The Congo River is located in the northwestern part of Africa. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The river forms the border between the Republic of Congo and Zaire; however, most of the Congo lies within the Zaire area. The river flows east at first and then south. It is 3,000 miles long and drains more than 1,600,000 square miles of the Africa. The width of the Congo vary between 3.5 to 7 miles for most of the river and getting up to 8 miles wide at the mouth of the Mongala River.

The Congo has two parts to it, the Luapula and the Lualaba. Luapula begins in Zambian and flows northwest to Lake Mweru. The Lualaba flows north for 450 miles into Kisangani. From here the river turns west and then south for almost 1,000 miles.

The Congo receives up to 90 inches of rainfall a year. The river stretches along both sides of the equator, therefore the weather is hot. The river contains 30 waterfalls and many islands. The river is a very beautiful place and has very gorgeous plants and wildlife. The people of the Congo and Zaire regions depend greatly on the life of the river and its surrounding area.

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