Congo River: The Artery of the Congo Basin Rainforest

The Congo River and its vast tributary network (Kasai, Ubangi, Sangha, Lualaba, etc.) drain the Congo Basin, the world's second‑largest rainforest after the Amazon. Key facts:

• Second‑largest discharge globally (~41,000 m³/s).
• Deepest river (>220 m / 720 ft).
• Only major river crossing the equator twice.
• Basin spans 9 countries (DRC, ROC, CAR, Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Zambia, Angola, Tanzania).
• Supports unparalleled biodiversity: forest elephants, gorillas, okapi, 1,000+ fish species.

The river is the ecological and human lifeline of Central Africa.