Rainforest of Xishuangbanna

The Rainforest of Xishuangbanna in the Yunnan Province of China is one of the largest forests in Asia at 19,223 km2 (7,422 sq mi).[1]

Rainforest of Xishuangbanna
Map showing the location of Rainforest of Xishuangbanna
Map showing the location of Rainforest of Xishuangbanna
LocationYunnan Province, China
Coordinates22°01′38″N 100°52′31″E / 22.02710°N 100.8754°E / 22.02710; 100.8754
Area19,223 km2 (7,422 sq mi)

In recent years the region has been opened up to use in a large scale and the primary forests, especially rainforests, have been severely destroyed.[1]

Biodiversity

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Xishuangbanna is included in the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots and contains over 5,000 species of vascular plants, comprising 16% of China’s total plant diversity.[2]

This rainforest entails also a very diverse fauna of birds, mammals, and reptiles, and amphibians, which represent 36%, 21%, and 14% of China’s biodiversity, respectively.[2]

Among others, the area gives home to Asian elephants, Indo-Chinese tigers, and green peacocks.[3]

Vegetation types

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The tropical rainforest of Xishuangbanna can be divided into two vegetation subtypes pertaining to tropical rainforest vegetation, the tropical seasonal rainforest and the tropical montane rainforest.[1]

References

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