The Congo River, the 9th longest river on the planet, is 2, 920 miles. It is also the deepest river on the planet, and it is over 700 feet deep. It is the second longest river in Africa (The longest being River Nile).
The Congo’s source is at the highlands of north-east of Zambia, it flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Banane, within the Democratic Republic of Congo. It drains a region of about 1, 335, 000 square miles.
There are over 4000 islands within the river; over 50 of the islands are 10 miles long.
Congo River is the second longest in Africa, after the River Nile and has a discharge of just 1, 500, 000 cubic feet.
The Congo River shaped approximately 1.5 to 2 million years ago during the Pleistocene period of time.
Livingstone Falls, named after the well known explorer, David Livingstone, is one of the most impressive sights of the river. In the falls there are several waterfalls and rapids, stretching for over 200 miles and still have as much power as all of the waterfalls and rivers in the United States combined.
The Congo River once in each direction crosses the equator twice.
The Congo rainforest may be the second largest on the planet after the Amazon jungle. There are some animals which are only found here, including the Congo peafowl, dryas monkey and bonobo.
The river and also the surrounding banks are home into a rich variety of fauna including the animals I mentioned up (bonobos, hippos, manatees, crocodiles, elephants and at very least 700 species of sea creatures) and since scientists haven’t had a good look at all stretches with the river yet so there can be many more.
The Congo River basin contains about 1, 000 species only of birds. It’s home to more mammals, birds and fishes and than any other part of Africa.
Diego Cao, in 1482 was the first European known to look and enter the Congo Lake.
Henry Morton Stanley published about his journey down the river in a book called The Dark Continent, in the year 1878. The river also features within the year 1995 in a movie called Congo (based form the Michael Crichton book).
The Congo River has given its name to a couple of African countries. The countries include the Democratic Republic of and also Congo and also the Republic of the Congo.
The Congo River flows through the countries of Congo and also the Democratic Republic of Congo within the central Africa, but its tributaries drain huge parts of land in Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, Central Africa and Cameroon.
The Congo and its tributaries flow through the rainforest with the same name, which is the second-largest rainforest on the planet after the Amazon Rainforest (in Brazil). The river runs through the Congo rainforest which may be the second largest rain forest on the planet.
The River flows to the Atlantic Ocean at Muanda, within the Democratic Republic of Congo.
There are about 40 hydroelectric plants on the Congo. And since there are this many hydroelectric power plants in this river as it is the most powerful in Africa, Africans have found strategies to harness this force of nature to create even more electricity for that region. Potentially, the Congo River could supply electricity to all of sub-Saharan Africa.
Quite a few cataracts (large or high waterfalls), dangerous rapids, and numerous islands can make the navigation difficult or impossible in certain areas of the river.
The Congo River is also known as the Zaire River. It is 4, 667 kilometers (2, 900 miles) long.
The most distant part of the Congo can be found in the mountains of north eastern Zambia all around Lake Tanganyika, where the Congo River’s longest tributary will start, named the River Chambeshi. River Tanganyika and Lake Mweru as well feed the river.
The Congo is one of the deepest rivers in the world with parts of it reaching depths of greater than 220 meters (720 feet)! Given it tributaries drain areas north and south with the Equator, and its related rain-belt, it’s always raining somewhere within the Congo’s drainage basin.
The river gets its name through the Kingdom of Congo which has been a vast, independent West African Nation that existed in the best part of 500 years, from the fourteenth millennium onwards, although its territory changed after some time as historians of these areas will tell you.
The Congo River or also known as the world’s eighth-longest river (2, 914 miles), begins at the junction of Lualaba and Luvua rivers, in the Altai Mountain, and flows southwest towards the Atlantic Ocean. Major tributaries range from the Aruwimi, Lomami and Kasai rivers.
The Congo River’s sources are in the highlands and mountains with the East African Rift, also Lake Tanganyika and River Mweru.
The river forms the vast majority of the border between Zaire and also the Republic of Congo and drains greater than 1, 600, 000 square miles of land. The Congo River has a size of 0.5 to 10 miles.
The Congo River gets around 90 inches of rainfall annually. It has within its bank 30 waterfalls and a huge number of islands, at least 50 of which are more than 10 miles long.
Because the river flows near the Equator, the area around it is extremely hot. A large amount of the property surrounding the river is tropical rain forest and is home to hundreds of all kinds of animals, pigs, water snakes, including hippos, crocodiles, manatees, tortoises, elephants, and to 200 species of sea creatures. Approximately seven hundred fish species have been recorded moving into the Congo River. The total sum is probably much bigger. Insects like mosquitoes and gnats are common in the hot, humid conditions.
It is not all tropical rainforest, even though some parts of the surrounding land are full of long grass called “barnyard grass.” Many animals graze in the tall grass, including buffalo, antelopes, zebras, gazelles ect.
People live next to the river and in the river basin as well. They also fish in the Congo River. They use it for irrigation that can help water their peanut, organic cotton, tobacco, and sugarcane vegetation, all of which grow quickly because of the humid air.
Just as has been done for hundreds and more years, people today use this river for transport, of both people and their goods. It is not an uncommon sight to see a barge that is transporting wood or fuel or other things. With gasoline-powered barges, nevertheless, comes pollution.
The Congo River may be the main transportation source in this Central Africa region. The river along with all the streams that lead with it provides over 14, 500 kilometers navigable shipping routes in Central Africa. A great amount of goods are transported from the river every day.
The Congo River can be an extremely powerful river; and it’s also the most powerful river in Africa. On average 100, 400 thousand cubic feet of water flows to the Atlantic Ocean every second through the river. There are approximately 40 hydropower plants on the river that utilize this power to provide energy for the African continent.
“The Congo River or also known as the world’s eighth-longest river (2, 914 miles), begins at the junction of Lualaba and Luvua rivers, in the Altai Mountain, and flows southwest towards the Atlantic Ocean. Major tributaries range from the Aruwimi, Lomami and Kasai rivers.”
Is it correct to state that the Congo begins in the “ALTAI MOUNTAINS”? Did not know that the Altai Mountains are in this part of the world.
Nice information this allowed me to get my information and work done and in so very thankful!!
“The Congo River or also known as the world’s eighth-longest river (2, 914 miles), begins at the junction of Lualaba and Luvua rivers, in the Altai Mountain, and flows southwest towards the Atlantic Ocean. Major tributaries range from the Aruwimi, Lomami and Kasai rivers.”
Is it correct to state that the Congo begins in the “ALTAI MOUNTAINS”? Did not know that the Altai Mountains are in this part of the world.