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The
Congo River (also known as the
Zaire River) is the largest
riverA river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing toward an ocean, a lake, a sea or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water...
in Western Central
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
. Its overall length of 4,700 km (2,922 miles) makes it the second longest in Africa (after the
NileThe Nile is a major north-flowing river in Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world....
).
Background
The river and its
tributariesA tributary is a stream or river which flows into a main stem river. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea. Tributaries and the mainstem river serve to drain the surrounding drainage basin of its surface water and groundwater by leading the water out into an ocean or some other large body...
flow through the second largest rain forest area in the world, second only to the
Amazon RainforestThe Amazon rainforest , also known as Amazonia, or the Amazon jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
in South America. The river also has the second-largest flow in the world, behind the
AmazonThe Amazon River of South America is the largest river in the world by volume, with a total river flow greater than the next eight largest rivers combined. The Amazon, which has the largest drainage basin in the world, accounts for approximately one-fifth of the world's total river flow. During...
; the second-largest
drainage basinA drainage basin is an extent of land where water from rain or snow melt drains downhill into a body of water, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea or ocean...
of any river, again trailing the Amazon; and is the deepest river in the world, at depths greater than 750 feet.{{Fact|date=June 2009}} Its drainage basin is slightly larger than that of the
MississippiThe Mississippi River is the second longest river in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to its mouth in the Gulf of Mexico....
. Because large sections of the river basin lie above and below the
EquatorThe equator is the intersection of the Earth's surface with the plane perpendicular to the Earth's axis of rotation and containing the Earth's center of mass. In simpler language, it is an imaginary line on the Earth's surface equidistant from the North Pole and South Pole that divides the Earth...
, its flow is stable, as there is always at least one river experiencing a rainy season.
The Congo gets its name from the ancient
Kingdom of KongoThe Kingdom of Kongo was an African kingdom located in west central Africa in what are now northern Angola, Cabinda, the Republic of the Congo, and the western portion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
which inhabited the lands at the mouth of the river. The
Democratic Republic of the CongoThe Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country located in Central Africa, with a small length of Atlantic coastline. It is the third largest country in Africa...
and the
Republic of the CongoThe Republic of the Congo , also known as Congo-Brazzaville or the Congo, is a country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated...
, both countries lying along the river's banks, are named after it. Between 1971 and 1997 the government of then-
ZaireThe Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971, and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".Known as the Belgian Congo up until its...
called it the
Zaire River.
The sources of the Congo are in the highlands and
mountainA mountain is a large landform that stretches above the surrounding land in a limited area usually in the form of a peak. A mountain is generally steeper than a hill. The adjective montane is used to describe mountainous areas and things associated with them...
s of the
East African RiftThe East African Rift is an active continental rift zone in eastern Africa that appears to be a developing divergent tectonic plate boundary. It is part of the larger Great Rift Valley. The rift is a narrow zone in which the African Plate is in the process of splitting into two new tectonic plates...
, as well as
Lake TanganyikaLake Tanganyika is an African Great Lake . It is estimated to be the second largest freshwater lake in the world by volume, and the second deepest, after Lake Baikal in Siberia...
and
Lake MweruLake Mweru is a freshwater lake on the longest arm of Africa's second-longest river, the Congo. Located on the border between Zambia and Democratic Republic of the Congo, it makes up 110 km of the total length of the Congo, lying between its Luapula River and Luvua River segments.Mweru means...
, which feed the
Lualaba RiverThe Lualaba River is the greatest headstream of the Congo River by volume of water. However, by length the Chambeshi River is the furthest headstream. The Lualaba is 1800km long, running from near Musofi in the vicinity of Lubumbashi in Katanga Province. The whole of its length lies within the...
, which then becomes the Congo below
Boyoma FallsBoyoma Falls, formerly known as Stanley Falls, consists of seven cataracts, each no more than 15' high, extending over more than 100 km along a curve of the Lualaba River between the river port towns of Ubundu and Kisangani/Boyoma in the Orientale region of the Democratic Republic of the...
. The
Chambeshi RiverThe Chambeshi River of northeastern Zambia is the most remote headstream of the Congo River and therefore considered its source...
in Zambia is generally taken as the source of the Congo in line with the accepted practice worldwide of using the longest tributary, as with the Nile River.
The Congo flows generally northwards from
KisanganiKisangani is a city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa. It is the provincial capital of Tshopo Province. Kisangani is located where the Lualaba River becomes the Congo River north of the Boyoma Falls...
just below the Boyoma falls, then gradually bends southwestwards, passing by
MbandakaMbandaka, formerly known as Coquilhatville or Coquilhatstad , is a city on the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, lying near the confluence of the Congo and Ruki Rivers. The capital of the Equateur Province, it is home to an airport and is linked by ferry to Kinshasa and Boende...
, joining with the
Ubangi RiverThe Ubangi River, also spelled Oubangui, is a major tributary of the Congo River in Central Africa. It is considered to begin at the junction of the Mbomou and Uele Rivers, flows west for about 350 km, then bends to the southwest, passes through Bangui, then flows south for another 500 km to the...
, and running into the
Pool MaleboThe Pool Malebo , is a lake-like widening in the lower reaches of the Congo River....
(Stanley Pool).
Kinshasa{{clear}}{{clear}}{{clear}}{{clear}}{{clear}}{{clear}}{{Infobox settlement|name = Kinshasa|official_name =|other_name = formerly Léopoldville or Leopoldstad...
(formerly Léopoldville) and
Brazzaville||-||}Brazzaville is the capital and largest city of the Republic of the Congo and is located on the Congo River. As of the 2001 census, it has a population of 1,018,541 in the city proper, and about 1.5 million in total when including the suburbs located in the Pool Region...
are on opposite sides of the river at the Pool, where the river narrows and falls through a number of cataracts in deep canyons (collectively known as the
Livingstone FallsLivingstone Falls named for the explorer David Livingstone, are a succession of enormous rapids on the lower course of the Congo River in west equatorial Africa, downstream from Malebo Pool in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.-History:Though he explored the upper Congo, David Livingstone never...
), running by
MatadiMatadi is the chief sea port of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the capital of the province Kongo Central. It has a population of 245,862 . Matadi is situated on the left bank of the Congo River 148 km from the mouth and 8 km below the last navigable point before rapids make...
and
BomaThe port town of Boma in Kongo Central Province was the capital city of the Belgian Congo from 1 May 1886 to 1926, when it was moved to Léopoldville . It exports tropical timber, bananas, cacao, and palm products...
, and into the sea at the small town of
MuandaMuanda or Moanda is a town lying on the Atlantic Ocean coast of the Democratic Republic of Congo at the mouth of the Congo River. It is situated in Kongo Central Province, and has a population of 50,000...
. Due to its flow through some of the highest canyons, it has recently been discovered that the Congo River is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of 750 feet.
The Congo River Basin is one of the distinct physiographic sections of the larger Mid-African province, which in turn is part of the larger African massive physiographic division.
Economic importance
Although the
Livingstone FallsLivingstone Falls named for the explorer David Livingstone, are a succession of enormous rapids on the lower course of the Congo River in west equatorial Africa, downstream from Malebo Pool in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.-History:Though he explored the upper Congo, David Livingstone never...
prevent access from the sea, nearly the entire Congo is readily navigable in sections, especially between Kinshasa and Kisangani. Large river steamers worked the river until quite recently. The Congo River was a lifeline in a land without roads or railways. The steamers moved people, timber, and supplies. Whether these vessels survived the decay of the Mobutu years or the civil wars is in doubt.{{Why|date=April 2009}}
Hydroelectric power
Railways now bypass the three major falls, and much of the trade of central Africa passes along the river, including
copperCopper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29.It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is rather soft and malleable and a freshly-exposed surface has a pinkish or peachy color...
,
palm oilPalm oil is an edible plant oil derived from the pulp of the fruit of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis.Palm oil is naturally reddish because it contains a high amount of beta-carotene . Palm oil is one of the few vegetable oils relatively high in saturated fats...
(as kernels),
sugarSugar is a class of edible crystalline substances, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose. Human taste buds interpret its flavor as sweet. Sugar as a basic food carbohydrate primarily comes from sugar cane and from sugar beet, but also appears in fruit, honey, sorghum, sugar maple , and in many...
,
coffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage prepared from roasted seeds, commonly called coffee beans, of the coffee plant. They are seeds of "coffee cherries" that grow on trees in over 70 countries. It has been said that green coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world behind crude oil. Due to its...
, and
cottonCotton is a soft, staple fiber that grows in a form known as a boll around the seeds of the cotton plant, a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, India and Africa. The fiber most often is spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft,...
. The river is also potentially valuable for hydroelectric power, and the
Inga DamThe Inga Dams, located in western Democratic Republic of the Congo 140 miles southwest of Kinshasa, are hydroelectric dams on the largest waterfalls in the world, Inga Falls. Here the Congo River drops 96 metres and has an average flow of 42,476 m³/s....
s below Pool Malebo are first to exploit the river.
In February, 2005,
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
's
state-ownedA government-owned corporation, state-owned enterprise, or government business enterprise is a legal entity created by a government to undertake commercial activities on behalf of an owner government, and are usually considered to be an element or part of the state...
power company,
EskomEskom is a South African electricity public utility, established in 1923 as the Electricity Supply Commission by the government of South Africa in terms of the Electricity Act . It was also known by its Afrikaans name Elektrisiteitsvoorsieningskommissie ...
, announced a proposal to increase the capacity of the Inga dramatically through improvements and the construction of a new hydroelectric dam. The project would bring the maximum output of the facility to 40 GW, twice that of
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
's
Three Gorges DamThe Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric river dam that spans the Yangtze River in Sandouping, Yiling District,Yichang, Hubei, China. It is the world's largest electricity-generating plant of any kind....
.
Tributaries
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Sorted in order from the mouth heading upstream.
- Inkisi
The Inkisi River is a large south bank tributary of the Congo River, located in Western Central Africa.- See also :...
- Nsele (south side of Pool Malebo)
- Bombo
- Kwa
The Kasai River is a tributary of the Congo River, located in central Africa. The river begins in Angola and serves as the border between Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo , then flows into the DRC, where it joins the Congo northeast of Kinshasa. The Kasai's tributaries include the...
(called Kasai from inflow of Fimi upstream)
- Fimi
The Fimi River is a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It flows from Lake Mai-Ndombe to the Kasai River, which in turn empties into the Congo. One of the Fimi's tributaries is the Lukenie River, which is navigable by barges as far as Kole....
- Lukenie
The Lukenie River is a river in the central Congo basin of the Democratic Republic of the Congo .River barges from Kinshasa journey up the Congo, Kwa , and Fimi Rivers to the Lukenie as far as the landing at Kole, a journey of 6 to 12 weeks. This is not done during the low water season , however,...
- Kwango
Kwango is a 1100 km long river in Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It originates in the highlands of central Angola and flows generally northwards, then it makes a border between these two countries. Then it flows in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and empties to Kasai River...
- Sankuru
Sankuru River is a major river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its approximate length of 1230 km makes it the longest tributary of Kasai River....
- Likouala
- Sangha
The Sangha River, a river in central Africa, is a tributary of the Congo River, which it joins at . Formed by the merging of the Mambéré River into the Kadéï River at Nola , the Sangha flows through the Central African Republic, along the border of Cameroon, and through the Republic of Congo.Its...
- Ubangi
The Ubangi River, also spelled Oubangui, is a major tributary of the Congo River in Central Africa. It is considered to begin at the junction of the Mbomou and Uele Rivers, flows west for about 350 km, then bends to the southwest, passes through Bangui, then flows south for another 500 km to the...
- Giri
- Uele
The Uele River is a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is a tributary of the Ubangi River, which in turn flows into the Congo.The Uele is the 46th longest river in the world. It is the fifth longest in Africa....
- Mbomou
The Mbomou River or Bomu forms part of the boundary between the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo ....
- Lomami River
The Lomami River is a major tributary of the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The river is approximately 1,500 km long. It flows north, west of and parallel to the upper Congo....
- Luvua
The Luvua River is a river in the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It flows from the northern end of Lake Mweru on the Zambia-Congo border in a northwesterly direction for 350km to its confluence with the Lualaba River opposite the town of Ankoro. The Luvua and Lualaba...
- Luapula
The Luapula River is a section of Africa's second-longest river, the Congo. It is a transnational river forming for nearly all its length part of the border between Zambia and the DR Congo...
- Chambeshi
The Chambeshi River of northeastern Zambia is the most remote headstream of the Congo River and therefore considered its source...
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Literature
Although not explicitly cited, the Congo River is the location of
Joseph ConradJoseph Conrad was a Polish-born British novelist, who in 1886 became a British subject....
's 1902 novel
Heart of DarknessHeart of Darkness is a novella written by Joseph Conrad. Before its 1902 publication, it appeared as a three-part series in Blackwood's Magazine...
.
The Congo River is featured in a chapter of Michael Crichton's novel
CongoCongo is a 1980 science fiction novel by Michael Crichton. The novel centers on an expedition searching for diamonds and inspecting the mysterious deaths of the previous expedition in the dense rain forest of Congo.-Plot summary:...
(published in 1980), as well as the
feature filmCongo is a 1995 film, based on the 1980 novel Congo by Michael Crichton, author of Jurassic Park. It was directed by Frank Marshall and stars Dylan Walsh, Laura Linney, Tim Curry, Ernie Hudson, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Grant Heslov and Joe Don Baker. The screenplay was written by John Patrick...
of the same name, though it is not mentioned by name in the film.
The Congo is also mentioned in
Langston HughesJames Mercer Langston Hughes, was an American poet, novelist, playwright, short story writer, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the new literary art form jazz poetry...
' poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers"
Silence, A Fable is a radio drama adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's short story written in 1837 and set in Libya, "by the borders of the river Zaire".
Redmond O"Hanlon (British) has a travelogue recently published by Penguin Books under the title of "Congo Journey".
The Congo River and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the scenario for the 2007 book "Blood River" by journalist Tim Butcher, based on his intrepid travels up and down Africa's second longest river. "Blood River" was shortlisted for the 2008
British Book AwardsThe British Book Awards are given annually and promoted by the UK publishing industry trade journal Publishing News. They are also known as the Nibbies because of the golden nib-shaped trophy given to winners.-Current Awards:...
According to TV advertisements for the mixed-fruit beverage
Um BongoUm Bongo is a mixed tropical fruit juice drink in the United Kingdom, manufactured by Gerber Foods Soft Drinks Limited under the name Libby's in Milnthorpe, Cumbria....
, "they drink it in the Congo". However, it is not clear whether this refers to either or both of the countries that have 'Congo' as part of their name, or to the river.
See also
{{portal|Africa|Africa satellite orthographic.jpg}}
- Hydrology transport model
- Portage railway
A portage railway is a short and possibly isolated section of railway used to bypass a section of unnavigable river or between two water bodies which are not directly connected...
- Congo River, beyond darkness
Congo River, beyond darkness is a 2005 film by Thierry Michel examining the Congo River in Africa.-Synopsis:The film takes us from the mouth to the source of the second largest river basin in the world, that of the Congo River...
{{commons|Category:Congo_River|The river Congo.}}
Further reading
- Tim Butcher
Tim Butcher is an English journalist, broadcaster and best-selling author.Born on November 15 1967 in Rugby, Warwickshire, UK, he was educated at Rugby School, and Magdalen College, Oxford University....
: Blood River - A Journey To Africa's Broken Heart, 2007. ISBN 0-701-17981-3
- H. Winternitz, East Along the Equator: A Journey up the Congo and into Zaire (1987)
- Adam Hochschild : King Leopold's Ghost: A story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa
External links
{{DRC topics}}
{{Rivers of the Democratic Republic of the Congo}}
{{Rivers of the Republic of the Congo}}
{{Rivers of Angola}}
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