Republic of the Congo

The Republic of the Congo is a Central African nation between Gabon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, extending from Atlantic coastal zones through rainforest areas to highland regions in the north. The Congo River and its tributaries cross the landscape, while Brazzaville sits on the Malebo Pool opposite Kinshasa and Pointe-Noire functions as the economic center and port city along the coast.

The territory belonged for centuries to the Kingdom of Kongo before European traders established contacts along the coast from the 15th century onward. French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza founded a settlement at the Malebo Pool in 1880, which became the capital of the French Congo colony and later the nation gained independence on August 15, 1960.

French serves as the official language in public life, while Lingala and Monokutuba function as regional lingua francas among the nation's various ethnic groups. Congolese music, particularly its distinctive rumba style, shapes cultural identity far beyond national borders and forms part of UNESCO's intangible heritage.

The best travel period falls during the dry season from June through September, when roads are more passable and wildlife viewing in national parks offers better conditions. International flights arrive at Maya-Maya Airport in Brazzaville or Antonio Agostinho Neto Airport in Pointe-Noire, while visitors require a visa and yellow fever vaccination proof.

Odzala-Kokoua National Park protects western lowland gorillas, forest elephants and over 430 bird species across 13,500 square kilometers of rainforest habitat. The area contains bai clearings, open marshy spots within dense forest where large mammals gather for feeding and drinking, offering scientists important observation points.