The Congo River in Central Africa was once known as the Zaire River. This mighty river and its surrounding dark forests have, for centuries, been synonymous with the land of pygmies, mysterious animals, untold secrets and stories of colonial violence. Joseph Conrad, in his novella of the same name, rightly calls it ‘The Heart of Darkness’.
The Congo River is unique and you should know how!
It is the world’s most powerful river and the deepest. It is also the second-longest river in Africa, spanning a length of approximately 4700 kilometres! Every second, the river mouth throws out water into the Atlantic Ocean that has an estimated volume of more than 13 Olympic-sized swimming pools!
The Congo Basin spans across nine African countries and is home to the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest. The Congo River Basin is like a beautiful canvas painting with splashes of forests, savannahs, swamps, rivers, and organic life.
The river starts to flow peacefully in the savannahs situated south of Lake Tanganyika. It gradually gains speed and volume, turning into rapid currents. After passing the canyon called ‘Gates of Hell’, the river gains its normal flow back again and then passes peacefully through the tropical forests. In the course of its journey, it crosses the equator twice. The Congo River passes through diverse terrains and landscapes, covering hundreds and hundreds of kilometres, before it drains out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Picture Credit : Google
