The Republic of the Congo is considered slightly less volatile than its neighbor across the river, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Congo-Brazzaville (the capital’s name differentiates it from DR Congo, or Congo-Kinshasa) is still, despite the theoretical end of a second civil war almost 10 years ago, a place of uncertain and sporadic violence. Intercity travel by road or rail is not safe; air travel is recommended.
Once a moderately wealthy nation buoyed by oil and mineral resources, today's Congo-Brazzaville is a victim of ethnic struggles among tribal-based parties, each backed by its own militia.
Travelers should avoid the country. When the political situation settles, outsiders might once again enjoy the country's central African culture, dense rain forests, lush river scenery and stunning waterfalls.
The territory of the Congo near the Atlantic coast is marshland, which gives way to infertile plains and rugged mountains. Farther inland are plateaus and highlands with forests and deep gorges. The entire nation is veined by rivers and streams. The Congo River—the sixth longest in the world (2,720 mi/4,375 km)—forms the nation's eastern border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Most people live in Brazzaville, Pointe Noire or along the railroad line that runs between them, but this may change as roads are built into the interior. The country has significant oil resources and, because of the Congo River, is a regional center of waterborne transport.
Located on the Equator, the Republic of the Congo has a long and rich history. The first known occupants of the area were Pygmies, who were joined in the seventh and eighth centuries by Bantu and Nilotic settlers from the north. When the first Portuguese explorers arrived in the late 15th century, they encountered powerful tribal kingdoms—a number of which were then converted to Catholicism by missionaries. Over the next three centuries, Portuguese traders and the Loango and Teke peoples enriched themselves from the slave trade. The French laid claim to the Congo in 1885 and ruled the country for the next 75 years. (The Republic of the Congo should not be confused with the Belgian Congo or the Democratic Republic of the Congo: The neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo—formerly Zaire—was the old Belgian Congo.)
When the Congo gained independence in 1960, anticolonialist sentiment gave rise to a Marxist-Leninist state with strong ties to the Soviet Union and a hostile attitude toward the West. Since independence, the Congo has had a history of political instability and extraconstitutional changes of leadership, but the government mellowed considerably by the end of the '80s, when it renounced Marxism, reduced the role of the army and relaxed its suspicious attitude toward foreigners.
The country's first free elections were held in 1992, but disputes over the results led to a six-week civil war. A peace accord was signed in 1993, but fighting started up again—leading to another civil war in 1997. Cease-fire agreements were reached in 1999, but disorganized militiamen continue to roam the countryside, posing a threat to travelers and everyone else. Denis Sassou Nguesso won the presidential election in March 2002, setting off more sporadic fighting that has displaced tens of thousands of citizens.
The rebel group known as the Ninjas continued to battle sporadically with government forces, attempting to gain control of the country's rich oil reserves. The ongoing violence caused a serious refugee problem with some 150,000 people displaced. Although a peace agreement was signed between the government and Ninja rebels in May 2003, the country remains unstable.
The Congo's chief attractions are jungles, Pygmy and other tribal cultures, beaches, markets, pirogues (canoe-type boats), dance, music, traditional crafts and historic sites.
The Congo will appeal to adventurous and experienced travelers who have a strong interest in central Africa. Don't go if you demand deluxe accommodations throughout your visit or if you are intolerant of delays, cancellations, high temperatures, humidity and bugs.
Brazzaville is named after the French explorer Savorgnan de Brazza, a rival of U.S. explorer H.M. Stanley in the late 19th century.
Congolese are some of the friendliest people we've met.
Pointe Noire got its name from the seepage of black tar from the base of nearby cliffs. Oil located offshore dominates the economic life of the city today.
Pygmies can be found in several villages bordering Cameroon and Gabon.
The Congo has a 75-mi/120-km coastline on the Atlantic, and there are about 3,100 mi/5,000 km of navigable rivers in the country. There is good ocean fishing for tarpon and other sport fish off the coast.
The Congo River stretches all the way to Chad.
Tropical hardwoods are an important export, and visitors may see the occasional coffee, palm oil, sugarcane, banana, tobacco or cacao plantation.
Nearly 90% of all meat has to be imported.
The word Congo means "land of the leopard."
