Top 10 largest Mangrove Forests In The World

Top-Mangrove-Forests-In-the-World-List

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To begin with, what is the Mangrove forest? In general, various kinds of small and medium trees – especially in coastal saline or brackish water are defined as mangrove forests. According to statistics from 2000, the total mangrove forest in the world covers 137,800 square kilometers. It has covered about 118 countries and territories. This is a type of Coastal forest. To explain, the forest which is temporarily submerged in saltwater tidal waters; where the water rises during the tide and when the water flows down.

To clarify, why does mangrove forest matter, and what are its benefits? In particular, it is very important for the ecosystem. On the other hand, it protects the coastal area from severe storms or cyclones.  Another key point is that mangrove forest is the heaven of critical habitats for animals. Equally important is the storage area of a vast amount of carbon. At the same time, it prevents erosion from the coastal region. And it creates a lot of opportunities for livelihood. The warning for human beings is that the areas of mangrove forests are decreasing and we are also wasting resources. It is time to make people conscious with the necessary steps.

By all means, we will know about the top 10 mangrove forests in the world. The first thing to remember is that we have tried to mention the country-based largest mangrove forest in the world. If you need to add any other mangrove forest to the list, you are welcome in the comment section to increase collaboration.

Top 10 largest Mangrove forests in The World:

Let’s see the top 10 list of Mangrove Forrest in the world with some necessary information.

1. Sundarbans Mangrove

Sundarbans is the largest mangrove forest in the world. The total area is nearly 10,000 km2. In addition, it is at the side of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers in the Bay of Bengal. The area of Bangladesh part is 6,017 km2. The most plentiful of trees are Sundri and Gewa. At the same time, it is the home of the Royal Bengal Tigers. Notably, UNESCO has declared Sundarbans to be a world heritage site. A point often overlooked, the place is now very popular for ecotourism.

Attractive Places Near Sundarbans: Dublar Char, Hiron Point, Kuakata, Katka Sea Beach, Mandarbariya Sea Beach.

2. Pichavaram Mangrove Forest

Pichavaram is the second-largest Mangrove Forest in the world. It is located in Tamil Nadu, India. Generally, the total area of this forest is 2800 acres. A sand bar of the Bay Of Bengal has divided it. To emphasize, the forest is the home of water snakes, water dogs, foxes, turtles, prawns, crustaceans, oysters, and waterfowl. Identically, you will also find 200 species of birds. It is also the place of some rare species like Avicennia and Rhizophora.

Pichavaram Mangrove
Pichavaram Mangrove

3. Florida Mangroves

In the United States, Florida consists of the largest mangrove forest. It is nearly 2700 acres. To be sure, it is the most protected mangrove forest in the world. Any illegal destruction of the forests is extremely prohibited. Among 10 known mangrove species, the red, black and white mangroves are seen most. In the Florida mangroves, it consists of 220 fish and 181 bird species. Certainly, the animals, including bears, wildcats, pumas, and rats, are also safe here. It consists of 24 reptile and amphibian species, like alligators, crocodiles, and turtles.

See Also: Sajek Valley – Travel Guideline

Florida's Mangrove Forest
Florida’s Mangrove Forest

4. Bahia Mangroves

Bahia mangrove is located in Northeastern Brazil. It is figured as the South American Atlantic Forest biome. The area is nearly 2,100 square kilometers (800 square miles), including land-water area. The species of trees are mainly from Atlantic Ocean tropical mangrove species (Red, Black, and White Mangrove family). Even though the forest is currently facing a conservation threat. In the forest area, it prevails the tropical climate with heavy rainfall. Indeed, rare mammals are found here, including the maned three-toed sloth and golden-headed lion tamarin. The place is popular as a tourist destination as well.

Check Also: Sandwip Island – Travel Guideline

Bahia mangroves
Bahia mangroves

5. Godavari-Krishna Mangroves

Godavari-Krishna Mangrove is located in the Krishna–Gundur District in Andhra Pradesh. The total area of Mangroves in this forest is 194.81 sq. km. among 7000 km2 of the island.  It is a forest that is under threat of framing and seaside urbanization. The tree species consist of Avicennia marina, Suaeda spp., Rhizophora spp., and Bruguiera spp. Other coastal habitats include saltwater crocodiles, insects, mollusks, shrimp, crabs, and fish. It consists of 140 species of birds and some endangered including egrets and flamingoes.

Godavari-Krishna mangroves
Godavari-Krishna mangroves

Sell Also: Top Waterfalls in Bangladesh and In The World

6. Gulf of Panama Mangroves

Gulf of Panama mangroves is located at the side of the Bay of San Miguel on the Pacific coast of Panama, Colombia. Besides, the total area of this forest is 2,330 sq. km. (900 sq mi). It is generally a heavy rainfall area, though it prevails in the dry season from January to April. It is important to realize that deforestation and agriculture affect the mangrove area. Significantly, river erosion is increasing intensively. Not to mention, many families here depend on the income source of the mangroves. So, the coastal area’s natural behavior is decreasing daily.

Gulf of Panama mangroves
Gulf of Panama mangroves

Check Also: Maheshkhali Island – Complete Travel Guideline

7. Indus River Delta-Arabian Sea Mangroves

Indus River Delta is located at the shore of Indus River and the Arabian Sea. The mangrove flows from the Indo-Pacific region. This mangrove is the source of freshwater and the supply of oxygen, and numerous species of critical habitat live there. The area is nearly 2,200 square miles. The forest is rich with various fish, birds, and dolphins—for example, Giant Snakehead, Indus Baril, Indus Garua, and Rita catfish. Likewise, the dolphin is familiar with the freshwater dolphin and is mentioned as the Indus River dolphin (Platanista minor). In this area,  excessive use of insecticides for irrigation and dams in the river are making habitat life-critical.

Indus River Delta-Arabian Sea mangroves
Indus River Delta-Arabian Sea mangroves

8. Belizean Coast Mangroves

Belizean Coast Mangrove is located at Amatique Bay in Guatemala along with the cost of Belize. The total area is nearly 2850 km2. It is under the conservation of the World Wildlife Fund. The forest is a great shelter for some endangered species of fish and birds. Some habitats, including Egret,  Cattle Egret, and Boat-Billed Herons, live in these coastal mangroves. Burgers’ Zoo is the place of some endangered species, including anhinga, neotropical cormorants, and white ibis.

Read More: Ratargul Swamp Forest

Belizean Coast mangroves

9. Greater Antilles mangroves

Greater Antilles mangrove is located between Cuba proper and Isla de la Juventud. Isla de la Juventud is the second-largest island in Cuba and 7th largest in the West Indies. The total area of the island is 3,540.56 km2. The mangrove forest covers an area of 2,200 square miles. Markedly, it has the status of Critical/Endangered mangrove forest. The animal species in the forest consists of Cuban crocodile, Cuban Rock Iguana, Cuban hutias, etc. There are 4 types of tree species, including Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia Germinans, and Laguncularia racemosa. and Conocarpus erectus.

See Also: Malnicherra Tea Garden Estate Sylhet – A To Z Travel Guide

Greater Antilles mangroves
Greater Antilles mangroves

10. Manabi Mangroves

Manabi mangrove is located in Ecuador on the side of the Pacific coast. The area is nearly 1,000 km2. The mangrove forest is on the endangered list for shrimp firms and urbanization. Hopefully, illegal activities will be banned now. The Manabi Mangrove is on the shore of the Muisne River. Among the mangrove trees, it consists of Avicennia Germinans, Rhizophora mangle, and Rhizophora harrisonii. At the same time, it has some rare types of mangrove trees. It is the home of shrimp, numerous birds, and fish.

Read More: Tinap Saitar – Largest Waterfall – A To Z Guide

Manabi mangroves
Manabi mangroves

Some other Mangrove Forest List:

It is important to realize there are some other mangrove forests. You can get the complete list according to the region from here. Let’s point out some of the mangrove forest lists from other countries.

  • Check the travel guidelines on Tazing Dong – The largest Peak In Bangladesh.
Indochina mangroves
Indochina mangroves
  • Indochina mangroves
  • Myanmar coast mangroves
  • Sunda Shelf mangroves
  • Amapá mangroves
  • Esmeraldes-Pacific Colombia mangroves
  • Guianan mangroves
  • Maranhão mangroves
  • Northern Honduras mangroves
  • Pará mangroves
  • Mayan Corridor mangroves

Recommended: Top 15 Sea Beaches In Bangladesh You Shouldn’t Miss!

Final Thought:

With attention, the Mangrove forest maintains the proper balance of the ecosystem. On the other hand, it is a great place for fish production and reservation. Protecting coastal areas and preventing erosion or storms are safety measures for human beings. For this reason, we must work to preserve the mangrove forests. With this in mind, let’s start to enrich consciousness in all the places of the world. If the forest and nature grow accurately in the world, the human being can live well. So, it is not only our duty but also our responsibility.

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