The congo river is located on the continent of africa. Its longest headwater was the selenga river of mongolia. The congo river basin is notable for the lack of bridges crossing the main rivers, although there are a number of ferries available for crossing the congo river and the major tributaries. The question of the source of the congo confronted european explorers from the time that the portuguese navigator diogo cao encountered the rivers mouth in 1482, which he believed to be a strait providing access to the realm of the mythical prester john, a christian priestking. The river and its tributaries flow through the second largest rain forest area in the world, 1 second only to the amazon rainforest in south america. I just watched last week a recently done and very, very colorful english documentary about the journey onboard the good ol gbemani that was shot last year. The congo river formerly called the zaire river is africas most powerful river and the second most voluminous river in the world with a discharge of 1,500,000 cubic feet of water per second. May 04, 2014 the congo river provides unceasing freshwater and hydroelectric potential. This list is arranged by drainage basin, with respective tributaries indented under each larger streams name.
The discovery, exploration and exploitation of the worlds most dramatic river. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this the river congo study guide and get instant access to the following analysis. The congo river may rank ninth in length in the world, but it trails only the amazon in terms of total water discharge, has the greatest depths of any river, and rejoices in a basin so large that it covers percent of the african continent. What are the best books about the belgian congo and king. Sep 28, 2015 the congo river in central africa is one of the worlds great rivers, carrying 1. The odd thing about the worlds deepest river conde nast. Travelling inland from its mouth, the river congo holds many stories of slavery, colonialism and independence. Congo river also known as the zaire river, and is located in africa. Congo river congo river the people and the economy. The congo rivers sources are in the highlands and mountains with the east african rift, also lake tanganyika and river mweru. Nov 21, 2012 by shahnaz sayed van wyk, the idea of going up the congo river has been on our minds since we knew we were getting posted to the democratic republic of congo drc. The discovery, exploration, and exploitation of the worlds most dramatic river paperback february 1, 1991.
Three types of environments are found, either juxtaposed or in succession, along the river and its tributaries. The book follows butchers mission to recreate the expedition of explorer h. However, we then got transferred to the republic of congo and when a friend. Melanie stiassny, who studies the extraordinarily diverse fishes of the congo river, begins her field trip up in kinshasa, democratic republic of congo, where she will arrange for a boat and supplies to make a trip up the congo, a river that drains an area the size of europe. Aug 18, 2017 the nina river hotel, mbandakas best, was well situated on the river bank and had a swimming pool and a dining room with red upholstered chairs and chandeliers. Heart of darkness 1899 is a novella by polishenglish novelist joseph conrad about a narrated voyage up the congo river into the congo free state in the heart of africa. Congo river, congo kinshasa, ticket, destinations, nature, books, beauty, livros.
The congo river provides unceasing freshwater and hydroelectric potential. It also powers two hydroelectric plants, and of course, gives life to the rainforest, containing the numerous animal species and flora that feed the population. Congo river basin strategic action programme long term goal. The novella is about a british sailor named marlow, who recounts his journey from the congo river to europe. Nov 02, 2007 congo journey by redmond ohanlon 1996 the naturalist and travel writer sets off on an intrepid river journey in search of the legendary mokelembembe. The congo river has a special place in the history of congo and to my own heart, as it is the river of my homeland.
Our river congo spills violently into the ocean, which is unable to stop its passage, engeye nbondwange, an aging naval officer and amateur historian, says as he vigorously gesticulates on the beach at banana point, a spit of land where the land, river and ocean collide. Congo journey is the kindle name for redmond ohanlons book no mercey. There is bentinok, ostensibly storekeeper and hotel keeper, actually secret service man for the british. The river and rainforest are home to nearly 400 mammal species, 1,000 types of birds and more than 10,000 varieties of flora source. Having finished with this little apperitif, forbath starts into the meat course. Congo river jolly rogers top jolly rogers lyrics curvy girls royal oak up boys up brotherhood of the coast a drop of nelsons blood the song of a ship one. Tim butchers top 10 books about congo books the guardian. Our river congo spills violently into the ocean, which is unable to stop its passage, engeye nbondwange, an aging naval officer and amateur historian, says as he vigorously gesticulates on the beach at banana point, a. This is a list of rivers in the democratic republic of the congo.
Heres my pick of ten titles with africas mightiest river running through them. On their journey they discover the lost city of zinj and a new species of killer gorillas, which they must overcome to survive. It rises in the highlands of northeastern zambia between lakes tanganyika and nyasa malawi as the chambeshi river at an elevation of 5,760 feet 1,760. Charles marlow, the narrator, tells his story to friends aboard a boat anchored on the river thames. It is the second longest river in africa the longest being river nile.
A journey to the heart of the congo which was first published in 1996. Evolution in the deepest river in the world science. Pollution of the congo river by emmie walker on prezi. Opinion with conrad on the congo river the new york times. However, we then got transferred to the republic of congo and when a friend suggested the. It is also the worlds deepest recorded river, with measured depths in excess of 220 m. Crocodiles, birds and hippopotami prefer the congos many lakes, and along the riverbanks, youll find cats like leopards and lions. Congo is a 1980 science fiction novel by michael crichton.
With a length of 2,900 miles 4,700 km, it is the continents second longest river, after the nile. The challenge of traveling the congo river the new york. The river forms the vast majority of the border between zaire and also the republic of congo and drains greater than 1, 600, 000 square miles of land. Please call us to book the dr congo river expedition.
Angola and the river congo by monteiro, joachim john. Jul 12, 2017 the congo s forgotten colonial getaway. The congo river is a lively and menacing menagerie. Kris pannecoucke, isa van dorsselaer and stephen w. Indeed, forbath has done an admirable job in this regard. Aug 10, 2010 melanie stiassny, who studies the extraordinarily diverse fishes of the congo river, begins her field trip up in kinshasa, democratic republic of congo, where she will arrange for a boat and supplies to make a trip up the congo, a river that drains an area the size of europe. The congo river, formerly known as the zaire river during the dictatorship of mobutu sese seko, is the second longest river in africa, shorter only than the nile, as well as the second largest river in the world by discharge volume, following only the amazon. The congo river in central africa is one of the worlds great rivers, carrying 1.
On the hippie trail from istanbul to india is published. Its overall length of 4,700 km 2,922 miles makes it the second longest in africa after the nile. The congo lualabachambeshi river system has an overall length of 4,700 km, which makes it the worlds ninthlongest river. The congo is an important navigational system in africa. List of rivers of the democratic republic of the congo.
What the portuguese found first to exploit were people, and with the slave trade began a dizzying downward spiral of conquest and degradation that. This river would have been about 10,000 km 6,200 mi long, in the last ice age. The river congo goodreads meet your next favorite book. A journey from the congo river to europe in heart of. See all 6 formats and editions hide other formats and editions.
I must admit, when we got there and i took one look at these barges and the huts the people build on the logs coming down river, i opted out. Stanleys famous 1874 expedition in which he mapped the congo river. Forests are breeding grounds for reptiles like lizards and snakes. In 1902 heart of darkness was included in the book youth.
Joseph conrads 1902 classic novel heart of darkness chronicled the folly of western ivory traders pillaging a shadowy, indomitable river basin. Travelling inland from its mouth, the river congo holds many stories of. It is also the deepest river on the planet, and it is over 700 feet deep. Patrice lumumba, just released from prison, showing his injured wrists what does it mean to have courage. The river and its tributaries flow through the second largest rain forest area in the world, second only to the amazon rainforest in south america the river also has the secondlargest flow in the world, behind the. The second expedition has many adventures in the congo, including finding out about the grey gorillas who attack, the lost city, the found treasure, an earthquakevolcano, how amy speaks to the grey gorillas and what happens to them all. The congo free state and the new imperialism by kevin. An island in the congo river was once a prime vacation hub and prosperous rubber plantation. Thats the problem that i have with this book and indeed many books on discovery and on africa in particular. The challenge of traveling the congo river the new york times. Fiction and nonfiction books set completely or at least partially in either the republic of the congo or the democratic republic of the congo. Adam hochschild in his book, king leopolds ghost, wrote that the. The troubled heart of africa is the only book to give a complete history of the congo, filling in the blanks in the countrys history before the advent of henry stanley, david livingstone, king leopold, and other.
Heart of darkness is a 146 page, adventure tale novella written by joseph conrad. Stiassny thinks the rivers power is shaping evolution in the congo. Whether called the congo free state, or zaire, or the democratic republic of the congo, the country remains perilously unstable. Congo crossing democratic republic of the congo holidays the. Despite being several generations old, this book provides the most outstanding overview ive read of the significance of the congo river, a key transportation artery of tropical africa, including its discovery and its politics as relevant as any contemporary travelogue. Through more than 10 years of research comprising over 600 interviews and untold. The boat had 1500 passengers on board and should have held less than 250. It uses his expedition across the congo to tell the region. Few rivers have inspired writers more than the congo. In fact the country is named after this huge river, the second largest freshwater river in the world, which covers 98% of drcs surface area. Crichton calls congo a lost world novel in the tradition founded by henry rider haggard s king solomons mines. Most of us might first think of those who put their lives on the line in defense of an ideal. We get a potted history of portugal up to and onward from henry the navigator but. New species evolve when some geographic barriera mountain range, an ocean, a glacierdivides a population.
Drc congo river cruise expedition undiscovered destinations. The congo river was the only efficient way to move ivory or people around in the congo. Book your tickets online for the top things to do in democratic republic of the congo on tripadvisor. It is also the worlds deepest recorded river, with measured depths in excess of 220 m 720 ft. The congo river, the 9th longest river on the planet, is 2, 920 miles. In the alan moorehead tradition, a former timelife correspondent traces the opening of the congo basin and illumines some of the forces which shaped the troubled land now called zaire. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. It is the fifth longest river in the world, draining a basin of nearly 1. Life along the congo river animal life on the congo. Books on the congo history of zaire and the belgian congo. This is a list of streams and rivers in the democratic republic of the congo a.
The congo river, the worlds second longest as well as the deepest, and one of the only routes to the continents interior, provided indigenous populations with ample means for living and trading. Join our dr congo river expedition as we travel along the river from mbandaka to kisangani. There were 15 million congolese at independence from belgium in 1960. The nina river hotel, mbandakas best, was well situated on the river bank and had a swimming pool and a dining room with red upholstered chairs and chandeliers. The main reasoning is the mere width of the congo river and main rivers, and the second is the lack of funds to set up permanent river crossings. Since the ivory trade is the reason marlow goes to the congo, and the reason kurtz is at the inner station. The novel centers on an expedition searching for diamonds and investigating the mysterious deaths of a previous expedition in the dense tropical rainforest of the congo. For all the devastation and suffering aids has caused worldwide, we have devoted surprisingly little attention to its beginnings.
Peter forbath, reading the blurb thats out there on. The congos source is at the highlands of northeast of zambia, it. Ten years before columbus first landed in the west indies, portuguese navigators, seeking the route to the east indies, discovered the estuary of the congo and an iron age kingdom whose. A journey to the heart of the congo by redmond ohanlon. Countries it runs through angola, burundi, cameroon, central african republic, congokinshasa, gabon,congobrazzaville, rwanda, tanzania, and zambia. Yet today, this remarkable natural lifeline is suffering not just from the threat of large dams to come, but also the. A journey from the congo river to europe in heart of darkness. Congo journey by redmond ohanlon 1996 the naturalist and travel writer sets off on an intrepid river journey in search of the legendary mokelembembe. Nov 03, 2009 stiassny thinks the rivers power is shaping evolution in the congo. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Crichton calls congo a lost world novel in the tradition founded by henry rider haggards king solomons mines, featuring the mines of that works title.
Principal rivers and lakes of the democratic republic of congo. An attempt to do a south wind against the sultry background of the congo, with its beauty and its ugliness and its poison eating into the souls of the odd assortment of exiled europeans gathered together. Congo river simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This book can be found in our school library and many other libraries in the area.