourages a region with a complex structure and diverse number of species.
The largest rainforests are the Amazon River Basin, located in the northern part of South America, and the Congo River Basin, located on the west coast of central Africa. These rainforests can be found along the Equator at 0 degrees latitude. Smaller tropical rainforests are located in Madagascar, Central America, Australia and the Pacific islands.
