Location: Western Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean between Gabon and Zaire

Map references: Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area:
total area: 342,000 sq km
land area: 341,500 sq km
comparative area: slightly smaller than Montana

Land boundaries: total 5,504 km, Angola 201 km, Cameroon 523 km, Central African Republic 467 km, Gabon 1,903 km, Zaire 2,410 km

Coastline: 169 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 200 nm

International disputes: long segment of boundary with Zaire along the Congo River is indefinite (no division of the river or its islands has been made)

Climate: tropical; rainy season (March to June); dry season (June to October); constantly high temperatures and humidity; particularly enervating climate astride the Equator

Terrain: coastal plain, southern basin, central plateau, northern basin

Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas

Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 29%
forest and woodland: 62%
other: 7%

Irrigated land: 40 sq km (1989)

Environment:
current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from the dumping of raw sewage; deforestation
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Tropical Timber; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection

Note: about 70% of the population lives in Brazzaville, Pointe Noire, or along the railroad between them

NOTE: The information regarding Congo on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Congo Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Congo Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.