Baobab trees are among some of the oldest trees ever found. They are native to Africa, Australia, and Madagascar, and some have been introduced to other parts of the world. For centuries they have been meeting places for people to discuss important topics.
They also are known as the upside down tree. Some have huge barrel shaped trunks, and the branches look like roots reaching up to the sky. They are deciduous trees that shed their leaves during the dry season.
A baobab in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, made news in the January 16, 2026 Guardian Weekly because the last one in the city faces the threat of being cut down. Older Kinshasa residents remember when baobabs lined main avenues and shaded the fronts of government buildings.
The city of about 17.8 million is experiencing huge grown with little urban planning, which has led to pollution and flooding. Many of Kinshasa's baobabs were cut down by people who needed charcoal for cooking fuel. Less than 50 percent of city residents have electricity.
Now only one baobab remains. It is in the historic center of Kinshasa in a commune known as Gombe. The more than century old tree grows on land next to the main ferry port, which is owned by Onatra, the country's state-owned transport company. It was planted to commemorate the building of that port.
The site is now closed off to the public, and there are signs of construction work. Activists blocked construction to save the tree last August. What will happen next is uncertain.
Baobab trees have great value as sources of food, medicine, rope, cloth, dye, fuel, hunting and fishing tools, and oil used for cosmetics. The white part of the fruit tastes like sherbet and is a good source of Vitamin C, potassium, carbohydrates and phosphorus, among other nutrients. The trunks of the African baobab store water. Some have hollow trunks that have been used as temporary shelters, burial sites, stables and even toilets.
Some baobabs are more than 2,000 years old. One source noted they can live up to 5,000 years. In the early 21st century, baobabs in southern Africa began to die off rapidly for reasons yet to be determined. Dehydration may have played a role.
That makes it more important than ever for trees such as the one remaining baobab in Kinshasa to be saved. In their native Africa, Australia and Madagascar, the trees continue to play vital roles in helping people to survive. But they also need the help of city planners and people who can speak about the importance of saving these lifegiving trees. That would be a great topic for a meeting under a baobab.
To see pictures of baobab trees, visit these websites: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adansonia and https://www.beyondforest.org/post/the-baobab-tree-africa-s-iconic-tree-of-life. There also are several other sites with pictures of baobab trees.