The Oil palm is native to West Africa, from Liberia to Angola. Distinct populations are also found in Madagascar.

In its natural habitat the Elaeis guineensis occurs in rain forests and freshwater swamps. In wild the Oil palm can be found from Guinea to the river Senegal and south to Angola and east to Alberto Lake. In wild it grows on volcanic  and acidic soils and coastal alluvials.

The Oil palm is widely distributed throughout the tropics for ornamental purposes and for its fruits that yield a commercially valuable oil-palm oil and palm kernal oil. Oil palm trees are highest-yielding oil plants in the world.

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