Peru has the second-largest area of the Amazonian forest in the world, the fourth largest
area of tropical forest and the ninth highest cover of forest in general. This article looks at forests in the South American country on the occasion of World Environment Day.
Peru is a country of forests, given that over 60% of its territory is covered by trees of different species. Besides, the
Amazon region has the highest cover of forest.
The diversity also goes from forests receiving 250 mm of rain a year to those receiving 10,000 mm in the same period, as well as from forests at 5,000 m above sea level to others situated in depressions below sea level.
Importance of forests
Forests provide food, natural medicines, and are home to many endemic animal and plant species that only exist in Peru.
In addition, they purify the air and help regulate the presence of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere so as to keep the surface of the earth at a temperature that allows life to exist.
Forest types
Due to their characteristics, forests in Peru are classified as follows: montane cloud forest, high-Andean forest, coastal dry forest, premontane wet forest, inter-Andean forest, western montane forest, and low jungle forest.
(END) LZD/MAO/RMB/MVB
Published: 6/5/2020