The Congo (Zaire) River

Location of the Congo River

• Begins in the southern most part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Flows to Boyoma/Stanley Falls just north of the equator

• Turns counterclockwise, flows to the northeast, then to the west and south before it enters the Atlantic Ocean.

• Broken into category of Lower Congo, Middle Congo, and Upper Congo

Quick Facts• Formerly called the Zaire River• Africa’s most powerful river• Second most voluminous river in the world• Second longest river in Africa, fifth longest in the world• Over 4,000 islands– More than 50 of these are at least 10 miles (16 km) in

length• 1.6 million square mile river basin• Flows through the Democratic Republic of the Congo,

the Congo, the Central African Republic, Zambia, Angola, Cameroon, and Tanzania

• Ranges in width from 0.5 to 10 miles (0.8 to 16 km) depending on location and season

Climate

• Average Annual Rainfall of 67 inches– Even driest month has around 3 inches of rain

• Average Annual Temperature of 76°F

Wildlife—Animals

Wildlife—Plant Life

The Congo River as it Relates to People

• The Bantu-speaking people have lived in the area for over 2,000 years

• Biggest transportation source in Central Africa• The Congo River and its tributaries together have over

9,000 miles (14,500 km) of navigable waterways– Within the Congo, there are 650 miles of waterways

accessible to barges year-round• Waterways have helped economic development• One of largest reserves of drinking water in the world– Sought by desert countries in Africa and Asia

Civil War (1998-2004)

• Cause: – Many ethnic groups– Troops from both sides of the genocide in Rwanda

• Result:– Deadliest war since WWII

• People died of starvation, disease, murder by different groups, and due to fighting

• Estimated death toll is between 3.8 and 3.9 million people– Many refugees, including orphans and children who

did not know where their parents were

People Affected by the Civil War

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