> While the largest tropical rainforest is in Brazil, where is the second largest?And the answer: Democratic Republic of the Congo.The Congo Basin in Central Africa has the second largest rainforest in theworld, covering an area about the size of Mexico. Centered around the CongoRiver [https://www.askqotd.com/the-congo-river/], the area is home to mountaingorillas, chimpanzees, and forest elephants.Photo credit: Thomas Breuer.The Congo Basin is one of the most importantwildlife regions in the world. At 500 million acres (larger than the state ofAlaska), this spectacular rainforest hosts life of all kinds as a vitalecosystem on our planet. The Congo Basin sprawls across 6 countries: Cameroon,Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of theCongo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon. In it are thousands of species, many whichare native to this rainforest alone.Image credit: WorldAtlas.com.More specifically, there are around 10,000 nativeplant species in the Congo Basin, 30% of which are unique to the region. Fourhundred species of mammals, 1,000 species of birds, and 700 species of fish callthe Congo Basin home. The Congo Basin is the only place to shelter all threesubspecies of gorilla: the lowland gorilla, the endemic eastern lowland gorilla,and the endangered mountain gorilla.For over 50,000 years, native peoples have interacted with this ecosystem forthe food, medicine, and supplies they need without disturbing the naturalenvironment. Nearly 150 ethnic groups call the Congo Basin home, with the Ba'Akapeople as representatives of a sustainable hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Learn more about the Congo Basin below.