Beneath the swamp forests of the central Congo Basin, in the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, lies the largest tropical peatland complex in the world, often called the Cuvette Centrale.
Researchers mapping it in a study published in Nature in 2017 estimated that it covers about 145,500 km² and stores roughly 30 billion tonnes of carbon, about as much as all the trees of the Congo Basin’s forests hold above ground. The peat began forming about 10,600 years ago.
Because so much carbon is locked in the waterlogged soil, keeping these peatlands wet and intact matters for the climate of the whole planet.
Traditional uses of plants and animals are recorded as cultural knowledge and credited to the communities who hold it. They are not medical advice. Never use a plant to treat illness without a qualified health professional.
Sources
Dargie, G. C., Lewis, S. L., Lawson, I. T., Mitchard, E. T. A. and others. Age, extent and carbon storage of the central Congo Basin peatland complex. Nature, 11 January 2017. doi.org/10.1038/nature21048
Sources checked on October 25, 2026. The summary is written by CCAF; see the sources for full details.
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