Land and Resources, Plants and Animals

Savanna vegetation (grassland interspersed with trees) predominates in most of the country. Eucalyptus, acacia, and oil palm are the most common trees. Forests, once extensive, are now concentrated in national parks and nature reserves. The diverse wildlife is limited by dense human settlement and includes elephants, leopards, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, wild boars, antelope, monkeys, and flying lemurs. Birds, such as guinea hens, partridges, ducks, geese, quail, and snipe, are particularly plentiful around the northeastern lakes.