At a glance at the map of Central Africait becomes clear in what part of the mainland the Congo River flows. According to the established opinion and the most widely used method for measuring the length of this river, the Congo practically completely flows through the territory of one country - the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But in some areas it directs its waters along the borders of this state.
Both the Amazon and the Congo are among the greatest rivers,which has an impressive impact not only on the ecology of the planet, but also on the history and culture of all mankind. They occupy the top two lines in the ranking of the most full-flowing rivers.
Relief on the Atlantic coast of AfricaThe continent is characterized by significant differences in altitude and associated climate and landscape change. Relatively high-mountainous areas in which the river is born, are replaced by flat landscapes, where the flow is slow. This causes a significant amount of meandering thickets along the shores.
Understanding of what part of the mainland the river flowsCongo, allows you to get some information about its economic significance for the state, on the territory of which it flows. Significant cross-country terrain does not contribute to significant navigation along the river, as its current is often interrupted by rapids, waterfalls and shallow, difficultly traversed lakes.
Having dealt with the fact in which part of the continent and inwhich direction the Congo River flows, it is worth paying attention to its ecological significance. Its waters are extremely rich in freshwater fish. Ichthyologists number more than a thousand species inhabiting the waters of the Congo.
In addition to fish resources, the river is rich inenergy resources, which are increasingly used by the state and business. Of course, the development of infrastructure and access to cheap sources of electricity allow the population of the country to significantly raise their living standards. But it is worth noting that the active construction of dams in hydroelectric power stations can negatively affect the fragile ecological balance of the region.
But the river is also unique in that it crosses the equator twice, which in turn indicates a rich, diverse and unique animal world that has developed along the current.
In conditions of impassable tropical forests andmountain systems the river for centuries served as a natural way of communication between different settlements. True, before the arrival of Europeans, the transportation of goods and people was carried out on a relatively small scale. But as soon as European capital gained access to the region's riches, regular steamship traffic began to take place along the river.
In what part of the mainland the Congo River flows,caused the interest of Western entrepreneurs in the construction of marinas, ports and cargo terminals along the river and its mouth. The new infrastructure allowed to extract the natural resources extracted in the depth of the continent with maximum efficiency.
