Map of Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo is a country in Africa with its capital at Brazzaville, home to about 6.48 million people across 342,000 km². The interactive map below plots 17 cities and towns, 9 rivers, 2 mountain summits and 5 ports recorded for Republic of the Congo in YearMaps.
- Population
- 6.48 million
- Area
- 342,000 km²
- Capital
- Brazzaville
- Continent
- Africa
Interactive Map of Republic of the Congo
Centred on Brazzaville at 4.2572° S, 15.2827° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo, also known as the Congo Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, or simply the Congo, is a country located on the western coast of Central Africa to the west of the Congo River. It is bordered to the west by Gabon, to the northwest by Cameroon, to the northeast by the Central African Republic, to the southeast by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south by the Angolan exclave of Cabinda, and to the southwest by the Atlantic Ocean.
The region was dominated by Bantu-speaking tribes at least 3,000 years ago, who built trade links leading into the Congo River basin. From the 13th century, the present-day territory was dominated by a confederation led by Vungu which included Kakongo and Ngoyo. The Tio Kingdom emerged in the 14th century, and Loango in the 16th century. In the late 19th century France colonised the region and incorporated it into French Equatorial Africa. The Republic of the Congo was established on 28 November 1958 and gained independence from France in 1960. It was a Marxist–Leninist state from 1969 to 1992, under the name People's Republic of the Congo (PRC). After the introduction of multi-party elections in 1992, the democratically elected government was overthrown during the civil war, after which Denis Sassou Nguesso, who had previously served as president from 1979 to 1992, returned to office in 1997. He has remained president since then.
The Republic of the Congo is a member of the African Union, the United Nations, La Francophonie, the Economic Community of Central African States, and the Non-Aligned Movement. It is the fourth-largest oil producer in the Gulf of Guinea, providing the country a degree of prosperity, with political and economic instability in some areas and unequal distribution of oil revenue nationwide. Its economy is dependent on the oil sector and economic growth slowed after the post-2015 drop in oil prices.
Christianity is the most widely professed faith in the country. According to the 2024 rendition of the World Happiness Report, the Republic of the Congo is ranked 89th among 140 nations.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Republic of the Congo (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Republic of the Congo
Upon independence in 1960, the former French region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. From 1968 to 1992, the country was named the People’s Republic of the Congo. A quarter-century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990, and a democratically elected government took office in 1992, at which time the country reverted to "the Republic of the Congo" name. A two-year civil war that ended in 1999 restored to power former President Denis SASSOU-Nguesso, who had ruled from 1979 to 1992. A new constitution adopted three years later provided for a multi-party system and a seven-year presidential term, and the next elections retained SASSOU-Nguesso. After a year of renewed fighting, SASSOU-Nguesso and southern-based rebel groups agreed to a final peace accord in 2003. SASSOU-Nguesso was reelected in 2009 and, after passing a constitutional referendum allowing him to run for additional terms, was reelected again in 2016 and 2021. The Republic of the Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers.
- Location
- Central Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, between Angola and Gabon.
- Climate
- Tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); persistent high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator.
- Terrain
- Coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin.
- Highest point
- Mont Nabeba 1,020 m.
- Lowest point
- Atlantic Ocean 0 m.
- Coastline
- 169 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 5,554 km; border countries: Angola 231 km; Cameroon 494 km; Central African Republic 487 km; Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,775 km; Gabon 2,567 km.
- Major rivers
- Oubangui (Ubangi) (shared with Central African Republic [s] and Democratic Republic of Congo [m]) - 2,270 km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth.
- Natural resources
- Petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, gold, magnesium, natural gas, hydropower.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 31.2% (2023 est.); arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 0.3% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 29.3% (2023 est.); forest: 63.9% (2023 est.); other: 4.9% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Seasonal flooding.
- Geographic note
- About 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them.
- Languages
- French (official), French Lingala and Monokutuba (trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 33.1%, Awakening Churches/Christian Revival 22.3%, Protestant 19.9%, Salutiste 2.2%, Muslim 1.6%, Kimbanguist 1.5%, other 8.1%, none 11.3% (2007 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Kongo (Bakongo) 40.5%, Teke 16.9%, Mbochi 13.1%, foreigner 8.2%, Sangha 5.6%, Mbere/Mbeti/Kele 4.4%, Punu 4.3%, Pygmy 1.6%, Oubanguiens 1.6%, Duma 1.5%, Makaa 1.3%, other and unspecified 1% (2014-15 est.)
- Economy
- Primarily an oil- and natural resources-based economy; recovery from mid-2010s oil devaluation has been slow and curtailed by COVID-19; extreme poverty increasing, particularly in southern rural regions; attempting to implement recommended CEMAC reforms; increasing likelihood of debt default.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Republic of the Congo in Numbers
- Population
- 6.48 million
- GDP
- US$16.3 billion
- GDP per person
- US$2,515
- Life expectancy
- 66.0 years
- Population growth
- 2.36% a year
- Population density
- 19 per km²
- Urban population
- 64.1%
- Surface area
- 342,000 km²
- Forest cover
- 64.0%
- Arable land
- 1.6%
- Access to electricity
- 53.0%
- Internet users
- 47.3%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Republic of the Congo in Depth
History
Bantu-speaking peoples, who founded tribes during the Bantu expansions, mostly displaced and absorbed the earlier inhabitants of the region, the Pygmy people, about 1500 BC. The Bakongo, a Bantu ethnic group that occupied parts of what later became Angola, Gabon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formed the basis for ethnic affinities and rivalries among those countries.
By the 13th century, there were three main federations of states in the western Congo Basin. In the east were the Seven Kingdoms of Kongo dia Nlaza, considered to be the oldest and most powerful, which likely included Nsundi, Mbata, Mpangu, and possibly Kundi and Okanga. South of these was Mpemba which stretched from modern-day Angola to the Congo River. It included various kingdoms such as Mpemba Kasi and Vunda.
Geography
Natural landscapes range from the savanna plains in the North Niari flooded forests, to the Congo River, to the rugged mountains and forests of Mayombe, and 170 km of beaches along the Atlantic coast.
Congo is located in the central-western part of sub-Saharan Africa, along the Equator, lying between latitudes 4°N and 5°S, and longitudes 11° and 19°E. To the south and east of it is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is bounded by Gabon to the west, Cameroon and the Central African Republic to the north, and Cabinda (Angola) to the southwest. It has a coast on the Atlantic Ocean.
The southwest is a coastal plain for which the primary drainage is the Kouilou-Niari River; the interior of the country consists of a central plateau between 2 basins to the south and north.
Economy
The economy is a mixture of village agriculture and handicrafts, an industrial sector based mainly on petroleum, support services, and a government characterized by budget problems and "overstaffing". Petroleum extraction has supplanted forestry as the mainstay of the economy. In 2008, the oil sector accounted for 65% of the GDP, 85% of government revenue, and 92% of exports. The country has untapped mineral wealth.
In the 1980s, rising oil revenues enabled the government to finance larger-scale development projects. GDP grew an average of 5% annually. The government has mortgaged a portion of its petroleum earnings, contributing to a "shortage of revenues".
Demographics
According to the official 2023 census, the population of the Congo numbers 6,142,180 people, up from 3,697,490 recorded by the 2007 census. Its population is concentrated in the southwestern portion, leaving the areas of tropical jungle in the north virtually uninhabited. 70% of its total population lives in urban areas, namely in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or one of the cities or villages lining the 534-kilometre (332 mi), railway which connects the two cities.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Republic of the Congo (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Republic of the Congo: Key Facts
| Currency | Central African CFA franc |
|---|---|
| Official language | French |
| Head of state | Denis Sassou-Nguesso |
| Head of government | Anatole Collinet Makosso |
| Form of government | parliamentary republic |
| Calling code | +242 |
| Internet domain | .cg |
| Highest point | Mont Nabemba |
| Lowest point | Atlantic Ocean |
| Established | 1960 |
Facts from Wikidata Q971 (CC0).
History of Republic of the Congo: Empires and States
The atlas records 5 polities whose mapped territory included part of Republic of the Congo, from French Third Republic in 1880 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| French Third Republic | 1880–1939 CE | Most |
| French Africa | 1880–1957 CE | Most |
| The French Colonial Empire | 1880–1957 CE | Most |
| French Fourth Republic | 1945–1957 CE | Most |
| Republic of the Congo | 1961–2024 CE | Most |
Historical Maps of Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo is a country in Central Africa. It is commonly referred to as Congo-Brazzaville to distinguish itself from its giant neighbour, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo-Kinshasa).
One of the most sparsely populated countries in Africa, the Republic of the Congo is rich in diversity and landscapes, with more than 60 languages spoken. The Kongo, the largest ethnic group, make up 48% of the population. Other prominent ethnic groups include the Sangha, the Teke, and the Mbochi. There is also a small European community, comprising 3% of the population.
The Republic of the Congo is a predominantly Christian country, with Roman Catholicism being the largest denomination in the country. It is a former colony of France. Independent African churches thrive in the country; Kimbanguism, a syncretic movement, has tens of thousands of followers here.
Endowed with pristine wilderness areas and charismatic fauna, there is plenty to do and see in the Republic of the Congo, even though it's not on most travellers' lists.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Republic of the Congo (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Republic of the Congo
17 cities recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazzaville | 1.35 million | Pool | National capital |
| 2 | Pointe-Noire | 659,084 | Kouilou | Populated place |
| 3 | Loubomo | 103,894 | Niari | Admin-1 capital |
| 4 | Kayes | 62,521 | Bouenza | Populated place |
| 5 | Owando | 34,070 | Cuvette | Admin-1 capital |
| 6 | Mossendjo | 30,936 | Niari | Populated place |
| 7 | Ouésso | 28,320 | Sangha | Admin-1 capital |
| 8 | Sibiti | 22,811 | Lékoumou | Admin-1 capital |
| 9 | Madingou | 22,760 | Bouenza | Admin-1 capital |
| 10 | Gamboma | 20,877 | Plateaux | Populated place |
| 11 | Impfondo | 20,859 | Likouala | Admin-1 capital |
| 12 | Kinkala | 13,882 | Pool | Admin-1 capital |
| 13 | Moloundou | 12,244 | Sangha | Populated place |
| 14 | Makoua | 11,355 | Cuvette | Populated place |
| 15 | Ewo | 10,650 | Cuvette-Ouest | Populated place |
| 16 | Sembe | 9,679 | Sangha | Populated place |
| 17 | Djambala | 9,651 | Plateaux | Admin-1 capital |
Highest Mountains in Republic of the Congo
2 mountains recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mont Nabeba | 1,020 m | 3,346 ft | Africa |
| 2 | Monts de la Lékéti | 1,000 m | 3,281 ft | Africa |
Mont Nabeba
Mountain · 1,020 m
Mont Nabeba is a mountain rising to 1,020 metres (3,346 ft) in the Republic of the Congo, in the Africa region. From PeakBagger.com, with kind permission..
Mont Nabemba is the highest mountain in the Republic of the Congo. Located in Sangha Department around fifty kilometres from the town of Souanké, the mountain has an elevation of 1,020 metres (3,346 ft).
Nabemba Tower in Brazzaville is named after the mountain.
Adapted from Wikipedia: Mont Nabemba (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Elevation
- 1,020 m (3,346 ft)
- Global rank
- #556 of 641 indexed
- Region
- Africa (#79)
- Country
- Republic of the Congo
- Coordinates
- 1.8401°, 13.9900°
Of the 641 named summits indexed in YearMaps, Mont Nabeba ranks #556 by elevation, below Selvili Tepe (1,023 m) and above Kékes (1,015 m).
- Ranges:
- Marrah Mountains (Africa), Ruwenzori Range (Africa)
- Neighbouring summits:
- Mont Bengoué (1,070 m), Mont Ngaoui (1,410 m), Mont Cameroun (4,040 m)
Rivers in Republic of the Congo
9 rivers recorded. Listed alphabetically. A river is listed where its mapped reach lies, so long rivers appear under more than one country.
Ports in Republic of the Congo
5 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pointe Noire | 34.7 m | Small | Atlantic Coast of Africa | large vessels |
| 2 | Djeno Terminal | 9.1 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of Africa | large vessels |
| 3 | N'Kossa Terminal | 5.5 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of Africa | point_of_interest |
| 4 | Yombo Terminal | 5.5 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of Africa | large vessels |
| 5 | Dussafu Terminal | 5.5 m | Very Small | Atlantic Coast of Africa | large vessels |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Republic of the Congo
1 World Heritage Site recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Odzala National Park | 2023 | Natural | (ix) (x) |
Mountain Ranges, Deserts and Landforms of Republic of the Congo
2 mountain ranges, deserts and other landforms recorded. Ranked by mapped area. Covers mountain ranges, deserts, plateaus, named glaciers, plains, basins, peninsulas and capes. One that crosses a border is listed under every country it lies in, with the area of the whole feature.
| # | Name | Area | Type | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Congo Basin | 3.11M km² | Basin | Africa |
| 2 | Crystal Mountains | 147,032 km² | Range/mtn | Africa |
Congo Basin
Basin · 3.11M km²
Congo Basin is a basin in Africa, covering an estimated 3.11M km². It extends across the DR Congo, the Central African Republic, Angola, the Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, South Sudan, Sudan, Burundi, Gabon, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia. It is the 11th-largest of the 231 landforms with a mapped extent in YearMaps.
The Congo Basin is the sedimentary basin of the Congo River. The Congo Basin is located in Central Africa, in a region known as west equatorial Africa. The region is sometimes known simply as the Congo. It contains some of the largest tropical rainforests in the world and is an important source of water used in agriculture and energy generation.
The rainforest in the Congo Basin is the largest rainforest in Africa and second only to the Amazon rainforest in size, with 300 million hectares compared to the 800 million hectares in the Amazon. Because of its size and diversity the basin's forest is important for mitigating climate change in its role as a carbon sink. However, deforestation and degradation of the ecology by the impacts of climate change may increase stress on the forest ecosystem, in turn making the hydrology of the basin more variable. A 2012 study finds that the variability in precipitation caused by climate change will negatively affect economic activity in the basin.
Eight sites of the Congo Basin are inscribed on the World Heritage List, five being also on the list of World Heritage in Danger (all five located in Democratic Republic of the Congo).
Adapted from Wikipedia: Congo Basin (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Feature class
- Basin
- Mapped extent
- 3.11M km²
- Size rank
- #11 of 231 landforms
- Region
- Africa
- Countries
- DR Congo, Central African Republic, Angola, Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, South Sudan, Sudan, Burundi, Gabon, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia
- Coordinates
- -0.6351°, 21.4534°
- Summits:
- Mont Nabeba (1,020 m)
- Ranges:
- Ruwenzori Range (Africa), Marrah Mountains (Africa)
More about Congo Basin
Geology
The Congo Basin is a large depression within the Congo Craton, making it a patch of relatively recent (Phanerozoic-aged, and mostly Mesozoic and onwards) sedimentary rock within a large, otherwise ancient (Archean-aged) piece of exposed continental crust. The deformation of the craton began as early as the late Cambrian or early Ordovician and continued over the Paleozoic, but the deformation over this period led to rapid erosion of much of the Paleozoic rock, creating a large unconformity. Sediment started to rapidly accumulate in the basin from the Mesozoic (Triassic) up to the present day.
Deposits throughout the Jurassic suggest the presence of a freshwater, lacustrine habitat in the basin, and this continued into the Early Cretaceous.
Climate
The Congo Basin is a globally important climatic region with annual rainfall of between 1,500 to 2,000 millimetres (59 to 79 in). It is one of three hotspots of deep convection (thunderstorms) in the tropics, the other two being over the Maritime continent and the Amazon. These three regions together drive the climate circulation of the tropics and beyond. The Congo Basin has the highest lightning strike frequency of anywhere on the planet. The high rainfall supports the second-largest rainforest on Earth, which is a globally significant carbon sink and an important component of the global carbon cycle.
Averaged across the basin, there are two major rainfall seasons in March to May and September to November.
Ecology and protection
At a global level, Congo's forests act as the planet's second lung, counterpart to the rapidly dwindling Amazon. They are a huge "carbon sink", trapping carbon that could otherwise remain carbon dioxide. The Congo Basin holds roughly 8% of the world's forest-based carbon. Despite this importance, it gets far less scientific attention than the Amazon or the tropical forests of South East Asia. If these woodlands are deforested, the carbon they trap will be released into the atmosphere. Predictions for future unabated deforestation estimate that by 2050 activities in the DRC will release roughly the same amount of carbon dioxide as the United Kingdom has emitted over the last 60 years. A 2013 study by British scientists shows that deforestation in the Congo Basin rainforest is slowing.
History
The first inhabitants of the Congo Basin area were believed to be pygmies, and at that time, the dense forests and wet climate kept the population of the region low, with the prevention of hunter-gatherer society, whose remnants of their culture survive to the present day. Eventually Bantu peoples migrated there and founded the Kingdom of Kongo.Belgium, France, and Portugal later established colonial control over the entire region by the late 19th century.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Congo Basin (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Congo Basin: Key Facts
| Area | 1,000,000 km² |
|---|---|
| Highest point | Mount Karisimbi |
| On | River Congo |
Facts from Wikidata Q932289 (CC0).
Countries Bordering Republic of the Congo
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Africa
Republic of the Congo: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Republic of the Congo?
- The capital of Republic of the Congo is Brazzaville.
- What is the population of Republic of the Congo?
- Republic of the Congo has a population of about 6.48 million, the #111 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Republic of the Congo?
- Republic of the Congo covers 342,000 km², ranking #67 by area, with about 19 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Republic of the Congo in?
- Republic of the Congo is in Africa.
- Which countries border Republic of the Congo?
- Republic of the Congo shares a land or maritime border with Angola, Central African Republic, DR Congo, Gabon, Cameroon.
- What is the largest city in Republic of the Congo?
- Brazzaville is the largest city in Republic of the Congo, with a metropolitan population of about 1.35 million.
- What is the highest mountain in Republic of the Congo?
- The highest summit recorded for Republic of the Congo in YearMaps is Mont Nabeba at 1,020 m (3,346 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.