CONGO DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

Location

West Central Africa. Congo has a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean to the south west, with Gabon to the west, Angola to the south Zaire to the south and east and Cameroon and Central African Republic to the north.

Geography

straddles equator; has very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands.

Capital

Brazzaville

Population

62,660,551

Climate

Tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)

Language

French, Lingala, Kokongo

Monetary Unit

Franc CFA

Largest Cities

Pointe-Noire, Loubomo

Principal rivers

Zaire (Congo), Oubangui

Places to Visit

Brazzaville, Pointe Noire, Loubomo

Air Ports

Brazzaville International Airport