Tropical forests are vital to global carbon and water cycles, yet the effects of climate change on these systems remain poorly understood due to limited long-term data. This study compiles 492 tropical tree-ring chronologies to assess their potential in reconstructing climate variability and understanding the climate sensitivity of woody productivity. The analysis reveals that while tree-ring studies have expanded rapidly, they remain biased toward high-elevation and drier regions, with significant gaps in wetter climates and among angiosperms. The strongest climate signals are found in cooler, drier sites. Species-distribution modeling identifies untapped regions for future research. These findings highlight the value of tropical dendrochronology in global change science, offering insights into climate extremes, vegetation dynamics, and model validation.