Africa is often portrayed as a continent largely covered by dense “jungle,” simplifying its vast geography. Africa encompasses a wide array of ecosystems, from expansive deserts to towering mountain ranges and sprawling savannas. Tropical rainforests constitute only one component of this rich tapestry. Their true distribution reveals a continent of remarkable ecological complexity.
Africa’s Rainforests
African “jungles” are tropical rainforests, characterized by high rainfall, warm temperatures, and dense vegetation. They cover a more limited area than often assumed. Approximately 8% to 10% of Africa’s total landmass is covered by tropical rainforests, primarily concentrated in specific regions.
The largest rainforest is the Congo Basin, spanning the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, and Equatorial Guinea. This basin holds the second-largest tropical rainforest globally, after the Amazon. Its dense canopy supports extraordinary biodiversity, housing countless unique species. The climate is consistently humid, receiving 1,500 to 3,000 millimeters (60 to 120 inches) of rain annually.
Smaller tropical rainforests are also found along the West African coast, including Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Liberia. These coastal forests share the high rainfall and warm conditions characteristic of their larger counterparts. Their intricate tree networks create unique microclimates sustaining diverse life.
The Diverse Landscapes of Africa
Africa’s ecological diversity extends beyond its rainforests, encompassing a mosaic of biomes. The most extensive are savannas, covering roughly 40% of the continent’s land. These vast grasslands, interspersed with scattered trees, support large populations of grazing animals and their predators.
Savannas are prevalent across East, Central, and Southern Africa, characterized by distinct wet and dry seasons. This seasonal rainfall pattern dictates vegetation growth cycles and wildlife migratory patterns. Iconic examples include the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Maasai Mara in Kenya.
Deserts also dominate the African landscape, notably the Sahara Desert in the north, the largest hot desert globally. This arid region stretches across multiple countries, with extreme temperatures, minimal rainfall, and vast sand dunes. In southern Africa, the Kalahari Desert is a semi-arid sandy savanna. The Namib Desert, along the southwestern coast, is one of the oldest and driest deserts, known for its towering sand dunes.
Africa also features temperate and Mediterranean climates in its northern and southern regions. The northern Mediterranean coast and South Africa’s Cape region experience mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers, supporting unique flora. High mountain ranges, like the Atlas Mountains and Mount Kilimanjaro, add ecological diversity with distinct altitudinal vegetation zones. These varied landscapes demonstrate Africa’s immense ecological breadth, with rainforests being just one of its many unique natural environments.