Congo River
The Congo River (Kongo: Nzâdi Kôngo, French: Fleuve Congo, Portuguese: Rio Congo), 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 rivers. It is the world's deepest recorded river, with measured depths of around 220 m (720 ft). The Congo-Lualaba-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).
| Congo River Fleuve Congo Zaire River Fleuve Zaïre | |
|---|---|
The drainage basin of the Congo River | |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Lualaba River |
| • location | Boyoma Falls |
| • elevation | 1,590 m (5,220 ft) |
| Mouth | Atlantic Ocean |
• coordinates | 06°04′30″S 12°27′00″E |
| Length | 4,700 km (2,900 mi) |
| Basin size | 4,014,500 km2 (1,550,000 sq mi) |
| Width | |
| • minimum | 200 m (660 ft) (Lower Congo); 1,440 m (4,720 ft) (Middle Congo) |
| • maximum | 19,000 m (62,000 ft) (mouth) |
| Depth | |
| • average | 12 to 75 m (39 to 246 ft) (Lower Congo); 5 to 22 m (16 to 72 ft) (Middle Congo) |
| • maximum | 220 m (720 ft) (Lower Congo); 50 m (160 ft) (Middle Congo) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Atlantic Ocean (near mouth) |
| • average | 41,200 m3/s (1,450,000 cu ft/s) |
| • minimum | 23,000 m3/s (810,000 cu ft/s) |
| • maximum | 75,000 m3/s (2,600,000 cu ft/s) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Kinshasa, Brazzaville (498 km upstream of mouth; Basin size: 3,659,900 km2 (1,413,100 sq mi) |
| • average | (Period: 1902–2019)40,500 m3/s (1,430,000 cu ft/s) |
| • minimum | 22,000 m3/s (780,000 cu ft/s) (1905) |
| • maximum | 77,000 m3/s (2,700,000 cu ft/s) (1961) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Kisangani (2,240 km upstream of mouth; Basin size: 974,330 km2 (376,190 sq mi) |
| • average | (Period: 1951–2012)7,640 m3/s (270,000 cu ft/s) |
| • minimum | 3,240 m3/s (114,000 cu ft/s) |
| • maximum | 13,930 m3/s (492,000 cu ft/s) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Kindu (2,705 km upstream of mouth; Basin size: 810,440 km2 (312,910 sq mi) |
| • average | 2,213 m3/s (78,200 cu ft/s) |
| • minimum | 640 m3/s (23,000 cu ft/s) |
| • maximum | 7,640 m3/s (270,000 cu ft/s) |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Bukama (3,695 km upstream of mouth; Basin size: 63,090 km2 (24,360 sq mi) |
| • average | 322 m3/s (11,400 cu ft/s) |
| • minimum | 52 m3/s (1,800 cu ft/s) |
| • maximum | 1,229 m3/s (43,400 cu ft/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Lubudi, Lomami, Lulonga, Ikelemba, Ruki, Kasai, Inkisi |
| • right | Lufira, Luvua, Lukuga, Luama, Elila, Ulindi, Lowa, Maiko, Lindi, Aruwimi, Itimbiri, Mongala, Ubangi, Sangha, Likouala, Alima, Léfini |
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 km2 (1,500,000 sq mi), or 13% of the entire African landmass.