Missing the green cover
They are among the most important ecosystems in the world, as they hold a diverse range of species — both plants and animals — and are also crucial in maintaining the water cycle. Yes, we are talking about forests.
What constitutes a forest? According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, any area of land over 0.005 sq.km. that is covered by trees that rise upto a height of at least five metres can be called a forest. If we go by this definition, Europe has the most forest cover and Asia the least. Strange, isn’t it? That the second-smallest continent has the most forests and the world’s largest continent has the least?
Today, there is much talk about the need to increase forest cover to fight climate change. But did you even think there could be places that do not have forests? Well, it’s true. There are some countries that don’t have any forests. One reason is that many are situated in desert regions and, therefore, tree cover is not possible. In a few cases, the countries are so small and so densely populated that there is no space for trees or forests. Here are the names of nine countries that have 0% forest cover. Can you find the names in the grid?