| |
Madeira and Macaronesia
Located in the North Atlantic, Macaronesia consists of five archipelagos, one of whose distinctive features lies in the persistence of species that are extinct on the continent. Madeira, for instance, has the largest remaining stretch of Laurisilva (laurel forest) in the world, an authentic relict of a European forest type that was widespread before the last ice age.
However, the high population density (400 inhab./km2) and the steepness of its hills force the inhabitants to exploit all the land available to the detriment of wooded areas. The coastal areas were overrun very early on by tourism because of the proximity of the continent. The equilibrium of the ecosystems has been severely tested and plant diversity is under threat.
>> The Juan Fernandez archipelago and Robinson Crusoe island
>> Hawaii and Polynesia
>> Réunion and the Mascarene Islands
>> Madeira and Macaronesia
|
|
