Most of the world’s chimpanzees live in the broad band of rainforest that stretches across equatorial Africa, from the west coast to the western borders of Tanzania and Uganda.
Forests and Forest Edges
Some of the grasslands just east of the great rainforest also support chimpanzees, but only where they contain islands of trees or lie close to the forest edge.
The hill forests of the Albertine Rift are home to common chimpanzees, as the mountains and green forest give them plenty of food and shelter. The forests of the Congo River basin, rich in life thanks to the nearby water, are another place where chimpanzees live. This region mixes tropical forest with savanna and grassland.
Habitats Chimpanzees Use
- Lowland rainforest: wet equatorial forest with heavy rain all year, often more than 2,000 mm (80 inches) a year.
- Forest–savanna mosaic: patches of forest mixed with open grassland.
- Montane rainforest: cooler “cloud forests” in the hills, up to around 3,000 m.
- Highlands: some common chimpanzees live in the Cameroon Highlands, over 900 m high and covered in hills.
The bonobo, the chimpanzee’s close relative, has a much smaller range: it is found only in the rainforest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Where Chimpanzees Are Found
- West Africa: Sierra Leone, Ghana, Nigeria, Guinea, Liberia, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal and Cameroon.
- Central Africa: Gabon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo.
- East Africa: Uganda and Tanzania.
Each of these habitats has its own separate chimpanzee populations.
Help Protect Uganda’s Chimpanzees
Wild chimpanzees are endangered. Volunteer with us in Uganda, or make a donation to support our conservation work.
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