Congo River

Congo River
*Mto Kongo*
Zaire River
*Fleuve Zaïre*
Congo River; Mto Kongo; Zaire River; Fleuve Zaïre
	The Congo River near Kisangani, Congo
	The drainage basin of the Congo River
Physical characteristics
Source	Boyoma Falls
• location	Kisangani
• coordinates	0°29′33.7776″N 25°12′24.8688″E / 0.492716000°N 25.206908000°E
• elevation	373 m (1,224 ft)
2nd source	Lualaba
• location	Katanga Plateau
• coordinates	11°45′52.6212″S 26°30′10.062″E / 11.764617000°S 26.50279500°E
• elevation	1,420 m (4,660 ft)
3rd source	Chambeshi
• coordinates	9°6′22.824″S 31°18′20.898″E / 9.10634000°S 31.30580500°E
• elevation	1,760 m (5,770 ft)
Mouth	Atlantic Ocean
• coordinates	06°04′30″S 12°27′00″E / 6.07500°S 12.45000°E
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	Congo–Lualaba–Luvua–Luapula–Chambeshi 4,700 km (2,900 mi); Congo–Lualaba 4,374 km (2,718 mi)
Basin size	4,014,500 km2 (1,550,000 sq mi)
Width
• minimum	200 m (660 ft) (Lower Congo); 1,440 m (4,720 ft) (Middle Congo)
• maximum	19,000 m (62,000 ft) (mouth)
Depth
• average	12 to 75 m (39 to 246 ft) (Lower Congo); 5 to 22 m (16 to 72 ft) (Middle Congo)
• maximum	220 m (720 ft) (Lower Congo); 50 m (160 ft) (Middle Congo)
Discharge
• location	Atlantic Ocean (near mouth)
• average	41,200 m3/s (1,450,000 cu ft/s)
• minimum	23,000 m3/s (810,000 cu ft/s)
• maximum	75,000 m3/s (2,600,000 cu ft/s)
Discharge
• location	Kinshasa, Brazzaville (498 km upstream of mouth; Basin size: 3,659,900 km2 (1,413,100 sq mi)
• average	(Period: 1902–2019)40,500 m3/s (1,430,000 cu ft/s)
• minimum	22,000 m3/s (780,000 cu ft/s) (1905)
• maximum	77,000 m3/s (2,700,000 cu ft/s) (1961)
Discharge
• location	Kisangani (2,240 km upstream of mouth; Basin size: 974,330 km2 (376,190 sq mi)
• average	(Period: 1951–2012)7,640 m3/s (270,000 cu ft/s)
• minimum	3,240 m3/s (114,000 cu ft/s)
• maximum	13,930 m3/s (492,000 cu ft/s)
Discharge
• location	Kindu (2,705 km upstream of mouth; Basin size: 810,440 km2 (312,910 sq mi)
• average	2,213 m3/s (78,200 cu ft/s)
• minimum	640 m3/s (23,000 cu ft/s)
• maximum	7,640 m3/s (270,000 cu ft/s)
Discharge
• location	Bukama (3,695 km upstream of mouth; Basin size: 63,090 km2 (24,360 sq mi)
• average	322 m3/s (11,400 cu ft/s)
• minimum	52 m3/s (1,800 cu ft/s)
• maximum	1,229 m3/s (43,400 cu ft/s)
Basin features
River system	Congo River
Tributaries
• left	Lubudi, Lomami, Lulonga, Ikelemba, Ruki, Kasai, Inkisi
• right	Lufira, Luvua, Lukuga, Luama, Elila, Ulindi, Lowa, Maiko, Lindi, Aruwimi, Itimbiri, Mongala, Ubangi, Sangha, Likouala, Alima, Léfini

The Congo River (Kongo: Nzâdi Kôngo, Swahili: Mto Kongo, French: Fleuve Congo, Portuguese: Rio Congo), formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second-longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the third-largest river in the world by discharge volume, following the Amazon and Ganges rivers. It is the world's deepest recorded river, with measured depths of around 220 m (720 ft).^[9] The Congo–Lualaba–Luvua–Luapula–Chambeshi River system has an overall length of 4,700 km (2,900 mi), which makes it the world's ninth-longest river. The Chambeshi is a tributary of the Lualaba River, and Lualaba is the name of the Congo River upstream of Boyoma Falls, extending for 1,800 km (1,100 mi).

Measured along with the Lualaba, the main tributary, the Congo River has a total length of 4,370 km (2,720 mi). It is the only major river to cross the Equator twice.^[10] The Congo Basin has a total area of about 4,000,000 km² (1,500,000 sq mi), or 13% of the entire African landmass.

^ Ian James, Harrison; Randall E., Brummett; Melanie L. J., Stiassny (2016). "Congo River Basin". The Wetland Book: 1-18. doi:10.1007/978-94-007-6173-5_92-2.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Cite error: The named reference bossche was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c Cite error: The named reference Discharge and Other Hydraulic Measurements for Characterizing the Hydraulics of Lower Congo River was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c Cite error: The named reference Velocity Mapping in the Lower Congo River: A First Look at the Unique Bathymetry and Hydrodynamics of Bulu Reach, West Central Africa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c Cite error: The named reference Multi-threaded Congo River channel hydraulics: Field-based characterisation and representation in hydrodynamic models was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Cite error: The named reference A New Look at Hydrology in the Congo Basin, Based on the Study of Multi-Decadal Time series was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference Recent Budget of Hydroclimatology and Hydrosedimentology of the Congo River in Central Africa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Cite error: The named reference The Congo River, Central Africa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Oberg, Kevin (July 2008). "Discharge and Other Hydraulic Measurements for Characterizing the Hydraulics of Lower Congo River, July 2008" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2011-10-15. Retrieved 2012-03-14.
^ Forbath 1979, p. 6. "Not until it crosses the Equator will it at last turn away from this misleading course and, describing a remarkable counter-clockwise arc first to the west and then to the southwest, flow back across the Equator and on down to the Atlantic.

In this the Congo is exceptional. No other major river in the world crosses the Equator even once, let alone twice."

[Congo_River_Basin-1] Ian James, Harrison; Randall E., Brummett; Melanie L. J., Stiassny (2016). "Congo River Basin". The Wetland Book: 1-18. doi:10.1007/978-94-007-6173-5_92-2.

[bossche-2] Cite error: The named reference bossche was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Discharge_and_Other_Hydraulic_Measurements_for_Characterizing_the_Hydraulics_of_Lower_Congo_River-3] Cite error: The named reference Discharge and Other Hydraulic Measurements for Characterizing the Hydraulics of Lower Congo River was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Velocity_Mapping_in_the_Lower_Congo_River:_A_First_Look_at_the_Unique_Bathymetry_and_Hydrodynamics_of_Bulu_Reach,_West_Central_Africa-4] Cite error: The named reference Velocity Mapping in the Lower Congo River: A First Look at the Unique Bathymetry and Hydrodynamics of Bulu Reach, West Central Africa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Multi-threaded_Congo_River_channel_hydraulics:_Field-based_characterisation_and_representation_in_hydrodynamic_models-5] Cite error: The named reference Multi-threaded Congo River channel hydraulics: Field-based characterisation and representation in hydrodynamic models was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[A_New_Look_at_Hydrology_in_the_Congo_Basin,_Based_on_the_Study_of_Multi-Decadal_Time_series-6] Cite error: The named reference A New Look at Hydrology in the Congo Basin, Based on the Study of Multi-Decadal Time series was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Recent_Budget_of_Hydroclimatology_and_Hydrosedimentology_of_the_Congo_River_in_Central_Africa-7] Cite error: The named reference Recent Budget of Hydroclimatology and Hydrosedimentology of the Congo River in Central Africa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[The_Congo_River,_Central_Africa-8] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Cite error: The named reference The Congo River, Central Africa was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[usgs2008-9] Oberg, Kevin (July 2008). "Discharge and Other Hydraulic Measurements for Characterizing the Hydraulics of Lower Congo River, July 2008" (PDF). U.S. Geological Survey. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2011-10-15. Retrieved 2012-03-14.

[10] Forbath 1979, p. 6. "Not until it crosses the Equator will it at last turn away from this misleading course and, describing a remarkable counter-clockwise arc first to the west and then to the southwest, flow back across the Equator and on down to the Atlantic.

In this the Congo is exceptional. No other major river in the world crosses the Equator even once, let alone twice."

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