Introduction. The Congo is the deepest river in the world. It drains a region of about 1, 335, 000 square miles. The Congo river is famous for being the deepest and the ninth longest river in the world by discharge. Diego Cao, in 1482 was the first European known to look and enter the Congo Lake. 50 per cent of the Congo Basin forest has now been allocated for logging. 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. The … 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. It was on opposite banks of Malebo Pool—which represents the point of departure of inland navigation—that the capitals of the former states of the French Congo and the Belgian Congo were founded: on the left bank Kinshasa (formerly Léopoldville), now the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and on the right bank Brazzaville, now the capital of the Republic of the Congo. Huge, deep, it slowly rolls its waters along the ancient African continent, providing life to the millions of people who settled on its shores. It rises in the highlands of northeastern Zambia between Lakes Tanganyika and Nyasa (Malawi) as the Chambeshi River at an elevation of 5,760 feet (1,760 During the rainy season over 50,000 cubic metres (1,800,000 cu ft) of water per second flow into the Atlantic Ocean. Congo River and forest- Top Facts you should Know. Congo is the world’s second-largest rainforest located on the African continent. The Congo-Lualaba-Chambeshi Riversystem has an overall length of 4,700 km (2,920 mi), which makes … Its deepest spot measured to be 720 ft (220 m). The Congo is one of the deepest rivers in the world with parts of it reaching depths of greater than 220 meters (720 feet)! Congo River facts on depth, length, and conditions all contribute to the way the river is used. Navigability, however, is limited by an insurmountable obstacle: a series of 32 cataracts over the river’s lower course, including the famous Inga Falls. The Congo River that flows through the forest is the second largest river in the world. We make the epic journey from Kinshasha, capital of the DRC, to Kisangani, the third largest city in this vast country. Saka Saka or Pondu: It is the national dish in Congo, made up of ground cassava leaves, palm oil, … This means that this river is so large it crosses two different large countries. Congo River - The Congo River in the past also known as the Zaire River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of 220 m (720 ft).It is the third largest river in the world by volume of water discharged. The quiz and worksheet let you check your understanding of Congo River facts. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The Congo River (also known as Zaire River) is the largest river in Africa. Introduction. There are more than 5 good facts on the Congo River. River Tanganyika and Lake Mweru as well feed the river. 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 rainforest may be the second largest on the planet after the Amazon jungle. The people living along the Congo River use the water to irrigate their crops which often include cotton, sugarcane, and tobacco. His book conjured up an atmosphere of foreboding, treachery, greed, and exploitation. Its drainage basin, covering an area of 1,335,000 square miles (3,457,000 square km), takes in almost the entire territory of that country, as well as most of the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, eastern Zambia, and northern Angola and parts of Cameroon and Tanzania. The Congo is one of the deepest rivers in the world with depths sometimes exceeding 220 meters (720 feet). Additionally, its overall length of 4,700 km (2,920 mi) makes it the ninth longest river. Roman Catholicism takes a… These include the number of fish species in this river and how they are caught. During the rainy season over 50,000 cubic metres (1,800,000 cu ft) of water per second flow into the Atlantic Ocean. Christianity is the majority religion in the DRC, followed by about 95% of the population. It is 4, 667 kilometers (2, 900 miles) long. One of the unique animals that you can view in the river of Congo is the hippopotamus. The Congo River was formerly known as Zaire River. The Congo River: Facts and History The Congo River winds through millenia of myth, tragedy, triumph and history in the making. Though some impact measurements depend on anecdotal evidence and observation, precise science and engineering has settled some questions. In order … 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 is also the world’s deepest river ever recorded. They … They also fish in the Congo River. There are over 4000 islands within the river; over 50 of the islands are 10 miles long. The Congo’s source is in the highlands of northeastern Zambia, and it flows into the Atlantic Ocean at Banane, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 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. Facts about Congo Rainforest 5: the animal in the river. The River flows to the Atlantic Ocean at Muanda, within the Democratic Republic of Congo. Congo River. Approximately seven hundred fish species have been recorded moving into the Congo River. 1. The Congo River, despite having its depth vary from section to section, has the depth in some areas extending beyond 220 metres (720 feet). Major tributaries range from the Aruwimi, Lomami and Kasai rivers.”. Just as has been done for hundreds and more years, people today use this river for transport, of both people and their goods. [2] It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged. (Rivers > Congo River ) This generator generates a random fact from a large database on a chosen topic everytime you visit this page. Top 10 Outstanding Congo River Facts. Other facts about the Congo River. Omissions? Facts about African Rivers 10: the length. Its overall length of 2,900 miles (4,667 kilometers) makes it the second-longest in Africa (after the Nile).It is the fifth-longest river in the world, draining a basin of nearly 1.5 million square miles. These cataracts render the Congo unnavigable between the seaport of Matadi, at the head of the Congo estuary, and Malebo Pool, a lakelike expansion of the river. The river water is most relied upon for irrigating crops such as tobacco, cotton, sugarcane and peanut, plants known to thrive in the very humid conditions that blanket the river areas. 8. When the river first became known to Europeans at the end of the 15th century, they called it the Zaire, a corruption of a word that is variously given as nzari, nzali, njali, nzaddi, and niadi and that simply means “river” in local African languages. The river has cut deep into the ocean floor, and the brown of its silt-filled waters may be seen 30 miles (50 kilometers) out to sea. 12. The Congo River is a river in Africa and the world’s deepest river with measured depths in excess of 220 m (720 ft). The Congo River is the deepest river in the world. It was only in the early years of the 18th century that the river was first called the “Rio Congo,” a name taken from the kingdom of Kongo that had been situated along the lower course of the river. The total sum is probably much bigger. 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. Environment, Landmarks / By EE Editor. The Congo River shaped approximately 1.5 to 2 million years ago during the Pleistocene period of time. The River Congo is 2,900 miles (4,700 km) long making it the second l ongest river in Africa after Nile and the ninth longest river in the world.In terms of discharge, the Congo had an average annual discharge of around 41,200 m 3 /s (1,454,964.27 cubic ft/s). Its overall length of 2,900 miles (4,667 kilometers) makes it the second-longest in Africa (after the Nile).It is the fifth-longest river in the world, draining a basin of nearly 1.5 million square miles. The overall length of Congo-Chambeshi River is measured at 2,920 miles or 4,700 kilometers. 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. Its overall length of 4,700 km (2,922 miles) makes it the second longest in Africa (after the Nile).The river and its tributaries flow through the second largest rain forest area in the world, second only to the Amazon Rainforest in South America.. The Congo River was also known as Zaire River during the Mobutu regime, and it is the second-longest river in Africa next to the Nile River. The drainage basin of the Congo is, however, only about half the size of that of the Amazon, and the Congo’s rate of flow—1,450,000 cubic feet (41,000 cubic metres) per second at its mouth—is considerably less than the Amazon’s flow of more than 6,180,000 cubic feet (175,000 cubic metres) per second. The Congo River is a watercourse that flows through Central Africa. The Congo River has given its name to a couple of African countries. A great amount of goods are transported from the river every day. 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. What are facts about the Congo river? “The Congo River is the spine of our country,” says Isidore Ndaywel è Nziem, a professor of history at the University of Kinshasa. 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. Additionally, its overall length of 4,700 km (2,920 mi) makes it the ninth longest river. In 1997, the country was renamed to the Democratic Republic of the Congo by Laurent Desire Kabila. Within this equatorial domain, the Congo and its principal tributaries form a separate ecological milieu. 8. Asked by Wiki User. 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. The Congo River flows through the heart of Africa for about 2,900 miles (4,700 kilometers). Congo River, river in west-central Africa. There are more than 5 good facts on the Congo River. The country was initially named Zaire in 1971, by Mobutu Sese Seko, the country president. The Congo Basin is the only place to shelter all three subspecies of gorilla: the lowland gorilla, the endemic eastern lowland gorilla and the endangered mountain gorilla. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The Congo River and one of its tributaries, the Ubangi, form most of the boundary between the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire). The Congo River is the largest river in western Central Africa and the most powerful on the continent. The Congo Basin is the only place to shelter all three subspecies of gorilla: the lowland gorilla, the endemic eastern lowland gorilla and the endangered mountain gorilla. The river lazily meanders through the Congo Basin, picking up an immense amount of water from the Rainforest. In the Mesozoic period before the continental drift opened the South Atlantic Ocean, the Congo was the upper part of a river about 12,000 km (7,500 miles) long that flowed west across the parts of Gondwanaland, now called Africa and South America.