Recognizing that sound information is vital to the progress of conservation, IUCN have gathered together a visual portfolio of maps of rain forests in Africa. The accompanying text analyzes the extent and causes of deforestation and points a way towards sustainable forest development. The atlas is divided into two parts. Part 1 describes the issues: history of forests and climate in tropical Africa; biological diversity in the moist forests of the Afrotropical region; case studies in conserving large mammals; forest peoples; links between population, environment and agriculture; African timber trade; forest management; protected areas system; and the future for Africa's tropical forests. Part 2 contains the country studies with each chapter including a detailed map of the rain forests. The accompanying text describes in detail the current situation in that country.