20+ Differences Between Forest And Jungle (Explained)

Forest and Jungle are two terms that sound like synonyms and are used interchangeably. But is that so? The answer is no.

Forest and Jungle are two different terms with major differences. The differences lie in their areas, flora and fauna, and denseness. Forests are less densely located in large areas with big trees.

At the same time, Jungles are densely located in small areas with a variety of flora and fauna. 

Comparison between Forest And Jungle

Parameter	Forests	Jungles
Area	Forests occupy a large chunk of the area.	Jungles occupy a smaller area.
Types	Forests are of three types. These are temperate forests, tropical forests, and boreal forests.	Jungle has no type.
Density	Forests are moderately low dense.	Jungles are highly dense.
Country	Countries rich in forests are Suriname, Guyana, Gabon, Solomon Islands, etc.	Jungles are located on the outskirts of Forests.
Penetrability	Forests are easier to penetrate.	Jungles are difficult to penetrate.

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Major Differences Between Forests And Jungles

What exactly is a Forest?

A Forest is a large piece of land covered with big trees and woody vegetation. Earth’s 31% area is covered with Forests. Since Forests are less dense than Jungles, it is easy to penetrate through them.

Forests are much more than “just an area covered with trees.” Forests are the natural hub of medicines, paper, and wood. Not only limited to this, but Forests are also responsible for generating rainfall and consuming carbon dioxide. 

Some of the most popular Forests around the world are Amazon Rainforest (Latin America), Trossachs National Park (Scotland), Daintree Rainforest (Australia), Monteverde Cloud Forest (Costa Rica), Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda), Arashiyama Bamboo Grove (Japan).

What exactly is a Jungle?

A jungle is a smaller area covered with dense flora with micro species. Around 6% of Earth’s area is covered with Jungles. The presence of dense flora makes it impossible to penetrate through a jungle.

Unlike Forests, Jungles do not particularly have any type, but they can be referred to as a type of rainforest. Jungles also contribute to the production of medicines, paper, and rainfalls.

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Contrast Between Forest And Jungle

Origin Of The Word

• Forest: The word Forest originated from the Late Latin word “forestis silva” meaning “wood outside .” “Forestis silva” originated from the Latin word “foris,” meaning “outside.” 

• Jungle: The word Jungle originated from the Sanskrit word “jangala” meaning “rough and arid.” 

Time Origin Of The Word

• Forest: 1200s. 

• Jungle: Late 18th century. 

Area

• Forest – Forests occupy more area than Jungles.

• Jungle – Jungles occupy lesser areas than Forests. 

Density

• Forest – Forests are dense. 

• Jungle – Jungles are denser. 

Flora

• Forest: The flora found in Forests are usually taller as compared to flora found in Jungles. The main examples of Flora found in Forests are evergreen trees, bamboos, ferns, shrubs, etc. 

• Jungle: The flora found in Jungles are usually tangled vegetation such as mosses, algae, fungi, banana trees, orchids, grasses, lichens, etc. 

Fauna

• Forest: A Forest is a home to big animals due to its lesser density, such as elephants, tigers, pandas, kangaroos, squirrels, foxes, wolves, wild cats, giraffes, gorillas, etc. 

• Jungle: Due to its dense vegetation, a Jungle is mainly home to microspecies such as frogs, sloths, monkeys, eagles, owls, beetles, green anaconda, spiders, lizards, mice, snails, rabbits, etc. 

Human Penetration For Adventure

• Forest: National parks and wildlife sanctuaries are a type of forest that is open for human travel as they are easier to explore because of the presence of less density. 

• Jungle: Jungles, on the other hand, are not open for human adventure as they are dense due to the presence of tangled flora. 

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Conclusion

The words Forest and Jungle may sound synonyms but are very different in nature. Jungles are a part of Forests. Because of their densely populated vegetation, jungles are responsible for stopping floods and landscapes from entering the forests.

Jungles are located on the outskirts of Forests like a boundary. Jungles are home to micro species. Forests are sparsely populated with flora and fauna, and this makes penetration easy.

Forests, but penetration is very difficult in the case of Jungles because of their tangled vegetation. Both the Forests and Jungles are home to billions of species and are responsible for balancing climate change. 

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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