A rainforest is a thick forest that receives a lot of rain each year and is home to a huge variety of plants and animals. Many rainforests are warm and near the equator, but some are cooler and closer to the poles.
The word is a modern compound of “rain” and “forest,” used widely from the mid‑20th century as scientists and the public focused on these ecosystems. It highlights heavy rainfall as a defining feature of these forests.
Rainforests cover only a small part of Earth’s surface but hold more than half of all known plant and animal species. The air above them is so full of moisture that the forests actually help create their own rain, recycling water through the atmosphere.
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