Congo

Congo commonly denotes a geographic region in Central Africa and two sovereign states: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of the Congo (often called Congo-Brazzaville). The DRC and the Republic of the Congo lie on opposite sides of the lower Congo River; Kinshasa is the DRC’s capital, Brazzaville is the capital of the Republic of the Congo. The region’s name derives from the Congo River.

Geography and environment: The Congo Basin hosts extensive tropical rainforest and is among the world’s largest forested areas. The Congo River, a major navigable waterway, runs through the DRC and into the Atlantic, and is one of the deepest rivers. The climate is largely equatorial with heavy rainfall.

History and politics: The area was colonized by Belgium as the Congo Free State and later Belgian Congo, achieving independence in 1960. Since then, both countries have experienced periods of conflict and political transition. The DRC endured protracted civil conflicts in the 1990s and early 2000s; the Republic of the Congo has faced upheaval but has pursued constitutional governance.

Economy and society: The DRC is rich in minerals, notably copper and cobalt; the Republic of the Congo has oil and forestry resources. Both economies rely on extractive industries and face development challenges. Official language in both is French, with local languages such as Lingala and Swahili widely spoken in the DRC, and Kituba and Kikongo widely spoken in the Republic of the Congo. The Congo River remains central to transport and culture.