What is the name of the world’s largest intact tropical peatland forest complex?

The Cuvette Centrale is the world’s largest intact tropical peatland forest complex.

It lies in the central Congo Basin, mainly within the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. The region contains vast swamp forests growing over deep layers of waterlogged peat, which formed from partially decomposed plant material.

Peatlands store large amounts of carbon because saturated conditions slow decomposition. If drained, burned, or heavily disturbed, they can release substantial greenhouse gases. The Cuvette Centrale therefore has global importance beyond its biodiversity and local livelihoods.

The complex is often discussed alongside the Congo Basin rainforest, but the terms are not identical. The Congo Basin is a much broader rainforest region, while the Cuvette Centrale specifically refers to the central lowland area and its extensive peatlands. A 2017 study helped establish the scale and carbon significance of these forests.