The geography of rain forests varies, depending upon location, and includes landforms, elevation, soil, and water resources.

Landforms

The terrain over which lowland forests grow features valleys, rolling hills, old river basins, and level areas. Montane forests develop in mountainous regions, as do cloud forests. Tropical mountains tend to be volcanic in origin, and their slopes are often gentle rather than steep and craggy (rugged and uneven).

Elevation

Rain forests grow at almost all elevations. Cloud forests, for example, form at more than 10,500 feet (3,200 meters) above sea level (the average level of the surface of the sea). However, the greatest share of rain forested area exists at elevations lower than 3,000 feet (914 meters).

Soil

Rain forest soils tend to be deep, red in color, and low in nutrients because the vast number of plants quickly absorb its valuable minerals. The most fertile soil...