Republic of the Congo flag

Republic of the Congo

History

The Kingdom of Kongo and Teke states organised the lower Congo region.
Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza signed a treaty with the Teke ruler, founding Brazzaville.
The territory became part of French Equatorial Africa.
Independence came on 15 August.
Civil conflict returned Denis Sassou Nguesso to power.
Africa thumbnailPart ofAfricaMore countries, cities and routes.
CapitalBrazzaville
Population6.1M
Area342k km2
CurrencyCentral African CFA franc

Short facts

RegionCentral Africa
LanguageFrench, Kikongo
Time zoneWAT (UTC+1)
Drives onRight

Worth seeing

  • Nouabale-Ndoki: Intact rainforest with gorillas and forest elephants, a UNESCO site.
  • Odzala-Kokoua: Forest clearings where lowland gorillas gather.
  • Brazzaville riverfront: The Congo River opposite Kinshasa, the closest pair of capitals in the world.

Find a city in Republic of the Congo

Showing all cities

Brazzaville thumbnailBrazzavilleCity

Planning questions

What is Republic of the Congo known for?Nouabale-Ndoki, Odzala-Kokoua, Brazzaville riverfront.
What is the capital?Brazzaville.
Which language is useful?French, Kikongo.
When is the national day?15 August.
How should I browse it here?Start with the facts, jump to linked cities, then check events and topics.

Upcoming events

Use Brazzaville as the first planning anchor for Republic of the Congo, then compare the city, food and worth-seeing notes on this page.

Food & drink

Street food thumbnailStreet foodSignature dishCoffee thumbnailCoffeeLocal drink

Known for

Nouabale-NdokiOdzala-KokouaBrazzaville riverfrontBrazzavilleStreet foodCoffee
Eurovision Song Contest thumbnailMusic & CultureFestivals, concerts and cultural calendars.Africa thumbnailAfrican outdoorsParks, coasts, desert routes and seasonal nature calendars.