File:Aerial_view_of_the_Congo_River_near_Kisangani.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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Congo

Also known as Zaire River, Congo River, Zaire

river in central Africa

AI overview

The Congo is a major river in central Africa that flows through several countries and is the second-longest river on the continent. It matters because it is a vital source of water, transportation, and resources for millions of people in the region and plays an important role in the local environment and economy.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Wikidata facts

Elevation: 32
Image: Sunrise near Mossaka (Congo).JPG
Length: 4700

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Commons category: Congo River
Commons gallery: Congo River
watershed area: 401450000
discharge: 41800

Sources (4)

via Wikidata · CC0

~21 min read

Article

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 220 m (720 ft). The Congo–Lualaba–Luvua–Luapula–Chambeshi River system has an overall length of 4,700 km (2,900 mi), 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 1,800 km (1,100 mi).

Measured along with the Lualaba, the main tributary, the Congo River has a total length of 4,370 km (2,720 mi). It is the only major river to cross the equator twice. The Congo Basin has a total area of about 4,000,000 km (1,500,000 mi), or 13% of the entire African landmass.