Congo, Democratic Republic of the Geography
What is the terrain and geography like in Congo, Democratic Republic of the?
Overview
Although the country’s capital, Kinshasa, is only four degrees south of the equator, temperatures are generally moderate. In January, the average daily high is 100 ºF and the low is 80 ºF. In July, the range is from 95 ºF to 75 ºF. The rainy season for Kinshasa and for the two-thirds of the country below the equator lasts from October to May. Despite its dreary sound, the rainy season is not unpleasant. Except for perhaps one rainstorm every few days, lasting anywhere from one to two hours, the skies are usually blue and sunny. In contrast, the dry season, though not yielding any rain, is characterized by overcast and cooler days.
Geography - note
second largest country in Africa (after Algeria) and largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa; straddles the equator; has narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highland
Climate
The Democratic Republic of the Congo straddles the equator in the heart of central Africa and shares a border with nine other countries: the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Angola. Congo has access to the Atlantic Ocean on the west through a strip of territory that narrows to 13 miles wide at the coast. Its area includes the greater part of the Congo River Basin and covers 1,465,553 square miles.
The Congo River is 2,900 miles long and is the second largest in the world in terms of area drained, flow, and navigable length. With its tributaries, the river provides Congo with about 9,000 miles of navigable waterways, and its force affords Congo 13% of the world's hydroelectric power potential. With the country's abundance of natural resources--which include: copper, cobalt, zinc, industrial and gem-quality diamonds, manganese, tin, crude oil, and gold--Congo is potentially one of the richest countries in the world. The geographical features of this giant African nation are handsome and varied. The huge Congo Basin, a low-lying, bowl-shaped plateau sloping toward the west, is covered by lush, tropical rain forests. Surrounding the basin are mountainous terraces on the west, plateaus merging into savannas to the south and southeast, and dense grasslands toward the northwest. The high picturesque Ruwenzori Mountains bound the basin to the east.
Congo, Democratic Republic of the Use of Natural Resources
Congo, Democratic Republic of the Environment
Climate:
The Democratic Republic of the Congo straddles the equator in the heart of central Africa and shares a border with nine other countries: the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Angola. Congo has access to the Atlantic Ocean on the west through a strip of territory that narrows to 13 miles wide at the coast. Its area includes the greater part of the Congo River Basin and covers 1,465,553 square miles.
The Congo River is 2,900 miles long and is the second largest in the world in terms of area drained, flow, and navigable length. With its tributaries, the river provides Congo with about 9,000 miles of navigable waterways, and its force affords Congo 13% of the world's hydroelectric power potential. With the country's abundance of natural resources--which include: copper, cobalt, zinc, industrial and gem-quality diamonds, manganese, tin, crude oil, and gold--Congo is potentially one of the richest countries in the world. The geographical features of this giant African nation are handsome and varied. The huge Congo Basin, a low-lying, bowl-shaped plateau sloping toward the west, is covered by lush, tropical rain forests. Surrounding the basin are mountainous terraces on the west, plateaus merging into savannas to the south and southeast, and dense grasslands toward the northwest. The high picturesque Ruwenzori Mountains bound the basin to the east.
Terrain:
vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east
Natural Hazards:
periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes
Irrigated Land:
41 Square Miles105 Square Kilometers
Environmental Issues:
poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation; refugees responsible for significant deforestation, soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold) causing environmental damage
Environment - International Agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlandssigned, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Congo, Democratic Republic of the Geography
| Geographic Location | Africa |
| Total Area |
905,350 Square Miles 2,344,858 Square Kilometers |
| Land Area |
875,307 Square Miles 2,267,048 Square Kilometers |
| Water Area |
30,042 Square Miles 77,810 Square Kilometers |
| Land Boundaries |
6,667 Miles 10,730 Kilometers |
| Irrigated Land |
41 Square Miles 105 Square Kilometers |
| Border Countries | Angola 2,511 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province), Burundi 233 km, Central African Republic 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 2,410 km, Rwanda 217 km, Sudan 628 km, Tanzania 459 km, Uganda 765 km, Zambia 1,930 km |
| Coastline |
23 Miles 37 Kilometers |
| Geographic Coordinates | 0 00 N, 25 00 E |
| Terrain | vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east |
| Highest Point | 5,110 Meters |
| Highest Point Location | Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) |
| Lowest Point Location | Atlantic Ocean |
| Time Zone |
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: the DRC has two time zones |