Congo River Explained

The Congo River, formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second-longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the third largest river in the world by discharge volume, following the Amazon and Ganges–Brahmaputra rivers. It is the world's deepest recorded river, with measured depths of around .^[6] The Congo–Lualaba–Luvua–Luapula–Chambeshi River system has an overall length of, which makes it the world's ninth-longest river. The Chambeshi is a tributary of the Lualaba River, and Lualaba is the name of the Congo River upstream of Boyoma Falls, extending for .

Measured along with the Lualaba, the main tributary, the Congo River has a total length of . It is the only major river to cross the equator twice.^[7] The Congo Basin has a total area of about, or 13% of the entire African landmass.

Name

The name Congo/Kongo originates from the Kingdom of Kongo once located on the southern bank of the river. The kingdom in turn was named after the indigenous Bantu Kongo people, known in the 17th century as "Esikongo".^[8] South of the Kingdom of Kongo proper lay the similarly named Kakongo kingdom, mentioned in 1535. Abraham Ortelius labelled "Manicongo" as the city at the mouth of the river in his world map of 1564. The tribal names in Kongo possibly derive from a word for a public gathering or tribal assembly. The modern name of the Kongo people or Bakongo was introduced in the early 20th century.

The name Zaire is from a Portuguese adaptation of a Kikongo word, Kongo: nzere ("river"), a truncation of Kongo: nzadi o nzere ("river swallowing rivers"). The river was known as Zaire during the 16th and 17th centuries; Congo seems to have replaced Zaire gradually in English usage during the 18th century, and Congo is the preferred English name in 19th-century literature, although references to Zahir or Zaire as the name used by the inhabitants remained common.^[9] The Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo are named after it, as was the previous Republic of the Congo which had gained independence in 1960 from the Belgian Congo. The Republic of Zaire during 1971–1997 was also named after the river's name in French and Portuguese.

Basin and course

See main article: article and Congo Basin.

The Congo's drainage basin covers, an area nearly equal to that of the European Union. The Congo's discharge at its mouth ranges from, with an average of . The river transports annually 86 million tonnes of suspended sediment to the Atlantic Ocean and an additional 6% of bedload.^[10]

The river and its tributaries flow through the Congo rainforest, the second largest rainforest area in the world, after the Amazon rainforest in South America. The third-largest river in the world by discharge volume (at mouth 41,860 m³/s), following the Amazon (219,530 m³/s) and Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna (total discharge at delta 43,950 m³/s) rivers;^[11] the second-largest drainage basin of any river, behind the Amazon; and is one of the deepest rivers in the world, at depths greater than .^[12] Because its drainage basin includes areas both north and south of the Equator, its flow is stable, as there is always at least one part of the river experiencing a rainy season.^[13]

The sources of the Congo are in the highlands and mountains of the East African Rift, as well as Lake Tanganyika and Lake Mweru, which feed the Lualaba River, which then becomes the Congo below Boyoma Falls. The Chambeshi River 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 toward the northwest from Kisangani just below the Boyoma Falls, then gradually bends southwestward, passing by Mbandaka, joining with the Ubangi River and running into the Pool Malebo (Stanley Pool). Kinshasa (formerly Léopoldville) and Brazzaville 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 Falls), running by Matadi and Boma, and into the sea at Muanda.

Lower Congo constitutes the "lower" parts of the great river; that is the section of the river from the river mouth at the Atlantic coast to the twin capitals of Brazzaville and Kinshasa. In this section of the river, there are two significant tributaries, both on the left or south side. The Kwilu River originates in the hills near the Angolan border and enters the Congo some 100 km upstream from Matadi. The other is the Inkisi River, that flows in a northerly direction from the Uíge Province in Angola to the confluence with the Congo at Zongo some downstream from the twin capitals. Because of the vast number of rapids, in particular the Livingstone Falls, this section of the river is not operated continuously by riverboats.

Drainage basin

See main article: article and Congo Basin.

The Congo basin covers ten countries and accounts for about 13% of Africa. The highest point in the Congo basin is in the Ruwenzori Mountains, at an altitude of around above sea level.

Distribution of the Congo basin area between countries:^[14]

Country	Area		%
	3712316km2	100.00
	305,760	118,050	8.24
	18,728	7,231	0.50
	85,300	32,900	2.30
	402,000	155,000	10.83
	2,307,800	891,000	62.16
	1,146	442	0.03
	248,400	95,900	6.69
	382	147	0.01
	166,800	64,400	4.49
	176,600	68,200	4.76

Station! colspan="2"

Distance along river	Altitude		Basin size		Multiannual average discharge
km	mi	m	ft	km2	sq mi	Start year	m3/s	cu ft/s
Lower Congo
Banana	0disp=tableNaNdisp=table	0disp=tableNaNdisp=table	3730740disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1915	41400disp=tableNaNdisp=table
Inga	188disp=tableNaNdisp=table	78disp=tableNaNdisp=table			when adding a value-->	1959	41100disp=tableNaNdisp=table
Kinshasa,Brazzaville	498disp=tableNaNdisp=table	269disp=tableNaNdisp=table	3659900disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1902	40500disp=tableNaNdisp=table
Middle Congo
Mossaka	898disp=tableNaNdisp=table	289disp=tableNaNdisp=table	2490000disp=tableNaNdisp=table				when adding a value-->
Mbandaka	1157disp=tableNaNdisp=table	303disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1683800disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1907	19000disp=tableNaNdisp=table
Yangambi	2133disp=tableNaNdisp=table	371disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1069100disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1907	8358disp=tableNaNdisp=table
Kisangani	2240disp=tableNaNdisp=table	380disp=tableNaNdisp=table	974330disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1907	7079disp=tableNaNdisp=table
Upper Congo (Lualaba)
Boyoma Falls	2310disp=tableNaNdisp=table	400disp=tableNaNdisp=table			when adding a value-->	1907	6550disp=tableNaNdisp=table
Ubundu	2390disp=tableNaNdisp=table	418disp=tableNaNdisp=table			when adding a value-->	1907	6378disp=tableNaNdisp=table
Kindu	2705disp=tableNaNdisp=table	448disp=tableNaNdisp=table	810440disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1912	2213disp=tableNaNdisp=table
Ankoro	3455disp=tableNaNdisp=table	556disp=tableNaNdisp=table	171000disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1935	901disp=tableNaNdisp=table
Bukama	3695disp=tableNaNdisp=table	567disp=tableNaNdisp=table	63090disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1933	322disp=tableNaNdisp=table

Discharge

Kinshasa and Brazzaville

Water
year! colspan="3"

Discharge in m3/s (cu ft/s)		Water year	Discharge in m3/s (cu ft/s)				Water year	Discharge in m3/s (cu ft/s)
Min			Mean	Max	Min			Mean	Max	Min	Mean	Max
1902/03		30850m3/s	38670m3/s	51020m3/s	1942/43		31190m3/s	42150m3/s	55200m3/s	1982/83	24360m3/s	35560m3/s	49020m3/s
1903/04		28700m3/s	40680m3/s	53850m3/s	1943/44		27090m3/s	39360m3/s	50270m3/s	1983/84	24000m3/s	33310m3/s	51700m3/s
1904/05		22350m3/s	34710m3/s	49960m3/s	1944/45		30960m3/s	38890m3/s	56250m3/s	1984/85	27000m3/s	38810m3/s	51300m3/s
1905/06		27280m3/s	38820m3/s	48310m3/s	1945/46		28120m3/s	38820m3/s	61300m3/s	1985/86	24200m3/s	36740m3/s	55400m3/s
1906/07		23980m3/s	34190m3/s	45680m3/s	1946/47		34900m3/s	43470m3/s	50350m3/s	1986/87	24900m3/s	38700m3/s	60400m3/s
1907/08		28350m3/s	38950m3/s	65760m3/s	1947/48		33560m3/s	44210m3/s	62740m3/s	1987/88	25700m3/s	39110m3/s	57300m3/s
1908/09		35460m3/s	45330m3/s	54350m3/s	1948/49		29080m3/s	39610m3/s	53960m3/s	1988/89	25600m3/s	37830m3/s	62800m3/s
1909/10		29960m3/s	41920m3/s	60160m3/s	1949/50		29480m3/s	42140m3/s	56940m3/s	1989/90	24300m3/s	35970m3/s	55800m3/s
1910/11		26080m3/s	38220m3/s	55440m3/s	1950/51		28150m3/s	39610m3/s	62780m3/s	1990/91	33600m3/s	40880m3/s	54100m3/s
1911/12		30930m3/s	40240m3/s	53260m3/s	1951/52		31900m3/s	40360m3/s	55020m3/s	1991/92	24000m3/s	34640m3/s	49100m3/s
1912/13		27730m3/s	36380m3/s	42280m3/s	1952/53		25850m3/s	37100m3/s	49370m3/s	1992/93	27100m3/s	36790m3/s	58100m3/s
1913/14		26280m3/s	35860m3/s	56810m3/s	1953/54		27690m3/s	37870m3/s	51450m3/s	1993/94	30100m3/s	38730m3/s	53000m3/s
1914/15		25220m3/s	34090m3/s	47450m3/s	1954/55		32220m3/s	44130m3/s	60790m3/s	1994/95	28500m3/s	39970m3/s	65400m3/s
1915/16		27760m3/s	38500m3/s	59680m3/s	1955/56		30490m3/s	42420m3/s	55490m3/s	1995/96	29500m3/s	40860m3/s	58900m3/s
1916/17		29270m3/s	42200m3/s	55920m3/s	1956/57		32840m3/s	42300m3/s	54520m3/s	1996/97	28400m3/s	38370m3/s	57600m3/s
1917/18		27440m3/s	34850m3/s	43840m3/s	1957/58		26010m3/s	35330m3/s	50870m3/s	1997/98	32100m3/s	45000m3/s	71000m3/s
1918/19		23740m3/s	33650m3/s	44630m3/s	1958/59		25440m3/s	36500m3/s	57720m3/s	1998/99	31100m3/s	41230m3/s	62200m3/s
1919/20		27230m3/s	37880m3/s	59540m3/s	1959/60		35380m3/s	46450m3/s	59540m3/s	1999/00	28700m3/s	40120m3/s	69300m3/s
1920/21		30590m3/s	40940m3/s	55850m3/s	1960/61		35060m3/s	47410m3/s	80830m3/s	2000/01	33900m3/s	42960m3/s	55800m3/s
1921/22		25830m3/s	37980m3/s	58140m3/s	1961/62		40420m3/s	55240m3/s	76300m3/s	2001/02	29600m3/s	43070m3/s	66800m3/s
1922/23		29540m3/s	41080m3/s	59870m3/s	1962/63		39630m3/s	51230m3/s	67950m3/s	2002/03	33600m3/s	43120m3/s	64800m3/s
1923/24		30610m3/s	42620m3/s	63370m3/s	1963/64		32930m3/s	48510m3/s	69410m3/s	2003/04	25800m3/s	38150m3/s	56700m3/s
1924/25		32180m3/s	41330m3/s	64170m3/s	1964/65		28370m3/s	43100m3/s	62350m3/s	2004/05	25600m3/s	37640m3/s	57500m3/s
1925/26		31770m3/s	43920m3/s	61660m3/s	1965/66		36670m3/s	48380m3/s	63040m3/s	2005/06	26800m3/s	38090m3/s	53100m3/s
1926/27		27000m3/s	37710m3/s	47350m3/s	1966/67		31420m3/s	41770m3/s	65540m3/s	2006/07	31900m3/s	42160m3/s	63900m3/s
1927/28		31430m3/s	41120m3/s	51730m3/s	1967/68		36970m3/s	46960m3/s	58560m3/s	2007/08	30700m3/s	41590m3/s	62000m3/s
1928/29		29080m3/s	39280m3/s	57930m3/s	1968/69		43170m3/s	51830m3/s	66420m3/s	2008/09	29900m3/s	41160m3/s	56800m3/s
1929/30		27860m3/s	40130m3/s	48210m3/s	1969/70		34480m3/s	47290m3/s	62820m3/s	2009/10	32100m3/s	42010m3/s	54600m3/s
1930/31		28850m3/s	37480m3/s	49130m3/s	1970/71		28180m3/s	40040m3/s	54330m3/s	2010/11	22000m3/s	35480m3/s	56300m3/s
1931/32		29860m3/s	40700m3/s	56380m3/s	1971/72		29380m3/s	38470m3/s	55880m3/s	2011/12	24800m3/s	37070m3/s	54900m3/s
1932/33		27700m3/s	40950m3/s	50950m3/s	1972/73		25760m3/s	37290m3/s	50400m3/s	2012/13	27800m3/s	39660m3/s	56600m3/s
1933/34		31090m3/s	40700m3/s	63670m3/s	1973/74		31530m3/s	39560m3/s	52180m3/s	2013/14	30300m3/s	42080m3/s	57800m3/s
1934/35		31830m3/s	43560m3/s	57310m3/s	1974/75		29960m3/s	41340m3/s	63650m3/s	2014/15	26000m3/s	37860m3/s	61100m3/s
1935/36		32640m3/s	41650m3/s	56770m3/s	1975/76		32410m3/s	42710m3/s	59240m3/s	2015/16	29800m3/s	41360m3/s	58700m3/s
1936/37		31400m3/s	42120m3/s	57900m3/s	1976/77		33390m3/s	45760m3/s	57770m3/s	2016/17	26400m3/s	37260m3/s	53800m3/s
937/38		30100m3/s	40060m3/s	56790m3/s	1977/78		33150m3/s	43550m3/s	62440m3/s	2017/18	28600m3/s	40130m3/s	60100m3/s
1938/39		29040m3/s	41260m3/s	62380m3/s	1978/79		33570m3/s	45180m3/s	52280m3/s	2018/19	28200m3/s	40770m3/s	70900m3/s
1939/40		30210m3/s	42110m3/s	52780m3/s	1979/80		33340m3/s	41150m3/s	59530m3/s	2019/20	35200m3/s	50250m3/s	67200m3/s
1940/41		31370m3/s	40320m3/s	57110m3/s	1980/81		29680m3/s	40710m3/s	52160m3/s	2020/21	28700m3/s	40830m3/s	59200m3/s
1941/42		31190m3/s	42150m3/s	55200m3/s	1981/82		29270m3/s	38930m3/s	49020m3/s

Width and depth

Location !colspan=2

Width !colspan=2	Average depth !colspan=2	Max depth	- !m	ft !m	ft !m	ft	-	Lower Congo							-	-5.1487°N 13.989°W	1070disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	49.3disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	87.1disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Ile Soka-5.1418°N 13.9911°W	1020disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	57.4disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	92.9disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	-5.0493°N 13.9912°W	450disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen			when adding a value-->	165disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Bulu-5.0304°N 14.027°W	429disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	62.3disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	102disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	-5.0329°N 14.027°W	384disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	43.2disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	78.1disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	-5.0355°N 14.0306°W	388disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	44.1disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	78.5disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Ile Banza-5.0391°N 14.0359°W	540disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	44.1disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	79.2disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Luozi-4.9474°N 14.1559°W	2190disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	11.7disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	24.2disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Muhambi-4.9274°N 14.2546°W	1010disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	33.9disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	78.2disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Pioka-4.9009°N 14.4051°W	1460disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	75.3disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	118disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Kinshasa–Brazzaville-4.2798°N 15.3091°W	3264disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	9disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	15.7disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Middle Congo							-	Maloukou-4.0901°N 15.5109°W			when adding a value-->	14.8disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	36.3disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Léchia-3.8787°N 15.9199°W			when adding a value-->	21.5disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	50.3disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Kounzoulou–Miranda-3.5552°N 16.0923°W			when adding a value-->	20.9disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	45disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Kunzulu-3.4813°N 16.1218°W	1540disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	16.8disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen			when adding a value-->	-	Kwamouth-3.1899°N 16.186°W	1905disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	12.7disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen			when adding a value-->	-	Kasai at mouth-3.1768°N 16.1949°W	606disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	12.7disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen			when adding a value-->	-	Congo at Kasai mouth-3.1666°N 16.181°W	1851disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	NaNdisp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	39.9disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Mbali–Mosebwaka-2.8094°N 16.1945°W			when adding a value-->	8.4disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	26.7disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Bouemba-2.2064°N 16.1803°W			when adding a value-->	7disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	22.2disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Bolobo-2.1579°N 16.2046°W	4119disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	7.2disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen			when adding a value-->	-	Yumbi-1.871°N 16.5121°W			when adding a value-->	7.1disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	19.7disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Bounda-1.6321°N 16.6332°W			when adding a value-->	8disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	19.7disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Mossaka-1.2395°N 16.7957°W			when adding a value-->	7.6disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	19.2disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Lukolela-1.0538°N 17.1494°W	1757disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	NaNdisp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	32disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Bweta–Manga-0.9109°N 17.3909°W	NaNdisp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	NaNdisp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen			when adding a value-->	-	Yambe-0.7274°N 17.5508°W	2468disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	11.8disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen			when adding a value-->	-	Liranga-0.6834°N 17.6121°W			when adding a value-->	7.9disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	32.7disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Bomenenge–Mikuka-0.4328°N 17.837°W			when adding a value-->	7.6disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	23.7disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Mbandaka0.0215°N 18.2197°W			when adding a value-->	8.5disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	31.8disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	-	Kisangani0.5061°N 25.1843°W	1440disp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen	NaNdisp=tablecenNaNdisp=tablecen			when adding a value-->
scope=row colspan=7	Sources:

Tributaries

Left tributary !rowspan=2

Right tributary !colspan=2	Length !colspan=2	Basin size !colspan=2	Average discharge	- !km	mi !km2	sq mi !m3/s	cu ft/s	-	Congo		4374disp=tableNaNdisp=table	3712316disp=tableNaNdisp=table	41400disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lower Congo (river mouth to Kinshasa)								-		Luki			when adding a value-->			when adding a value-->	14.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lué-Grande				when adding a value-->	2786.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	25.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Fuila	150disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1051.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	8.9disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		170disp=tableNaNdisp=table	6932.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	78.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		190disp=tableNaNdisp=table	2586.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	27.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Kwilu	284disp=tableNaNdisp=table	6500disp=tableNaNdisp=table	89.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Lwala			when adding a value-->	2322.2disp=tableNaNdisp=table	26.6disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-			221disp=tableNaNdisp=table	2166.9disp=tableNaNdisp=table	25.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Yambi	65disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1262.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	19.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Mpioka		31disp=tableNaNdisp=table	788.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	10.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lunzadi			when adding a value-->	753.9disp=tableNaNdisp=table	11.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		559disp=tableNaNdisp=table	13500disp=tableNaNdisp=table	291.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Foulakary	127disp=tableNaNdisp=table	3230.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	51.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		175disp=tableNaNdisp=table	6225disp=tableNaNdisp=table	158.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Middle Congo (Kinshasa to the Boyoma Falls)								-			93disp=tableNaNdisp=table	2258.9disp=tableNaNdisp=table	38.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		193disp=tableNaNdisp=table	4500disp=tableNaNdisp=table	77.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Djiri	63disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1395.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	31.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Yana			when adding a value-->	663.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	15.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lufimi		268disp=tableNaNdisp=table	11500disp=tableNaNdisp=table	199disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Mary			when adding a value-->	3529disp=tableNaNdisp=table	84.6disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Mai Mpili		62disp=tableNaNdisp=table	759.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	13disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lidji	108disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1686disp=tableNaNdisp=table	24.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		2153disp=tableNaNdisp=table	884370disp=tableNaNdisp=table	11600disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Gam-bomba			when adding a value-->	1372.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	29.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		418disp=tableNaNdisp=table	14951.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	423.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	M'Pouya			when adding a value-->	1175.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	21.2disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	N'Goindi			when adding a value-->	1537.2disp=tableNaNdisp=table	30disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Gampoka				when adding a value-->	1036.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	10.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Nkeni	331disp=tableNaNdisp=table	8249.6disp=tableNaNdisp=table	209.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Nkeme			when adding a value-->	3154disp=tableNaNdisp=table	39.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Nsolu				when adding a value-->	4129disp=tableNaNdisp=table	39.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Sangasi	64disp=tableNaNdisp=table	2020.9disp=tableNaNdisp=table	19.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-			577disp=tableNaNdisp=table	23192.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	700disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		615disp=tableNaNdisp=table	69800disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1053.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		1395disp=tableNaNdisp=table	191953disp=tableNaNdisp=table	2471disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Pama		50disp=tableNaNdisp=table	2202.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	24.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Manga	43disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1337.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	17.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		35disp=tableNaNdisp=table	7380disp=tableNaNdisp=table	105.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-			2299disp=tableNaNdisp=table	651918disp=tableNaNdisp=table	5936disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-			1200disp=tableNaNdisp=table	173790disp=tableNaNdisp=table	4500disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		345disp=tableNaNdisp=table	12510disp=tableNaNdisp=table	222.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		705disp=tableNaNdisp=table	76950disp=tableNaNdisp=table	2040disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Moeko	190disp=tableNaNdisp=table	4346.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	40.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		663disp=tableNaNdisp=table	52200disp=tableNaNdisp=table	708.6disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lofofe				when adding a value-->	1333.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	22.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Mioka	93disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1872disp=tableNaNdisp=table	30.2disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Isambi				when adding a value-->	2135.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	36.6disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Molua	71disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1566.6disp=tableNaNdisp=table	24.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		700disp=tableNaNdisp=table	50490disp=tableNaNdisp=table	773.2disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Makpulu			when adding a value-->	1279.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	22.6disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Loie			when adding a value-->	682.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	12.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Moliba			when adding a value-->	1363.2disp=tableNaNdisp=table	24.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Ikot			when adding a value-->	987.2disp=tableNaNdisp=table	20.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Mokeke			when adding a value-->	695disp=tableNaNdisp=table	12.9disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lula			when adding a value-->	582disp=tableNaNdisp=table	10.9disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lunua				when adding a value-->	612.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	12.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-			1287disp=tableNaNdisp=table	116100disp=tableNaNdisp=table	2200disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Loleka				when adding a value-->	1349.6disp=tableNaNdisp=table	27.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lukombe			when adding a value-->	2931.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	53.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		2063disp=tableNaNdisp=table	109080disp=tableNaNdisp=table	2061.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Lubilu			when adding a value-->	1222.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	20disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Romée				when adding a value-->	601.9disp=tableNaNdisp=table	10disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Lubania			when adding a value-->	743.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	11.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		797disp=tableNaNdisp=table	60300disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1200disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Upper Congo (Lualaba; upstream from the Boyoma Falls)								-	Yoko				when adding a value-->	866.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	15.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Maiko	516disp=tableNaNdisp=table	13935.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	318.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Oluka				when adding a value-->	495.2disp=tableNaNdisp=table	10disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Obiautku			when adding a value-->	1290.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	33.9disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lilu	281disp=tableNaNdisp=table	6381.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	192.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Ruiki		203disp=tableNaNdisp=table	5540.2disp=tableNaNdisp=table	125.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lilo	202disp=tableNaNdisp=table	3684.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	92.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-			615disp=tableNaNdisp=table	49590disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1624.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		803disp=tableNaNdisp=table	30240disp=tableNaNdisp=table	901.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Kasuku		397disp=tableNaNdisp=table	11468.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	175.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Ambe	96disp=tableNaNdisp=table	2231.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	69.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Luti			when adding a value-->	771disp=tableNaNdisp=table	22.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		670disp=tableNaNdisp=table	27360disp=tableNaNdisp=table	678.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lueki		205disp=tableNaNdisp=table	6494.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	58.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Kiha-muwa	182disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1362disp=tableNaNdisp=table	23.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Kabila	70disp=tableNaNdisp=table	2229.6disp=tableNaNdisp=table	22disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lowe		49disp=tableNaNdisp=table	2306.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	16.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Ganze	25disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1331.6disp=tableNaNdisp=table	8.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lubutu	212disp=tableNaNdisp=table	8419.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	57disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Kunda	96disp=tableNaNdisp=table	5749.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	41.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Mulongoi		219disp=tableNaNdisp=table	4754.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	21.9disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Lulindi	190disp=tableNaNdisp=table	3515disp=tableNaNdisp=table	17.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		741disp=tableNaNdisp=table	25099.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	221disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Luika	223disp=tableNaNdisp=table	6214.2disp=tableNaNdisp=table	17.6disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Luvilo			when adding a value-->	1126.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	4.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lufutuka			when adding a value-->	1792.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	6.9disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		350disp=tableNaNdisp=table	271580disp=tableNaNdisp=table	271disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lubanzi				when adding a value-->	3045.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	19.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Kay			when adding a value-->	1742disp=tableNaNdisp=table	8.6disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lukuswa			when adding a value-->	1822.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	7.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Luboy			when adding a value-->	1644.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	4.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Luvidjo		240disp=tableNaNdisp=table	11312.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	69.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Kalongwe			when adding a value-->	1208.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	3.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		388disp=tableNaNdisp=table	265260disp=tableNaNdisp=table	600disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Kai			when adding a value-->	1142.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	6.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lubumbu				when adding a value-->	1342.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	8.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Kalumen- gongo	329disp=tableNaNdisp=table	8069.3disp=tableNaNdisp=table	66.9disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lovoi		385disp=tableNaNdisp=table	19624.6disp=tableNaNdisp=table	185.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-			911disp=tableNaNdisp=table	51480disp=tableNaNdisp=table	502disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-			490disp=tableNaNdisp=table	27500disp=tableNaNdisp=table	191.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Kalule	172disp=tableNaNdisp=table	4208.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	28.6disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Musonoi				when adding a value-->	1539.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	7.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lufupa	155disp=tableNaNdisp=table	5070.7disp=tableNaNdisp=table	36.8disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-		Kando	191disp=tableNaNdisp=table	2455.5disp=tableNaNdisp=table	16.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Nyund-welu			when adding a value-->	1319.4disp=tableNaNdisp=table	10.1disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Lukonga	131disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1721.2disp=tableNaNdisp=table	10.2disp=tableNaNdisp=table	-	Mukwishi		61disp=tableNaNdisp=table	1562disp=tableNaNdisp=table	12.2disp=tableNaNdisp=table
scope=row colspan=8	Source:[15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

Lower Congo (river mouth to Kinshasa) Downstream of Kinshasa, from the river mouth at Banana, there are a few major tributaries.

• M'pozo (left)
• Kwilu (left)
• Inkisi (left)
• Foulakary (right)
• Djoué (right)

Middle Congo (Kinshasa to the Boyoma Falls)

• Nsele (left)
• Lufimi (left)
• Mary (right)
• Kwa–Kasai (left)
  • Fimi
    • • • • Lukenie Lokoro—Lake Mai-Ndombe
  • Kwango
    • Culio
    • Wamba
    • Kwilu
      • Kwenge
      • Inzia
  • Loange
  • Sankuru
    • Lubilanji
    • Lubefu
    • Lubudi
  • Lulua
  • Chicapa
  • Luachimo
  • Lubembe
    • Chiumbe
• Léfini (right)
• Nkeni (right)
• Alima (right)
• Likouala-Mossaka (right)
• Sangha (right)
  • Likouala aux Herbes
  • Ngoko
    • Boumba
  • Kadéï (570 km, 41,000 km², 466 m³/s)
  • Mambéré
• Ubangi (right)
  • Giri
  • Lua
  • Lobaye
  • Mbali
  • Ouaka
  • Kotto
    • • • Mbomou Chinko
    • Mbari
    • Bili
      • • Uele Kibali
    • Dungu
    • Bomokandi
    • Uere
• Irebu—Lake Tumba (left)
• Ruki (left)
  • Momboyo
  • Busira
    • Salonga
    • Tshuapa or Ruki (left)
      • Lomela
• Ikelemba (left)
• Lulonga (left)
  • Lopori
  • Maringa
• Moeko (right)
• Mongala (right)
• Itimbiri (right)
• Aruwimi (right)
  • • • Ituri Nepoko
• Lukombe (left)
• Lomami (left)
• Lindi (right)
  • • Tshopo Maiko (right)

Upper Congo (Lualaba; upstream from the Boyoma Falls)

• Lilu (right)
• Ruiki (left)
• Lilo (left)
• Lowa (right)
  • Oso
• Ulindi (right)
  • Lugulu
• Kasuku (left)
• Ambe (right)
• Elila (right)
• Loho (left)
• Lubutu (left)
• Kunda (right)
• Luama (right)
• Luika (right)
• Lukuga (right)
  • Rusizi (Lake Tanganyika)
  • Malagarasi (Lake Tanganyika)
    • Ugalla
    • Gombe
      • Moyowosi
• Luvidjo (left)
• Luvua (right)
  • Kalungwishi (Lake Mweru)
  • Luapula (Lake Mweru; 740 km, 173,386 km², 741 m³/s)
    • Chambeshi (Lake Bangweulu, Bangweulu swamp; 500 km, 44,427 km², 185 m³/s)
• Kalumengongo (right)
• Lovoi (left)
• Lufira (right)
• Lubudi (left)
• Lufupa (left)

Economic importance

Although the Livingstone Falls prevent access from the sea, nearly the entire Congo above them is readily navigable in sections, especially between Kinshasa and Kisangani. Large river steamers worked the river until quite recently. The Congo River still is a lifeline in a land with few roads or railways.^[22] Railways now bypass the three major falls, and much of the trade of Central Africa passes along the river, including copper, palm oil (as kernels), sugar, coffee, and cotton.^[23]

Hydroelectric power

The Congo River is the most powerful river in Africa. During the rainy season over of water per second flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Opportunities for the Congo River and its tributaries to generate hydropower are therefore enormous. Scientists have calculated that the entire Congo Basin accounts for 13 percent of global hydropower potential. This would provide sufficient power for all of Sub-Saharan Africa's electricity needs.^[24]

Currently, there are about 40 hydropower plants in the Congo Basin. The largest are the Inga dams, about southwest of Kinshasa. The project was launched in the early 1970s, when the first dam was completed.^[25] The plan (as originally conceived) called for the construction of five dams that would have had a total generating capacity of 34,500 megawatts (MW). To date only the Inga I and Inga II dams have been built, generating 1,776 MW.^[24]

In February 2005, South Africa's state-owned power company, Eskom, announced a proposal to expand generation through improvements and the construction of a new hydroelectric dam. The project would bring the maximum output of the facility to 40,000 megawatts (MW).^[26] It is feared that these new hydroelectric dams could lead to the extinction of many of the fish species that are native to the river.

Natural history

The current course of the Congo River formed between 1.5 and 2 million years BP, during the Pleistocene.^{[27] [28]} It is likely that during this period many upper tributaries of the Congo were captured from adjacent river basins, including the Uele and upper Ubangi from the Chari system^[29] and the Chambeshi River^[30] alongside a number of upper Kasai River tributaries from the Zambezi system.^[31]

The Congo's formation may have led to the allopatric speciation of the bonobo and the common chimpanzee from their most recent common ancestor.^[32] The bonobo is endemic to the humid forests in the region, as are other iconic species like the Allen's swamp monkey, dryas monkey, aquatic genet, okapi, and Congo peafowl.^{[33] [34]}

In terms of aquatic life, the Congo River Basin has a very high species richness and among the highest known densities of endemics.^[35], almost 800 fish species have been recorded from the Congo River Basin (not counting Lake Tanganyika, which is connected but ecologically very different),^[36] and large sections remain virtually unstudied.^[37] For example, the section in Salonga National Park, which is about the size of Belgium, had still not been sampled at all in 2006.^[38] New fish species are scientifically described with some regularity from the Congo River Basin, and many undescribed species are known.^[39]

The Congo has by far the highest diversity of any African river system; in comparison, the next richest are the Niger, Volta and Nile with about 240, 140 and 130 fish species, respectively.^[40] Because of the great ecological differences between the regions in the Congo basin—including habitats such as river rapids, deep rivers, swamps, and lakes—it is often divided into multiple ecoregions (instead of treating it as a single ecoregion). Among these ecoregions, the Livingstone Falls cataracts has more than 300 fish species,^[41] including approximately 80 endemics^[42] while the southwestern part (Kasai River basin) has more than 200 fish species, of which about a quarter are endemic.^[43]

The dominant fish families—at least in parts of the river—are Cyprinidae (carp/cyprinids, such as Labeo simpsoni), Mormyridae (elephant fishes), Alestidae (African tetras), Mochokidae (squeaker catfishes), and Cichlidae (cichlids).^[44] Among the natives in the river is the huge, highly carnivorous giant tigerfish. Three of the more unusual endemics are the whitish (non-pigmented) and blind Lamprologus lethops, which is believed to live as deep as 160m (530feet) below the surface, Heterochromis multidens, which is more closely related to cichlids of the Americas than other African cichlids,^[45] and Caecobarbus geertsii, the only known cavefish in Central Africa.^[46] There are also numerous endemic frogs and snails.^[47] Several hydroelectric dams are planned on the river, and these may lead to the extinction of many of the endemics.

Several species of turtles and the slender-snouted, Nile and dwarf crocodile are native to the Congo River Basin. African manatees inhabit the lower parts of the river.^[48]

Flooding

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Republic of Congo (RoC) have historically experienced recurrent flooding along the Congo River and its main tributaries during the rainy season, causing erosion and landslides, and negatively impacting human settlements, agriculture, and public health.^{[49] [50]} The Congo River is expected to be increasingly impacted by climate change as temperatures rise and rainfall increases both in intensity and seasonal duration.^[51]

From October 2019 to January 2020, heavy rains affected 16 of the 26 provinces of the DRC and eight out of 12 departments of the RoC, leading to the 2019–2020 Congo River floods. The rains caused the overflow of the Congo River and Ubangi rivers, floods and landslides throughout the DRC and RoC and led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people.^[52]

History

Pre-colonial history

See main article: Pre-colonial history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The entire Congo basin is populated by Bantu peoples, divided into several hundred ethnic groups. Bantu expansion is estimated to have reached the middle Congo by about 500 BC and the upper Congo by the first century AD. Remnants of the aboriginal population displaced by the Bantu migration, Pygmies/Abatwa of the Ubangian phylum, remain in the remote forest areas of the Congo Basin.

By the 13th century there were three main confederations of states in the western Congo Basin. In the east were the Seven Kingdoms of Kongo dia Nlaza, considered to be the oldest and most powerful, which likely included Nsundi, Mbata, Mpangu, and possibly Kundi and Okanga. South of these was Mpemba which stretched from modern-day Angola to the Congo River. It included various kingdoms such as Mpemba Kasi and Vunda. To its west across the Congo River was a confederation of three small states; Vungu (its leader), Kakongo, and Ngoyo.

The Kingdom of Kongo was formed in the late 14th century from a merging of the kingdoms of Mpemba Kasi and Mbata Kingdom on the left banks of the lower Congo River. Its territorial control along the river remained limited to what corresponds to the modern Kongo Central province. European exploration of the Congo began in 1482 when Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão discovered the river estuary (likely in August 1482), which he marked by a Padrão, or stone pillar (still existing, but only in fragments) erected on Shark Point. Cão sailed up the river for a short distance, establishing contact with the Kingdom of Kongo. The full course of the river remained unknown throughout the early modern period.

The upper Congo basin runs west of the Albertine Rift. Its connection to the Congo was unknown until 1877. The extreme northeast of the Congo basin was reached by the Nilotic expansion at some point between the 15th and 18th centuries, by the ancestors of the Southern Luo speaking Alur people. Francisco de Lacerda followed the Zambezi and reached the uppermost part of the Congo basin (the Kazembe in the upper Luapula basin) in 1796.

The upper Congo River was first reached by the Arab slave trade by the 19th century. Nyangwe was founded as a slavers' outpost around 1860. David Livingstone was the first European to reach Nyangwe in March 1871. Livingstone proposed to prove that the Lualaba connected to the Nile, but on 15 July, he witnessed a massacre of about 400 Africans by Arab slavers in Nyangwe, which experience left him too horrified and shattered to continue his mission to find the sources of the Nile, so he turned back to Lake Tanganyika.^{[53] [54]}

Early European colonization

See main article: Colonization of the Congo Basin.

The Europeans had not reached the central regions of the Congo basin from either the east or west, until Henry Morton Stanley's expedition of 1876–77, supported by the Committee for Studies of the Upper Congo. At the time one of the last open questions of the European exploration of Africa was whether the Lualaba River fed the Nile (Livingstone's theory), the Congo, or even the Niger River. Financed in 1874, Stanley's first trans-Africa exploration started in Zanzibar and reached the Lualaba on 17 October 1876. Overland he reached Nyangwe, the center of a lawless area containing cannibal tribes at which Tippu Tip based his trade in slaves. Stanley managed to hire a force from Tippu Tip to guard him for the next 150km (90miles) or so, for 90 days.

The party left Nyangwe overland through the dense Matimba forest. On 19 November they reached the Lualaba again. Since the going through the forest was so heavy, Tippu Tip turned around with his party on 28 December, leaving Stanley on his own, with 143 people, including eight children and 16 women. They had 23 canoes. His first encounter with a local tribe was with the cannibal Wenya. In total Stanley reports 32 unfriendly meetings on the river, some violent, even though he attempted to negotiate a peaceful thoroughfare. But the tribes were wary as their only experience of outsiders was with slave traders.

On 6 January 1877, after 400miles, they reached Boyoma Falls (called Stanley Falls for some time after), consisting of seven cataracts spanning 60sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 which they had to bypass overland. It took them to 7 February to reach the end of the falls. Here Stanley learned that the river was called Ikuta Yacongo, proving to him that he had reached the Congo and that the Lualaba did not feed the Nile.

From this point, the tribes were no longer cannibals but possessed firearms, apparently as a result of Portuguese influence. Some four weeks and 1200miles later he reached Stanley Pool (now Pool Malebo), the site of the present day cities Kinshasa and Brazzaville. Further downstream were the Livingstone Falls, misnamed as Livingstone had never been on the Congo: a series of 32 falls and rapids with an elevation change of 900feet over 220miles. On 15 March they started the descent of the falls, which took five months and cost numerous lives. From the Isangile Falls, five falls from the foot, they beached the canoes and Lady Alice and left the river, aiming for the Portuguese outpost of Boma via land.

On 3 August they reached the hamlet Nsada. From there Stanley sent four men with letters forward to Boma, asking for food for his starving people. On 7 August relief came, being sent by representatives from the Liverpool trading firm Hatton & Cookson. On 9 August they reached Boma, 1,001 days since leaving Zanzibar on 12 November 1874. The party then consisted of 108 people, including three children born during the trip. Most probably (Stanley's own publications give inconsistent figures), he lost 132 people through disease, hunger, drowning, killing and desertion.^[55]

Kinshasa was founded as a trading post by Stanley in 1881 and named Léopoldville in honor of Leopold II of Belgium. The Congo Basin was privately claimed by Leopold II as Congo Free State in 1885 where the many Atrocities in the Congo Free State were committed until the region was called the Belgian Congo.

See also

• 2021 Congo River disaster
• List of crossings of the Congo River
• List of rivers of Africa
• List of rivers by discharge
• List of rivers by length

General and cited sources

• Congo . 6 . Cana . Frank Richardson . 914–917.
• Book: Forbath, Peter . 1979 . The River Congo: The Discovery, Exploration and Exploitation of the World's Most Dramatic River . New York . E. P. Dutton . 0-525-47573-7 .
• Book: Jeal, Tim . 2007 . Stanley: The Impossible Life of Africa's Greatest Explorer . Faber & Faber . London . 978-0-571-22102-8.

External links

• The Royal Geography Society's Hidden Journeys project:
  • The River Congo Basin
  • Audio slideshow: The River Congo: Following in Explorer Sir Henry Morton Stanley's Footsteps—Tim Butcher recounts his trip through the Congo on the route of 19th-century explorer Sir Henry Morgan Stanley.
• Bibliography on Water Resources and International Law—Peace Palace Library
• Map of the Congo River basin at Water Resources eAtlas
• The Congo Project, American Museum of Natural History

Notes and References

1. Web site: Congo .
2. Book: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/311154427 . The Wetland Book . 10.1007/978-94-007-6173-5_92-2 . Ian James . Harrison . Randall E. . Brummett . Melanie L. J. . Stiassny . Congo River Basin . 1–18 . 2016 . 978-94-007-6173-5 .
3. Journal of Hydrometeorology . 10.1175/1525-7541(2002)003<0660:EOFDFC>2.0.CO;2 . Estimates of Freshwater Discharge from Continents: Latitudinal and Seasonal Variations . Aiguo . Dai . Kevin . E. Trenberth . 2002 . 3 . 6 . 660–687 . 2002JHyMe...3..660D .
4. Book: Hydrological Cycle Volume III . Igor Alekseevich . Shiklomanov . 978-1-84826-026-9 . 2009 . EOLSS Publications .
5. Geography . Congo River: Analysis of suspended sediment flux in a multichannel megasystem in Central Africa . Matheus . Silveira de Queiroz . Rogério . Ribeiro Marinho . 10.5380/raega.v61i1.96047 . 2024 . 61 . 153-172 . free .
6. Web site: Discharge and Other Hydraulic Measurements for Characterizing the Hydraulics of Lower Congo River, July 2008 . Kevin . Oberg . July 2008 . U.S. Geological Survey . 14 March 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111015143546/http://hydroacoustics.usgs.gov/publications/Measurements4LowerCongo-6.pdf . 15 October 2011 . live .
7. . "Not until it crosses the Equator will it at last turn away from this misleading course and, describing a remarkable counter-clockwise arc first to the west and then to the southwest, flow back across the Equator and on down to the Atlantic.
   
   In this the Congo is exceptional. No other major river in the world crosses the Equator even once, let alone twice."
8. Book: Anderson, David . Africa's Urban Past . 2000 . 978-0-85255-761-7 . 79 . James Currey Publishers . 4 May 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171222054121/https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=0IwMwBVfr0sC&pg=PA79 . 22 December 2017 . live .
9. Book: James Barbot . An Abstract of a Voyage to Congo River, Or the Zair and to Cabinde in the Year 1700 . 1746.
   Book: James Hingston Tuckey . 1818 . Narrative of an Expedition to Explore the River Zaire, Usually Called the Congo, in South Africa, in 1816 . 11 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180521164926/https://archive.org/details/narrativeofexped00tuck . 21 May 2018 . live.
   Book: Congo River, called Zahir or Zaire by the natives . John Purdy . Memoir, Descriptive and Explanatory, to Accompany the New Chart of the Ethiopic Or Southern Atlantic Ocean . 1822 . 112 .
10. Hanibal Lemma . and colleagues . Bedload transport measurements in the Gilgel Abay River, Lake Tana Basin, Ethiopia (Table 7) . Journal of Hydrology . 2019 . 577 . 123968 . 199099061 . 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.123968 .
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12. Web site: Monster Fish of the Congo . National Geographic Channel . 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101206040928/http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/explorer/3826/Overview . 6 December 2010 .
13. http://rainforests.mongabay.com/congo/congo_river.html The Congo River
14. Web site: Congo-HYCOS . 15 April 2023 . 19 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230419062153/https://hydrohub.wmo.int/en/projects/Congo-HYCOS . live .
15. Satellite-based estimates of surface water dynamics in the Congo River Basin (HAL) . International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation . 2017 . 66 . 196 . 10.1016/j.jag.2017.11.015 . Becker . Melanie . Papa . F. . Frappart . Frédéric . Alsdorf . D. . Calmant . S. . Silva . J. Santos da . Prigent . C. . Seyler . F. . 6873734 . 28 October 2022 .
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17. Web site: Commission Internationale du Bassin Congo-Oubangui-Sangha (CICOS) . 2014 . 28 October 2022 . 28 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221028103816/https://www.cicos.int/2014/03/ . live .
18. Web site: Congo River .
19. Web site: Le Fleuve Congo .
20. Web site: Congo .
21. Web site: Lwalaba .
22. See, for instance, Thierry Michel's film Congo River
23. Web site: DR Congo—AFRICAN FINE COFFEES ASSOCIATION (AFCA) . AFRICAN FINE COFFEES ASSOCIATION (AFCA) . 7 October 2016 . 24 April 2021 . en-US . 24 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210424160919/https://afca.coffee/portfolio-item/dr-congo/ . live .
24. http://weetlogs.scilogs.be/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=331&blogId=27 Alain Nubourgh, Belgian Technical Cooperation (BTC)
25. Showers . Kate B. . 145515488 . 1 September 2011 . Electrifying Africa: An Environmental History with Policy Implications . Geografiska Annaler: Series B, Human Geography . en . 93 . 3 . 193–221 . 10.1111/j.1468-0467.2011.00373.x . 1468-0467 .
26. News: Could a $50bn plan to tame this mighty river bring electricity to all of Africa? . World news . The Guardian . London . Jeevan . Vasagar . 25 February 2005 . 30 April 2010 .
27. Book: Leonard C. Beadle . The inland waters of tropical Africa: an introduction to tropical limnology . 2 April 2011 . 1981 . Longman . 978-0-582-46341-7 .
28. Thieme et al., Freshwater Ecoregions of Africa and Madagascar: A Conservation Assessment Ecoregions Assessments, Island Press, 2005, p. 297 . "It is hypothesized that in the late Pliocene or early Pleistocene, a coastal Lower Guinean river captured Malebo Pool, connecting the previously interior Congo Basin to the ocean."
29. Cooper, John E. and Hull, Gordon; Gorilla Pathology and Health: With a Catalogue of Preserved Materials, p. 371
30. Skelton, P.H. 1994. 'Diversity and distribution of freshwater fishes in East and Southern Africa', in Biological diversity in African fresh and brackish water fishes, Symposium Paradi (G.G. Teugels, J.F. Guégan, and J.J. Albaret, editors), pp. 95–131. Annals of the Royal Central African Museum (Zoology) No. 275.
31. Gupta, Avijit (editor); Large Rivers: Geomorphology and Management, p. 327
32. Caswell JL, Mallick S, Richter DJ . Analysis of chimpanzee history based on genome sequence alignments . PLOS Genet. . 4 . 4 . e1000057 . 2008 . 18421364 . 2278377 . 10.1371/journal.pgen.1000057 . etal . free .
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35. Web site: Evolution in the Deepest River in the World . Kyle . Dickman . 3 November 2009 . Smithsonian Magazine . Science & Nature . 4 November 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111109072934/http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/Evolution-in-the-Deepest-River-in-the-World.html . 9 November 2011 . live .
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37. Freshwater Ecoregions of the World (2008). "Sudanic Congo—Oubangi". . Accessed 2 May 2011.
38. Schliewen, U.K. . Stiassny, M.L.J. . 2006 . A new species of Nanochromis (Teleostei: Cichlidae) from Lake Mai Ndombe, central Congo Basin, Democratic Republic of Congo . Zootaxa . 1169 . 33–46 . 86533120 . 10.11646/zootaxa.1169.1.2 .
39. Schwarzer, J. . Misof, B. . Schliewen, U.K. . 2011 . Speciation within genomic networks: a case study based on Steatocranus cichlids of the lower Congo rapids . Journal of Evolutionary Biology . 25 . 1 . 138–148 . 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2011.02409.x . 22070232 . free .
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41. Web site: Weisberger . Mindy . Dying Fish Revealed Congo Is World's Deepest River . livescience.com . LiveScience . 12 January 2020 . 14 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200114030815/https://www.livescience.com/congo-river-fish-with-bends.html . 14 January 2020 . live .
42. Web site: Norlander . Britt . 20 April 2009 . Rough waters: one of the world's most turbulent rivers is home to a wide array of fish species. Now, large dams are threatening their future . 8 July 2012 . https://archive.today/20120708055831/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1590/is_13_65/ai_n31583235/ . Science World .
43. Freshwater Ecoregions of the World (2008). "Lower Congo Rapids". . Accessed 2 May 2011.
44. Freshwater Ecoregions of the World (2008). "Upper Lualaba". . Accessed 2 May 2011.
45. Kullander, S.O. (1998). A phylogeny and classification of the South American Cichlidae (Teleostei: Perciformes). pp. 461–498 in Malabarba, L., et al. (eds.), Phylogeny and Classification of Neotropical Fishes, Porto Alegre.
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