Gorillas live exclusively in the tropical rainforests of equatorial Africa, with their range divided into two main parts separated by about 900 km: the western gorillas and the eastern gorillas
. Western Gorillas inhabit the lowland tropical forests of West and Central African countries, including:
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Gabon
- Republic of Congo
- Equatorial Guinea
- Nigeria
- Angola
- Parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Eastern Gorillas live primarily in the mountainous and submontane forests of East Central Africa, specifically in:
- The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
- Uganda
- Rwanda
Among eastern gorillas, the Mountain Gorillas are found in high-altitude montane cloud forests of the Virunga Volcanoes and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, spanning the borders of Rwanda, Uganda, and the DRC at elevations from about 2,200 to 4,300 meters
. The Eastern Lowland Gorillas inhabit lower elevation tropical forests in eastern DRC near Rwanda's border, including montane bamboo and lowland forests
. The Cross River Gorillas , a critically endangered subspecies of western gorilla, live in a small area between Nigeria and Cameroon
. Overall, gorillas' habitats range from lowland swamp forests and tropical rainforests at sea level to montane forests at high elevations, depending on the species and subspecies
. In summary, gorillas live in tropical rainforests across about 10 African countries, with western gorillas in West and Central Africa and eastern gorillas in East Central Africa, including specific protected mountain and lowland forest areas
