Congo (another name is Zaire) is the deepest river in Africa. The length of the river is 4,700 km. The maximum depth mark is 230 meters. It is the only major river that crosses the equator twice.

Congo River Monster

River depth - 230 meters
- Basin area - 3,680,000 square km.
- The source is the Shaba plateau. Mouth - Atlantic Ocean.
- Tributaries of the Congo - Mobangi, Lulongo, Mongalla, Lefini, Ruki, Kassai and many others.

What kind of fish are found:

Freshwater herring
- Barbel
- Telapia
- Nile perch
- The most evil and dangerous fish in the world is Goliath, the tiger fish.

So, in this African river there are terrible fish, which in terms of bloodthirstiness are second only to piranhas.
Tiger fish Goliath is a predatory fish weighing up to 70 kg and up to 1.5 meters long. This is a terrible, ferocious-looking creature with huge sharp teeth.
She always attacks from ambush. It feeds on fish and mammals that carelessly approach the water. Local fishermen say that fish also attack people.

Historical information about the Congo River

Mouth of the Congo River

The mouth was opened for the first time in 1482.

The discoverer was the Portuguese Diego Can, who lived in 1440-1486. He was a navigator and a successful businessman.

The unique geographical discovery was not made for scientific purposes at all - the talented businessman was simply establishing trade relations with the Kingdom of the Congo.

The main commodity was slaves.

Terrible tropical diseases haunted travelers, sweltering heat and humidity promised a terrible fever, impenetrable swamps and jungles prevented passage deep into the mainland. The natives were hostile to any attempts to explore African wildlife.

The first European to reach the upper reaches of the Congo, the Lualaba River, on March 29, 1871, was the Scotsman David Livingston. The deteriorating health of the famous explorer of Africa did not allow him to draw a conclusion about which river basin - the Congo or the Nile - Lualaba belongs to.

Livingstone's compatriot, the English journalist Henry Morton Stanley, had already traversed most of the Congo River in 1876-1877. Having overcome almost 5,000 km from east to west Africa on a dangerous journey, he reached the mouth of the Congo.

Under the patronage of the Belgian King Leopold II and at his expense, Stanley, on a new expedition in 1881, founded a number of stations on the banks of the river.

Kongo

The abundance of the African Congo River throughout the year is its main feature.

Basin of the Congo River, Lualaba, source of the Congo, Chambesi

The Congo River Basin, located in the very center of the African continent, ranks second in area in the world. The source of the Congo is most often considered to be the Lualaba River, which originates near the southeastern border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But it is believed that the source of the Congo is the Chambesi River, which begins near the southern tip of Lake Tanganyika. The peculiarity of the Congo River is its uniform flow of water throughout the year. This is explained by the fact that the Congo Basin is located on both sides of the equator, and therefore the flow of water from the rivers of the Northern Hemisphere, filled with intense summer rains, replenishes the winter shallowing of the southern tributaries of the river.

Basin and sections of the Congo River

The Congo Basin covers the so-called Congo Basin and its marginal plateaus. The river is usually divided into three main sections. From the headwaters to Stanley Falls there is an upper section. From Stanley Falls to the city of Kinshasa, middle and then lower.

Having passed the city of Kongolo, the river crosses the barrier of solid crystalline rocks and makes its way through the gorge, which is rightly called Hell's Gate. Rapids and waterfalls stretch all the way to the town of Kindu. From here begin the tropical forests that surround the river for 2000 km.

Outside the city of Kinshasa, Livingston Falls begin, the height of which is about 40 m. When it flows into the Atlantic Ocean, the Congo expands to 11 km and reaches a depth of up to 230 m.

Economic background on the Congo River

Zaire is of enormous economic importance to Africa:

The river is one of Africa's main waterways. The total length of shipping routes along the Congo River and its tributaries is about 20,000 km. Since the river carries large masses of water, it automatically becomes one of the main sources of hydropower. At the moment already on the river. Congo already has three large hydroelectric power stations.

Scientists consider this queen of rivers to be the richest in the world. Numerous mineral deposits were discovered on the shores. Among them: cobalt, copper ore, radium, molybdenum, nickel, silver, uranium and others.

African legend says that huge, elephant-sized spirits of death (mkuu-mbe-mba) live in the Congo.

They look like lizards. When the spirits are angry with people - they drink all the water from the sky and do not let it rain - drought comes. They can send all kinds of diseases and shake people with fever.

In order for the spirits not to get angry, they need to make sacrifices.

Even the sea god Olokun and the thunder god Shango cannot find justice for the villains.

And only the modest, quiet goddess Oshun helps to calm the raging monsters.

Congo is a river flowing in the heart of Africa. Its appearance is wild and mysterious, and its history is shrouded in mystery. You can feel all the fantastic power of nature in it. Even a dry description of the Congo River allows you to feel its power. It is 4667 km long and carries 42450 cubic meters into the ocean. water per second, second only to the Amazon. The source of the Congo River is located in the savannas of Zambia, at a height of one and a half kilometers near the settlement of Mumena. In its upper course it flows rapidly through narrow (30-50m) gorges and forms rapids and waterfalls. The Congo (river) got its name from the name of the state that once existed at its mouth.

Long way to flow

After a long winding through the territory of Zambia, the Congo (river) appears on the territory of the Democratic Republic. There it merges with the Lualaba River and, under this name, after 800 km reaches rain forests Then the stream flows directly north and, after traveling a distance of about 1600 km, crosses the equator for the first time. After this, it turns west, describes a giant arc on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and turns again, this time to the south. It crosses the equator again, but flows in the opposite direction.

Legends of the African Jungle

Here the Congo flows through rain forests, which are the most impenetrable jungle in the world. The trees rise to a height of 60 m, and eternal twilight reigns at their roots. Under this swaying green canopy in the suffocatingly humid heat, in dense thickets where a person cannot get through, there is a real hell, inhabited by the most dangerous animals - crocodiles, and boa constrictors, and ants. Anyone here runs the risk of contracting malaria, schistosis, or some other more dangerous disease. Local residents have stories that it is in these suffocating swamps that the Mokele-Mbembe dragon lives. At the beginning of the 20th century, Europeans noticed that there were no hippopotamuses in one of the swampy areas. Local residents reported that there is one there that, being smaller in size than a hippopotamus, nevertheless attacks and kills them. Others, on the contrary, said that he looked like an elephant, only with a long neck and a muscular tail. If boats came close to him, he attacked them. But this animal ate plants. It must be said that strange traces of an unusual animal are found here to this day.

Waterfalls and rapids

In the northeastern part of the arc are the Boyoma waterfalls. This is a series of waterfalls and rapids along which over 100 km the river descends to a height of 457 m. From this place, already under the name Congo, the river is navigable and very wide (over 20 km wide) for 1609 km. Beyond the area separating the two capitals, Brazzaville and Kinshasa, are the Livingston Falls, formed by the South Guinea Uplands. It is 354 km long, with 32 waterfalls and a series of rapids. From the city of Matadi the stream runs another 160 km and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. But the huge stream does not immediately slow down. On the ocean floor, it forms the Congo Canal, 800 km long. Its water in this stretch is easily distinguished from the oceanic water by its red-brown hue, which is given by the red soil carried away from the depths of Africa.

The majority of Congo rivers are not very long and the local “queen”, of course, is the Congo River. Other rivers of the republic are much shorter and are most often its tributaries.

Congo

The Congo is the main river of all Central Africa. The mouth of the water artery was opened in 1482. The person who first entered the waters of the Congo was the Portuguese Dien Kar. His main activity was trade, and the river was just an assistant in establishing commercial relations with the Kingdom of Kongo. By the way, the basis of the entire economy at that time was the slave trade. The upper course of the river was studied only in 1871.

There is still some disagreement about the source of the river: some geographers believe that the Lualaba River gave rise to the Congo; others are sure that the source is the Chambesi River.

The Congo is the only river in the world that crosses the equator twice. And that is why the level of local waters is kept at the same level throughout the year. The Congo Basin is home to equatorial forests. Due to the high humidity, local flora such as ebony and mahogany, as well as oak trees, can reach a height of 60 meters.

Attractions:

• Livingston Falls, located near the city of Kinshasa;
• Stanley Falls;
• National parks;
• city ​​of Kinshasa.

Aruvimi

The Aruvimi is one of the major tributaries of the Congo, with a total length of 1,300 kilometers. The river originates in the Blue Mountains, west of Lake Albert.

The river is suitable for travel only in its lower reaches, since there are many waterfalls and rapids upstream. G. Stanley became a researcher of the Aruvimi channel.

Ubangi

The Ubangi is the largest tributary of the Congo. The river is navigable throughout the year, starting from the city of Bangui, and right up to its confluence with the Congo. The rights of the pioneer explorer of its basin belong to the German botanist Georg August Schweinfurt.

In the waters of Ubangi you can find elephant fish. The length of the fish is relatively small (up to 35 cm), but it received this name because of its long lower lip, somewhat reminiscent of an elephant’s trunk. To navigate in muddy river water, fish use electrical organs located at the end of their tail.

The river basin is a place known to all diamond miners. And, since the Congolese government is unable to control illegal mining, a huge number of stones are exported from here illegally.

Attractions:

• waterfalls (Gozbangi, Ngolo, Elefan, Buali) and Azande rapids;
• city ​​of Bangui;
• Zemongo Nature Reserve.

Congo River located in Central Africa, mainly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Length 4320 km (from the source of the Lualaba River). In terms of basin area (3.7 million km²) and water content (average water flow 46 thousand m³/s) it ranks first in Africa and second in the world after the Amazon. Flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Rapids, waterfalls (Boyoma, Livingston). Main tributaries: on the right - Aruvimi, Ubangi, Sanga. From the left - Lomami, Lulonga, Ruki, Kasai. It is navigable along most of the current, with the exception of rapids, which are bypassed by railways. The total length of shipping routes in the Congo Basin is about 20 thousand km. Large river ports are Kinshasa and Brazzaville.

Upper reaches of the Congo River.

The upper reaches of the Congo (Lualaba River), located within the plateaus and plateaus, are characterized by alternating rapids with calm flows. The steepest drop (475 m at a distance of about 70 km) of Lualaba is in the Nzilo gorge, with which it cuts through the southern spurs of the Mitumba Mountains. Starting from the city of Bukama, the river flows slowly along the flat bottom of the Upemba graben. Below the city of Kongolo, Lualaba breaks through the crystalline rocks of the Port d'Anfer (Hell's Gate) gorge, forming rapids and waterfalls. Further downstream, several more groups of waterfalls and rapids follow one after another. Between the cities of Kindu and Ubundu the river flows calmly again in a wide valley. Just below the equator, it descends from the edges of the plateau into the Congo Basin, forming the Stanley Falls.

Middle reaches of the Congo River.

In the middle reaches, contained within the Congo Basin, the river is calm. Its channel, predominantly with low and flat, often swampy banks, is a chain of lake-like extensions (up to 15 km in places), separated by relatively narrowed (up to 1.5-2 km) sections. In the central part of the Congo Basin, the floodplains of the river and its right tributaries Ubangi and Sanga merge together, forming one of the largest periodically flooded areas in the world. As you approach the western edge of the depression, the appearance of the river changes: it is compressed here between high (100 m or more) and steep bedrock banks, narrowing in places to less than 1 km, the depths increase (often up to 20-30 m), and the flow accelerates. This narrowed section, the so-called channel, passes into the lake-like expansion of Stanley Pool (length about 30 km, width up to 25 km), which ends the middle course of the Congo.

Lower reaches of the Congo River.

In the lower reaches of the Congo, it breaks through to the ocean through a plateau in a deep (up to 500 m) gorge. The width of the channel here decreases to 400-500 m, in some places to 220-250 m. Over a distance of 350 km, between the cities of Kinshasa and Matadi, the river descends 270 m, forming about 70 rapids and waterfalls, united under the general name of Livingston Falls. At Matadi, the Congo enters the coastal lowland, the channel widens to 1-2 km, the depths in the fairway reach 25-30 m. Near the city of Boma, the Congo estuary begins, the width of which in the middle part reaches 19 km, then decreases to 3.5 km and increases again towards the mouth, where it is 9.8 km. The top and middle part of the estuary are occupied by an actively forming young delta. The continuation of the estuary is the Congo underwater canyon with a total length of at least 800 km.

Congo River. Tributaries.

The most significant tributaries of the Congo in its upper reaches: on the right - Lufira, Louvois, Lukuga; in the middle: on the left - Lomami, Lulonga, Ruki, Kasai (the largest of the left tributaries), on the right - Aruvimi, Itim-biri, Ubangi (the largest tributary of the Congo), Sanga; in the lower reaches - Yankisi (left). Several large lakes belong to the Congo system: Tanganyika, Kivu, Bangweulu, Mveru, Tumba.

Abundant rainfall plays a major role in the formation of river flow in the Congo Basin. Most of the tributaries of the Congo are characterized by a predominance of autumn flow: on tributaries with spillways in the northern hemisphere, the maximum rise in water is observed in September - November, in the southern hemisphere in April - May. The April-May maximum runoff is also typical for the upper Congo (Lualaba). In the middle and especially in the lower reaches of the Congo, seasonal fluctuations in flow are largely smoothed out due to the different times in which the waters of its tributaries enter the river. Congo is characterized by the greatest natural regulation. In the annual course of the level, however, two rises and two declines are clearly expressed.

• On the middle Congo The rise of water, corresponding to the autumn maximum flow of the Lualaba, is of a secondary nature, while the main rise is in November - December under the influence of floods on the northern tributaries.
• In the lower Congo the main rise also occurs in November - December; a less significant rise in April - May is mainly associated with the autumn maximum flow of the Kasai River.

The large water content of the rivers of the Congo system and the significance of their decline determine the presence of colossal reserves of hydropower, in terms of the value of which the Congo Basin ranks first among the river basins of the globe. The potential power of the rivers of the Congo Basin at average water flows is estimated at 132 GW, the total potential power is 390 GW. The most significant hydroelectric power stations are Le Maripel and Delcomun on the Lualaba River.

Congo River. Shipping.

Most of the navigable sections of the rivers are concentrated in the Congo Basin, where they form a single branched system of waterways, which, however, is separated from the ocean by the Livingston Falls in the lower reaches of the Congo. The river itself has 4 main navigable sections: Bukama-Kongolo (645 km), Kindu-Ubundu (300 km), Kisangani-Kinshasa (1742 km), Matadi-estuary (138 km); the last section, the so-called offshore pool, is accessible to ocean-going vessels. The navigable areas of the Congo are connected by railways. The rivers and lakes of the Congo Basin are rich in fish (about 1000 species, many of which are of commercial importance).

The mouth of the Congo was discovered in 1482 (according to other sources - in 1484) by the Portuguese navigator D. Kahn. The upper reaches of the Congo (Lualaba) were discovered by D. Livingston in 1871.

Africa is home to many beautiful and unique rivers, known all over the world.

Just look at the Nile, Senegal, Niger, and Orange River!

But the Congo River, which was previously called Zaire, is considered the deepest river not only in Africa, but throughout the world.

Description of the river

The Congo River flows in Central Africa. Mostly covers the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is where the Zaire River once got its current name.

Congo represents the natural border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola.

The river has many honorary titles:

• the deepest river in the world, the depth of which in some places is about 230 meters;
• ranks second after the Amazon as the deepest river in the world;
• the longest river in Africa after the Nile;
• the only major river that crosses the equator twice.

This legendary river was discovered in the 15th century (1482) Portuguese traveler and the navigator Diogo Can.

Characteristics of the Congo River in numbers

• The length of the river is 4,700 km.
• The width of the river is up to 2 km (the river forms lake-like places).
• River depth – the record depth was recorded at 230 meters.
• The area of ​​the water basin is 3,680,000 km2 (according to some sources – 4,014,500 km2).

The Congo River originates at an altitude of 1590 meters above sea level in the southeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo between lakes Tanganyika and Nyasa. At this point, the source of the Congo is formed by the Chambesi River. On its way, the Congo meets Lake Bangweulu and the Lualaba River.

The upper reaches of the Congo, located on the territory of plateaus and plateaus, can be characterized by alternating calm currents and rapids with rapid currents.

Near the city of Bukama and from it, the river flows slowly, with noticeable zigzag bends in the riverbed. From the city of Kongolo, flowing through the Port d and Hell's Gate gorges, the river forms several waterfalls and rapids.

The lower reaches of the river are also mostly calm. Only from the city of Kinshasa to Matadi, a length of about 350 km, the Congo forms rapids and waterfalls, named after their discoverer Livingston Falls. It is in this area that the deepest depressions in the Congo River are recorded, making it world famous.

The Congo River flows into the Atlantic Ocean, expanding in its channel at the confluence of up to 11 km. Its current continues for another 17 km in the ocean.

Flora and fauna

Being the second longest river in Africa, the Congo amazes with the diversity of flora and fauna. Along the entire length of the river, be it rocky rapids or flat terrain, the surrounding nature surprises with its power and beauty.

Along the banks of the river stretch magnificent tropical forests with endless jungle. One of the rarest trees in the world, the redwood, is found here. Closer to the equator, impassable thickets begin in which grow:

• Oak trees;
• Hevea;
• Red tree;
• ebony trees;
• eucalyptus trees.

The flora of the Congo River coast can be characterized by evergreen shrubs, lush and rich plants, and dense thickets. In some places, mighty trees reach a height of 60 m, creating constant darkness and partial shade. Therefore, near the banks of the river there is often a wetland.

Animal world, whose representatives are found on the shores of the Congo, is also diverse and amazing.

Zebras, antelopes and giraffes, predatory cheetahs, elephants, hippopotamuses and hairy forest pigs are found here, anthropoid gorillas live, crocodiles live in the water, poisonous spiders weave webs in the thickets.

Great amount Birds and snakes abound throughout the Congo River, including pythons and cobras.

The underwater world of the great African river is represented by more than 875 species large fish and 20 types small fish. The most popular and frequently encountered fish species that live in the Congo are: Nile perch, catfish, and mormyrops.

Also quite common: freshwater herring, barbel, tilapia.

But the most important, predatory and dangerous fish that lives in the depths of the Congo River is the Goliath tiger fish. It reaches a length of 1.5 m and weighs about 60 kg.

It is the tiger fish that is called the monster of the Congo River. There are many legends and myths about this predator in Africa.

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Environmental problems of the river

Being one of the deepest, longest and deepest rivers in the world, the Congo nevertheless has a number of environmental problems. Environmental problems are due to the fact that the Congo River is an essential element of transport links between cities and countries in Africa. Navigation on the river is very developed. The approximate length of shipping routes is more than 2,000 km. There are 4 main shipping routes in constant operation:

1. Bukama–Kongolo.
2. Kindu-Ubundu.
3. Kisangani–Kinshasa.
4. Matadi-estuary.

The last of the listed shipping routes, which forms a tailwater, is often used by ocean-going ships.

On the Congo River you can see many small ships, boats, and fishing boats. This is due to the large number of travelers exploring the local nature and fishermen wanting to make a decent catch.

The Congo River has maximum potential for economic use. In terms of hydropower, this is one of the largest rivers in the world: about 40 hydroelectric power stations have been built on it.

Deposits of many minerals have been discovered on the shores of the Congo: copper ore, zinc, cobalt, uranium, silver, radium, and nickel.

This led to the construction of large factories and metal processing plants near the coast of the Congo.

Along the entire length of the river there is a large number of big cities and small towns. A large river port was built in the city of Kisangani with a population of over 900 thousand people.

All this contributes not only to giving the Congo River enormous economic importance, but also to the emergence of many environmental problems, among which several key ones can be identified.

• Reduction of the underwater world of the river due to colossal catch and poaching.
• Pollution of nature near the banks of the Congo River as a result of many chemical and processing plants.
• Numerous emissions from nearby cities and towns.
• Erosion of the soil layer, swampiness of certain sections of the river.

Thus, the Congo River is of enormous industrial, economic, commercial, and tourism importance for several African countries.

This is one of the known for its uniqueness and power. This ancient river, formerly called Zaire, constantly attracts the attention of scientists, travelers, biologists, and ecologists. Vegetable, animal, undersea world The Congo River is rich and diverse. The Congo River can surprise and amaze with its size, the beauty of the surrounding nature, and the depth of its calm waters.