There are 17 megadiverse countries: Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, China, Mexico, Peru, India, Ecuador, Venezuela, Australia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, the United States, Madagascar, Malaysia, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. Together they hold roughly 70% of Earth's species on less than 10% of its land surface.
Introduction
The term "megadiverse country" was popularized by Conservation International in 1998 to identify the small group of nations that harbor the majority of the planet's biological diversity. To qualify, a country generally must have at least 5,000 endemic plant species (species found nowhere else) and border a marine ecosystem.
Most megadiverse countries lie in or near the tropics, where warm climates and complex habitats such as rainforests and coral reefs support extraordinary numbers of species. Protecting these 17 nations is central to any global strategy to slow biodiversity loss.
The 17 Megadiverse Countries
The Americas
- Brazil: The most biodiverse country on Earth, home to about 60% of the Amazon rainforest plus the Cerrado and Pantanal wetlands. It hosts more species of plants, freshwater fish and mammals than any other nation.
- Colombia: The world leader in bird species, with over 1,900, and the richest country for orchids. Its position spanning the Andes, Amazon and two ocean coasts packs in exceptional diversity.
- Mexico: A crossroads of North and Central American ecosystems, exceptionally rich in reptiles and pine species. Its deserts, cloud forests and coasts each host distinct communities.
- Peru: Combines Amazon rainforest, high Andes and Pacific coast, with famous biodiversity hotspots such as Manu National Park.
- Ecuador: Tiny in size but astonishingly rich, thanks to the Andes, Amazon basin and the unique Galapagos Islands that inspired Darwin.
- Venezuela: Spans the Andes, Amazon, Caribbean coast and the ancient tabletop mountains (tepuis) of the Guiana Highlands.
- United States: The most biodiverse temperate nation, with immense variety from Hawaiian islands to Appalachian forests and a global hotspot for freshwater mussels and salamanders.
Asia and Oceania
- Indonesia: An archipelago of over 17,000 islands straddling the Wallace Line, richest on Earth for mammals and second only to Brazil overall.
- China: Ranges from tropical rainforest to Tibetan plateau, home to iconic endemics such as the giant panda and thousands of unique plants.
- India: Encompasses the Western Ghats and eastern Himalayas, both global biodiversity hotspots, and famous megafauna including tigers and Asian elephants.
- Australia: Renowned for extreme endemism, with most of its mammals (marsupials such as kangaroos and koalas), plants and reptiles found nowhere else.
- Malaysia: Contains some of the oldest rainforests in the world on the Malay Peninsula and Borneo, home to orangutans and the giant Rafflesia flower.
- Philippines: An island nation with extraordinary endemism and a hotspot for coral reef biodiversity within the Coral Triangle.
- Papua New Guinea: Holds a huge share of New Guinea's rainforests, famed for birds of paradise and countless species still being described.
Africa
- Democratic Republic of the Congo: Home to the vast Congo Basin rainforest, the world's second-largest, and great apes including bonobos found only there.
- South Africa: Contains the Cape Floristic Region, one of the planet's richest and most distinctive plant kingdoms.
- Madagascar: An island evolutionary laboratory where about 90% of wildlife, including all lemurs, is found nowhere else on Earth.
Why the Concept Matters
The megadiverse group underpins the Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries alliance, formed in 2002, which coordinates positions on conservation and the fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources. Some sources list 18 countries by adding Papua New Guinea alongside a slightly different set, but Conservation International's widely cited figure is 17.
These nations face intense pressure from deforestation, mining, agriculture and climate change. Because so much of Earth's life is concentrated within their borders, their conservation choices carry outsized consequences for the entire planet's biodiversity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many megadiverse countries are there?
Conservation International identifies 17 megadiverse countries. A few sources cite 18 by including a slightly different set, but 17 is the standard figure. Together they contain roughly 70% of the planet's species.
Which is the most biodiverse country?
Brazil is the most biodiverse country on Earth, largely because it contains most of the Amazon rainforest. It leads the world in numbers of plant, freshwater fish and mammal species.
What makes a country megadiverse?
A country generally qualifies as megadiverse if it has at least 5,000 endemic plant species and borders a marine ecosystem. Most lie in tropical regions where rainforests and reefs support exceptional species richness.