Yasuni National Park, Ecuador

Located in the Ecuadorian Amazon, Yasuni National Park is one of the most biologically diverse areas on Earth. It boasts more than 4,000 plant species, 170 mammal species, and 610 bird species, all in an area smaller than Connecticut. Yasuni is also the home of the Waorani people, a semi-nomadic group of hunter-gatherers. Yasuni is estimated to contain 800 million barrels of crude oil. After a long controversy, in 2013, Ecuador approved the economic exploitation of the Yasuni. Drilling activities haven't begun yet, but it seems a matter of time.