Megadiverse countries facts for kids

The 17 countries identified as megadiverse by Conservation International

Megadiverse countries are special places on Earth that are home to a huge variety of plants and animals. They have lots of different species, and many of these species are found nowhere else in the world! An organization called Conservation International first pointed out 17 of these amazing countries in 1998. Many of them are in warm, wet areas near the equator, like tropical or subtropical regions.

The word 'megadiverse' means having 'mega' (a lot of) 'diversity' (variety) of life. This is also known as biodiversity. For a country to be called megadiverse, it must have a very high number of unique species. These are called endemic species, meaning they live only in that specific country. A megadiverse country needs to have at least 5,000 types of plants that are found nowhere else. It also needs to be next to the ocean.

In 2002, Mexico helped create a special group called the Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries. This group includes countries that are rich in different kinds of life and also have a lot of traditional knowledge about nature.

What are the Megadiverse Countries?

There are 17 countries that are officially called megadiverse. They are:

Countries with the Most Biodiversity in 2022

Scientists often measure how much biodiversity a country has by counting different types of animals and plants. Here are some of the top countries with the most known species in 2022:

TOP 20 Global Biodiversity Index

Country	Birds	Amphibians	Fish	Mammals	Reptiles	Vascular Plants	Biodiversity Index
Brazil	1,816	1,141	4,738	693	847	34,387	512.34
Indonesia	1,723	383	4,813	729	773	19,232	418.78
Colombia	1,863	812	2,105	477	634	24,025	369.76
China	1,285	540	3,476	622	554	31,362	365.84
Mexico	1,105	411	2,629	533	988	23,385	342.47
Australia	725	245	4,992	355	1,131	19,324	337.18
Peru	1,861	655	1,583	490	510	19,812	330.12
India	1,212	446	2,601	440	715	15,000	301.63
Ecuador	1,629	659	1,111	392	492	18,466	291.58
United States	844	326	3,081	531	556	15,500	280.13

Working Together: The Cancún Initiative

The 20 current like-minded megadiverse countries

On February 18, 2002, leaders and environmental experts from several countries met in Cancún, Mexico. These countries included Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, South Africa and Venezuela.

They decided to form a group called the Group of Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries. This group helps them talk and work together. Their main goal is to protect and use their amazing biodiversity in a smart, long-lasting way. They also encouraged other countries to join important agreements like the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The group agreed to meet regularly to discuss their plans. The country that hosts the meeting also acts as the group's secretary until the next meeting. This helps them keep working together and reach their goals. Later, in 2010, Guatemala and Iran also joined this important group.

Current Members of the Like-Minded Megadiverse Countries

Here are the countries that are currently part of this group:

See also

In Spanish: Países megadiversos para niños

• Biodiversity
• Biodiversity hotspot