Some of the best-known indigenous peoples of South America include the Yanomami, who live in the border region between Brazil and Venezuela. The Xingú peoples in Brazil and the Huaorani in Ecuador are also known for their traditional ways of life in harmony with the rainforests. In Africa, various tribes of the Pygmies are native to the deep rainforests of the Congo Basin. On the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia, which is shared by Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei, the indigenous Dayak people reside. The Dayak comprise a diverse range of more than 150 different tribes.
The exact number of indigenous peoples living in or around the rainforests is not known. Estimates vary widely, ranging from two million to 60 million people.
As the destruction of the Tropical Rainforest continues, the retreat options for the indigenous population diminish. They are increasingly deprived of their livelihoods, which also threatens their long-term survival. Consequently, there is a risk that the knowledge of living in harmony with nature may be forgotten, and the invaluable understanding of the healing properties of numerous plants, passed down through generations, could be lost.