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Rainforests are forests characterized by high and continuous rainfall, with annual rainfall in the case of tropical rainforests between 2. 5 and 4. 5 metres (98 and 177 in) and definitions varying by region for temperate rainforests. The monsoon trough, alternatively known as the intertropical convergence zone, plays a significant role in creating the climatic conditions necessary for the Earth's tropical rainforests: which are distinct from monsoonal areas of seasonal tropical forest.

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