The Congo River can tick a lot of impressive feats off its list: it is Africa’s most powerful river, the second most voluminous river in the world, the fifth longest, and the deepest. It even passes through the second-largest rainforest in the world. However, facts don’t do this magnificent watery giant justice and visitors will only be able to marvel at its sheer size and the surrounding impenetrable jungle, the very place that inspired Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness.
Congo River Highlights
- The Congo River is the most powerful river on the continent, second most voluminous in the world, fifth longest, and the deepest
- Its riverbanks are dotted with villages
- The river is very diverse, from the lake-like Pool Malebo to the rushing Livingstone Falls
- A whopping 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites are found along the river, making it one of the most important areas of natural heritage in the world
- The river splits the DRC and Republic of Congo’s capital cities
