The Congo Rainforest: Africa's Largest, Earth's Second-Largest Tropical Forest

The Congo Rainforest spans ~2 million km² (770,000 mi²) across the Congo Basin—second only to the Amazon globally.

Countries It Covers

• Democratic Republic of the Congo (60%)
• Republic of the Congo
• Gabon
• Cameroon
• Central African Republic
• Equatorial Guinea

Biodiversity Superlatives

• 10,000+ plant species (30% endemic).
• 400+ mammal species: forest elephants, lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos (only here), okapi, bongo, pangolins.
• 1,000+ bird species: Congo peafowl, African grey parrot.
• 700+ fish species in Congo River system.

Human Dimension

• Indigenous peoples: Mbuti, Baka, Twa ("Pygmy" groups)—hunter-gatherers with deep ecological knowledge.
• Bantu farmers: Millions in forest-savanna mosaic.
• Threats: Logging, mining, oil palm, bushmeat trade, infrastructure, climate change.

Conservation

Key parks: Salonga, Virunga, Kahuzi-Biega, Nouabalé-Ndoki, Odzala-Kokoua. REDD+ projects, community forests, and cross-border initiatives (TRIDOM, Sangha Tri-National) aim to balance protection and livelihoods.

The Congo Rainforest is a planetary climate regulator—its preservation is non-negotiable for global carbon and biodiversity goals.