View source for Geography of the Republic of the Congo

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 | caption1 = Map of the Republic of the Congo
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[[File:Koppen-Geiger_Map_v2_COG_1991–2020.svg|thumb|300px|Republic of the Congo map of Köppen climate classification areas.]]
[[Image:Congo Brazzaville Topography.png|thumb|Topography of the Republic of the Congo]]

{{coord|1|00|S|15|00|E|type:country|display=title}}
The [[Republic of the Congo]] is located in the western part of [[central Africa]], on the [[Equator]]. Congo has several important ports. The Republic of the Congo covers an area of 342,000&nbsp;km², of which 341,500&nbsp;km² is land while 500&nbsp;km² is water. Congo claims {{convert|200|nmi|km|lk=in}} of territorial sea.

The capital of the Republic of the Congo is [[Brazzaville]], located on the [[Congo River]] immediately across from [[Kinshasa]], capital of the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]]. With a metropolitan population of approximately 1.5 million, Brazzaville is by far the largest city in the Republic, having almost twice the population of [[Pointe-Noire]] (663,400 as of the 2005 census), the country's second largest city. About 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or along the railroad between them.
==Area and boundaries==
; Area:
:* Total: 342,000 km²
:**''country rank in the world:'' 54th
:* Land: 341,500 km²
:* Water: 500 km²

; Area comparative
:* Australia comparative: approximately {{sfrac|1|1|2}} times the size of [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]]
:* Canada comparative: approximately {{sfrac|1|7}} smaller than [[Newfoundland and Labrador]]
:* United Kingdom comparative: approximately {{sfrac|2|5}} larger than the United Kingdom
:* United States comparative: approximately twice the size of [[Florida]]
:* [[European Union|EU]] comparative: slightly smaller than [[Germany]]
; Land boundaries:
:* Total: {{convert|5,008|km|mi|0|disp=or}}
:* Border countries: [[Cabinda Province|Cabinda]] ([[Angola]]) ({{convert|231|km|mi|0|disp=or}}), the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] ({{convert|1,229|km|mi|0|disp=or}}), [[Central African Republic]] ({{convert|487|km|mi|0|disp=or}}), [[Cameroon]] ({{convert|494|km|mi|0|disp=or}}), [[Gabon]] ({{convert|2,567|km|mi|0|disp=or}}).
; Coastline: 169&nbsp;km on [[Atlantic Ocean]]

== Environment ==

=== Climate ===
Congo is a tropical nation, which means it has a tropical climate. The wet season lasts from March to June and the dry season for the rest of the year. Temperature and humidity are high as in all tropical nations. The rivers of the country are flooded seasonally.

{{Weather box
|location=Brazzaville ([[Maya-Maya Airport]]) 1961–1990, extremes 1932–present
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|width=auto
|collapsed=yes
|Jan record high C=37.5
|Feb record high C=36.3
|Mar record high C=37.5
|Apr record high C=36.8
|May record high C=37.3
|Jun record high C=34.3
|Jul record high C=33.8
|Aug record high C=40.2
|Sep record high C=39.5
|Oct record high C=38.9
|Nov record high C=35.8
|Dec record high C=40.2
|year record high C=40.2
|Jan high C=30.5
|Feb high C=31.3
|Mar high C=31.7
|Apr high C=31.8
|May high C=30.9
|Jun high C=28.4
|Jul high C=27.0
|Aug high C=28.5
|Sep high C=30.4
|Oct high C=30.8
|Nov high C=30.4
|Dec high C=30.2
|year high C=30.2
|Jan mean C=26.0
|Feb mean C=26.4
|Mar mean C=26.7
|Apr mean C=26.8
|May mean C=26.2
|Jun mean C=23.8
|Jul mean C=22.4
|Aug mean C=23.6
|Sep mean C=25.5
|Oct mean C=26.1
|Nov mean C=25.9
|Dec mean C=25.8
|year mean C=25.4
|Jan low C=21.4
|Feb low C=21.5
|Mar low C=21.7
|Apr low C=21.9
|May low C=21.6
|Jun low C=19.3
|Jul low C=17.8
|Aug low C=18.8
|Sep low C=20.6
|Oct low C=21.4
|Nov low C=21.4
|Dec low C=21.5
|year low C=20.7
|Jan record low C=17.0
|Feb record low C=14.5
|Mar record low C=17.7
|Apr record low C=18.6
|May record low C=17.0
|Jun record low C=12.7
|Jul record low C=10.5
|Aug record low C=10.3
|Sep record low C=15.2
|Oct record low C=13.7
|Nov record low C=18.2
|Dec record low C=17.7
|year record low C=10.3
|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm=160
|Feb precipitation mm=137
|Mar precipitation mm=167
|Apr precipitation mm=191
|May precipitation mm=118
|Jun precipitation mm=8
|Jul precipitation mm=3
|Aug precipitation mm=4
|Sep precipitation mm=34
|Oct precipitation mm=139
|Nov precipitation mm=261
|Dec precipitation mm=172
|year precipitation mm=1394
|unit precipitation days=1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days=10
|Feb precipitation days=8
|Mar precipitation days=11
|Apr precipitation days=12
|May precipitation days=8
|Jun precipitation days=1
|Jul precipitation days=0
|Aug precipitation days=0
|Sep precipitation days=4
|Oct precipitation days=9
|Nov precipitation days=14
|Dec precipitation days=12
|year precipitation days=89
|Jan humidity=81
|Feb humidity=80
|Mar humidity=79
|Apr humidity=81
|May humidity=81
|Jun humidity=79
|Jul humidity=77
|Aug humidity=73
|Sep humidity=71
|Oct humidity=76
|Nov humidity=81
|Dec humidity=82
|year humidity=78
|Jan sun=171
|Feb sun=167
|Mar sun=192
|Apr sun=181
|May sun=177
|Jun sun=141
|Jul sun=127
|Aug sun=133
|Sep sun=145
|Oct sun=152
|Nov sun=157
|Dec sun=154
|year sun=
|source 1=[[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] (humidity, 1951–1990)<ref name=BrazzavileDWD>{{cite web |url=http://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_644500_kt.pdf |title=Klimatafel von Brazzaville (Flugh.) / Kongo |work=Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world |publisher=Deutscher Wetterdienst |language=de |access-date=24 October 2016 |archive-date=11 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211142851/https://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_644500_kt.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=DWDsun>{{cite web |url=ftp://ftp-cdc.dwd.de/pub/CDC/observations_global/CLIMAT/multi_annual/sunshine_duration/1961_1990.txt |title=Station 64450 Brazzaville/ Maya–Maya |work=Global station data 1961–1990—Sunshine Duration |publisher=Deutscher Wetterdienst |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017195327/ftp://ftp-cdc.dwd.de/pub/CDC/observations_global/CLIMAT/multi_annual/sunshine_duration/1961_1990.txt |archive-date=2017-10-17 |url-status=dead |access-date=24 October 2016}}</ref>{{efn|[https://web.archive.org/web/20171017195318/ftp://ftp-cdc.dwd.de/pub/CDC/help/stations_list_CLIMAT_data.txt Station ID for Brazzaville/ Maya–Maya is 64450] Use this station ID to locate the sunshine duration — note link is 2017 text file download @ archive.org}}
|source 2=Meteo Climat (record highs and lows)<ref name=meteoclimat>{{cite web |url=http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=1822 |title=Station Brazzaville |publisher=Meteo Climat |language=fr |access-date=24 October 2016 |archive-date=6 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180306043505/http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=1822 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|date=August 2010
}}

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Pointe-Noire 1982-2012
|single line = Yes
|metric first = Yes
|collapsed = Yes
|Jan high C = 30.6
|Feb high C = 30.9
|Mar high C = 31.5
|Apr high C = 31.3
|May high C = 29.7
|Jun high C = 27.5
|Jul high C = 25.8
|Aug high C = 25.7
|Sep high C = 26.8
|Oct high C = 28.6
|Nov high C = 29.3
|Dec high C = 29.7

|Jan mean C = 27.5
|Feb mean C = 27.6
|Mar mean C = 27.9
|Apr mean C = 27.7
|May mean C = 26.8
|Jun mean C = 24.4
|Jul mean C = 22.9
|Aug mean C = 23.1
|Sep mean C = 24.3
|Oct mean C = 26.2
|Nov mean C = 26.8
|Dec mean C = 26.9
|year mean C = 26.0

|Jan low C = 24.3
|Feb low C = 24.3
|Mar low C = 24.4
|Apr low C = 24.2
|May low C = 23.8
|Jun low C = 21.4
|Jul low C = 20.0
|Aug low C = 20.4
|Sep low C = 21.8
|Oct low C = 23.8
|Nov low C = 24.1
|Dec low C = 24.0

|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 151.8
|Feb precipitation mm = 183.6
|Mar precipitation mm = 154.0
|Apr precipitation mm = 92.7
|May precipitation mm = 45.7
|Jun precipitation mm = 2.2
|Jul precipitation mm = 1.7
|Aug precipitation mm = 5.7
|Sep precipitation mm = 17.1
|Oct precipitation mm = 96.6
|Nov precipitation mm = 126.1
|Dec precipitation mm = 153.9

|source 1= ''Normales et records pour la période 2000-2016 à Pointe-Noire''<ref name="Normales et records pour la période 2000-2016 à Pointe-Noire">{{Cite web |url=http://www.infoclimat.fr/stations-meteo/climato-moyennes-records.php?staid=64400&from=2000&to=2016 |title=Normales et records pour la période 2000-2016 à Pointe-Noire|publisher=Infoclimat|access-date=2014-01-13 }}</ref> 
}}

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Ouésso
|single line = Yes
|metric first = Yes
|collapsed = Yes

|Jan high F = 88
|Feb high F = 89
|Mar high F = 90
|Apr high F = 91
|May high F = 88
|Jun high F = 86
|Jul high F = 85
|Aug high F = 85
|Sep high F = 86
|Oct high F = 87
|Nov high F = 87
|Dec high F = 86
|year high F = 87

|Jan low F = 69
|Feb low F = 69
|Mar low F = 71
|Apr low F = 71
|May low F = 71
|Jun low F = 70
|Jul low F = 69
|Aug low F = 69
|Sep low F = 69
|Oct low F = 69
|Nov low F = 69
|Dec low F = 68
|year low F = 70

|Jan rain inch = 2.2
|Feb rain inch = 3.1
|Mar rain inch = 5.9
|Apr rain inch = 5
|May rain inch = 6
|Jun rain inch = 4.6
|Jul rain inch = 3.1
|Aug rain inch = 6.1
|Sep rain inch = 8.7
|Oct rain inch = 8.9
|Nov rain inch = 6
|Dec rain inch = 3.3
|rain colour = green
|source 1 = Weatherbase <ref name=Weatherbaseouesso>
{{cite web
|url =http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=85446&refer=wikipedia |title =Weatherbase: Historical Weather for Ouesso, Republic of Congo
|publisher=Weatherbase
|year=2011
}}
Retrieved on November 24, 2011.
</ref>
|date=November 2011
}}
=== Ecology ===
The terrain is a variation of [[coastal plain]]s, [[mountain|mountainous]] regions, [[plateau]]s and fertile [[valley]]s. About 70 percent of the country's area is covered by [[rain forest]]. The highest point, at 1,020 m, is [[Mont Nabeba]] in the [[Mayumbe]] mountains. The major rivers are the [[Congo River]] at the border with the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], and the [[Kouilou-Niari River]].

A 2014 expedition leaving from Itanga village discovered a [[Bog|peat bog]] "as big as [[England]]" which stretches into neighboring [[Democratic Republic of Congo]].<ref>{{Cite web
| last = Smith
| first = David
| title = Peat bog as big as England found in Congo
| work = The Guardian: World news
| access-date = 2014-05-31
| date = 2014-05-27
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/27/peat-bog-swamp-congo-brazzaville-discovery
}}</ref>

[[UNESCO]] has declared two world [[Man and the Biosphere Programme|biosphere reserves]] in the country: [[Odzala National Park|Odzala]] in 1977 and [[Dimonika Biosphere Reserve|Dimonika]] in 1988.<ref name="UNESCO">{{cite web|title=Congo|url=http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/biosphere-reserves/africa/congo/|publisher=UNESCO|access-date=22 June 2016}}</ref>
{{Further|Pate D'oie Forest Reserve}}

=== Natural resources ===

Natural resources include [[petroleum]], [[timber]], [[potash]], [[lead]], [[zinc]], [[uranium]], [[copper]], [[phosphate]]s, [[gold]], [[magnesium]], [[natural gas]], and [[hydropower]].

As of a 2012 estimate, 1.55% of the land is arable, while only 0.20% contains permanent crops. Approximately 20&nbsp;km² is irrigated (2003 estimation).
=== Environmental issues ===

Environmental issues include the high level of air pollution from vehicle emissions, water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage, tap water not being potable, and deforestation.

Congo is party to the international agreements on [[Biodiversity]], [[United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change|Climate Change]], [[Desertification]], [[Endangered Species]], [[Ozone Layer Protection]], [[Tropical Timber 83]], [[Tropical Timber 94]], [[Wetlands]]. It has signed but not ratified the [[Law of the Sea]] and so on.

== Extreme points ==

This is a list of the extreme points of the [[Republic of Congo]], i.e. the points that are farther north, south, east, or west than any other location.

*Northernmost point — unnamed location on the border with [[Central African Republic]] immediately south-west of the CAR town of [[Madoukou]], [[Likouala Department|Likouala department]]
*Easternmost point — [[Motenge-Bom]], Likouala department
*Southernmost point — unnamed headland near the point at which the Congo-[[Cabinda Province|Cabinda]] border enters the [[Atlantic Ocean]], [[Kouilou Region|Kouilou]] department
*Westernmost point — the point at which the border with [[Gabon]] enters the Atlantic Ocean, Kouilou department

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* {{Cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/congo-republic-of-the/|title=CIA - The World Factbook -- Congo, Republic of the|access-date=2008-02-04|publisher=Central Intelligence Agency|year=2008|work=The World Factbook}}

== See also ==

* [[Mining in the Republic of Congo#Geology|Geology in the Republic of the Congo]]
{{Geography of Africa}}
{{Africa topic|Climate of}}

[[Category:Geography of the Republic of the Congo| ]]

[[pt:Congo#Geografia]]