The eastern plateaus are covered by grasslands. Mountain forest, bamboo thickets, and Afro-Alpine vegetation occur on the highest mountains. The central basin is a vast reservoir of trees and plants that are native to the area. Among these, the mahogany, ebony, limba, wenge, agba, iroko, and sapele are sources of timber. Fibrous plants include raffia and sisal.
Animal life is also rich and diversified.
South of the Congo River, Bonobos are the only inhabitant Great Ape. Elephants and various species of monkey and baboon are found in the forest and the savanna woodland. The short elephants are, however, exclusively forest-bound. In the primary forests of Uele, Aruwimi, and Ituri are the okapi, the giant wild boar, and the short antelope. The lion and leopard inhabit the grasslands, and the jackal, hyena, cheetah, wildcat, wild dog, buffalo, antelope, wild hog, and black and white rhinoceroses are found in the grasslands and savanna woods.