Mangroves Forest Extent - Total Area

Mangroves are commonly found along sheltered coastlines in the tropics and subtropics where they fulfil important socio-economic and environmental functions. These include the provision of a large variety of wood and non-wood forest products; coastal protection against the effects of wind, waves and water currents; conservation of biological diversity, including a number of endangered mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds; protection of coral reefs, sea-grass beds and shipping lanes against siltation; and provision of habitat, spawning grounds and nutrients for a variety of fish and shellfish, including many commercial species. Mangrove trees and shrubs, including ferns and palms, are found along river banks and coastlines in tropical and subtropical countries. Their main characteristic is that they can tolerate salt and brackish water environments. Globally, there are seventy known species of mangroves.