Middle Africa · AfricaRepublic of the Congo
Discover the Republic of the Congo - home to Brazzaville's legendary dandies, vast Congo Basin rainforests, and gorilla sanctuaries in Central Africa.
Where Is the Republic of the Congo?
The Republic of the Congo is a country in Middle Africa. Its capital is Brazzaville.
- Capital Brazzaville
- Population 6.48M
- Area 342,000 km²
The Republic of the Congo, often called Congo-Brazzaville to distinguish it from its much larger neighbor across the river, is a Central African nation where impenetrable rainforest meets surprising urban style. Brazzaville and Kinshasa face each other across the Congo River, making them the closest pair of capital cities in the world, but the two Congos could not be more different in character. This one is quieter, smaller, and home to the Sapeurs - working-class men who spend their savings on designer suits and strut through dusty streets with the elegance of Parisian models.
Beyond the cities, the country is dominated by the Congo Basin, the second-largest tropical rainforest on Earth. Western lowland gorillas roam the Odzala-Kokoua National Park in numbers found almost nowhere else, and the northern forests remain some of the least explored wilderness in Africa. Oil wealth funds the economy, but the real treasure is in the forest canopy and along the riverbanks where traditional fishing communities have lived largely unchanged for centuries.
At a glance
Largest cities in Republic of the Congo
Brazzaville
Pointe-Noire
Dolisie
Ouesso
Famous people from Republic of the Congo
Denis Sassou Nguesso
PoliticsOne of Africa's longest-serving leaders, has been president for a combined four decades shaping the country's modern political landscape
Sony Labou Tansi
LiteratureOne of Africa's greatest francophone novelists, his works like The Antipeople brought Congolese storytelling to world literature
Jocelyn Lemaire
CultureOne of the original Sapeurs who helped turn Brazzaville's dandyism movement into a globally recognized cultural phenomenon
Claude Makélélé
SportBorn in Kinshasa but raised in Congo-Brazzaville, the midfielder was so dominant at Real Madrid that a defensive position was named after him
Traditional cuisine of Republic of the Congo
- Poulet Moambe
- Chicken cooked in palm nut sauce, considered the national dish and a rich, creamy stew that appears at every celebration
- Saka-Saka
- Pounded cassava leaves slow-cooked with palm oil, onions, and often dried fish - the everyday green that defines Congolese cooking
- Fufu
- Starchy dough made from cassava flour, rolled into smooth balls and used to scoop up soups and sauces by hand
- Liboke
- Fresh river fish wrapped in banana leaves with tomatoes, onions, and spices, then steamed over coals - a Congo Basin classic
Nature and landmarks in Republic of the Congo
- Odzala-Kokoua National ParkNational Park
- One of Africa's oldest national parks and a stronghold for western lowland gorillas, with some of the densest primate populations on Earth
- Congo RiverRiver
- The world's deepest river forms the country's eastern border, with rapids so powerful that Brazzaville and Kinshasa still lack a bridge between them
- Nouabale-Ndoki National ParkNational Park
- UNESCO World Heritage rainforest so remote that parts were untouched by logging, home to forest elephants and the famous Mbeli Bai clearing
- Lac TeleLake
- Remote lake in the northern swamp forests, surrounded by legends of the Mokele-mbembe - a mythical creature said to resemble a dinosaur
Sports in Republic of the Congo
- Football
- The Diables Rouges won the African Cup of Nations in 1972 and have produced talents who played in top European leagues
- Basketball
- Growing basketball scene with competitive national teams at the AfroBasket tournament level
Did you know?
Brazzaville and Kinshasa are the world's closest national capitals, separated only by the Congo River - you can see one from the other
The Sapeurs of Brazzaville are working-class men who spend enormous portions of their income on designer clothing as a form of cultural expression and dignity
The Republic of the Congo was the first country in Africa to adopt a Marxist-Leninist government after independence
The northern forests contain some of the least explored wilderness in Africa, with new species still being discovered regularly
Despite being smaller and less known than DR Congo, this Congo gained independence about six weeks after its neighbor - on August 15, 1960
Read more about Republic of the Congo
Can you find Republic of the Congo on a map?
Drop a pin where you think it is and see how close you got. A few rounds and you will place Republic of the Congo and its neighbours without a second thought.
