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The Location of the World's Forests

Tropical forests are found between the Tropics of Cancer and the tropic of Capricorn.  Within these two lines of Latitude are found the Amazon forest in South America, Western central Africa, Indonesia and Northern Australia.  They are exposed to average temperatures of 30°C which vary little and it rains a lot (over 2000mm per year).

Taiga (temperate coniferous forests) are found in a wide band between 50°N and the Arctic circle.  They stretch across Canada, northern Europe (Scandinavia) and the Russian area of Siberia.  There are no coniferous forests in the Southern hemisphere because of the lack of land at that latitude. These forests are adapted to cold temperatures.

Temperate Deciduous forests are found between 30°N and 60°N of the Equator in Europe, Asia and North America.  They are adapted to areas with a small temperature range, and reliable rainfall.  They do not occur in continental areas of Europe because it gets too cold in winter.