Despite being one of the smallest countries in Africa, Equatorial Guinea has one of the most diverse landscapes and greatest biodiversity in the continent. It is located in a region of high animal diversity, which includes 194 species of mammals, 418 birds and 91 reptiles.

In the Monte Alen National Park alone -a protected area covering 1400 sq km on the mainland – 105 mammal species have been registered, of which more than 16 kinds are primates (3800 gorillas and 1 600 chimpanzees).

The country is also home to 3,250 species of plant, some of them very unique in the African continent because of the tropical climate in the country. This is the case of the Ceiba Pentandra, a tropical tree which is also the national emblem of Equatorial Guinea. In total, forests cover 58.2% of land area (1,632,000 ha) in Equatorial Guinea, and outstanding land area for such a small state.

In order to protect all this natural beauty, in 2012 the government of Equatorial Guinea launched a campaign to preserve the natural resources of the country and protect endangered species. As a member of the Commission for the Conservation of Forest Ecosystems in Central Africa (COMIFAC), parts of Equatorial Guinea, including Monte Alen National Park (ECOFAC) have been declared forest reserves and biodiversity protection zones.

Equatorial Guinea has drastically reduced wood export and is keen to continue protecting its wild fauna from illegal hunting.

As part of the effort to preserve its ecosystems and biodiversity, Equatorial Guinea was recently welcomed as a member of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).

Under Equatorial Guinean law, all companies operating in the country must conduct their activities in a way that does not cause harm to the environment, with businesses encouraged to take an active role in conserving Equatorial Guinea’s natural beauty.