Congo River Facts for Kids

A Map of the Congo River River
  • River Name: Congo River
  • Location: Central Africa
  • Total Length: 2,720 miles
  • Maximum Depth: 700+ feet
  • Main Outlet: Atlantic Ocean
  • Known for: Being the second longest river in Africa

22 Congo River Facts for Kids

  1. The Congo River is a watercourse that flows through Central Africa.
  2. The Congo River is known as the deepest river in the world, with depths greater than 720 feet.
  3. The Congo River flows through seven countries in Central Africa.
  4. The seven countries the Congo River flows through are Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania and Zambia.
  5. The largest source of water (headstream) flowing into the Congo River comes from the Lualaba River.
  6. The water in the Congo River flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
  7. The entire length of the Congo River is 2,720 miles.
  8. The Congo River is the second longest river in Africa.
  9. The Congo River is the ninth longest river in the world.
  10. The Congo River flows through the second largest rainforest in the world, the Congo Rainforest.
  11. The Congo River is divided into three different sections.
  12. The three sections of the Congo River are the Lower Congo, Middle Congo and Upper Congo.
  13. The Congo River carries more than 94 million tons of suspended sediment into the Atlantic Ocean.
  14. The Congo River has the highest biodiversity out of all African rivers.
  15. The Congo River is home to more bird, animal fish species than any other place in Africa.
  16. There are hundreds of species of fish that are native to the Congo River.
  17. There are estimates that around 800 species of fish are native to the Congo River. However, since large sections of the Congo River haven’t been studied there could be hundreds more.
  18. There is only one bridge that crosses the Congo River and it’s the Matadi Bridge in Matadi, DROC.
  19. The Matadi Bridge is the second longest suspension bridge in Africa at 1,710 feet.
  20. The Congo River was known as the Zaire River during the dictatorship of Mobutu Sese Seko (Mobutu regime).
  21. The first European to find and explore the Congo River was Portuguese explorer Diogo Cam.
  22. The first European to find and explore the Congo River was Portuguese explorer Diogo Cam.

Additional Resources on the Congo River

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