With its rich biological resources, Yunnan is a treasure house of biological resources in China and is often called the ‘Paradise of Plants’, the ‘Kingdom of Species’, the ‘Hometown of Flowers’, the ‘Treasure House of Medicinal Herbs’ and the ‘Gene Bank of Biological Resources’.

　　Of the over 30,000 species of higher plants already discovered in China, about 17,000 can be found in Yunnan. Among them, there are around 10,000 tropical and subtropical species, more than 2,000 species of medicinal herbs, about 400 different spices, over 2,100 ornamental plants, and more than 1,500 flowering plant species. These include many rare and precious species.
　　An ideal habitat for many wild animals, Yunnan is home to 1,737 species of vertebrates, made up of 300 species of animals, 793 bird species, 143 reptile species, 102 amphibian species and 366 species of freshwater fish. Two hundred and thirty-nine fish species of 40 genera and 5 families can only be found in Yunnan. Of the birds and animals, 46 species are under First-Class State Protection and 154 are under Second-Class State Protection. The number of insect species exceeds 10,000.

　　The development of biological resources is now becoming another pillar industry in Yunnan. Tobacco and cigarettes, medicinal herbs and tropical fruits have been developed into large-scale industries and the flower, coffee and spices industries are flourishing.