We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Geography

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is the Congo Rainforest?

Michael Anissimov
By
Updated: May 23, 2024
Views: 43,965
Share

The Congo Rainforest, sometimes called the "Congo basin rainforest," is a 1.5 million square mile rainforest located in the Congo Basin in central Africa. It is the world's second largest rainforest -- only the Amazon Rainforest is larger. 18% of the world's total rainforest is found here. Making up over 70% of Africa's plant cover, about two-thirds of the Congo Rainforest is in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC, formerly known as Zaire), but large areas are also located in Gabon, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo. The Congo Rainforest was called "the heart of darkness" by Joseph Conrad, to highlight its dangerous and remote nature.

About 60 million people in central Africa have a close relationship with the rainforest, and some of them depend on it for food, shelter, and medicine. Like other rainforests, the Congo Rainforest is a biodiversity hotspot, inhabited by forest elephants, hippopotami, three species of great ape (gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos), civets, the bongo (an antelope), duikers (another antelope), the Hartebeest (antelope), the Greater Kudu (a large antelope), the Handsome Francolin (an elusive bird), the Marsh Mongoose, lions, giraffes, the giant forest hog, the Golden Jackal, and many animals found nowhere else, including the okapi, white rhino, and the Congo peacock. The natural wonders are so rich that five national parks in the Congo Rainforest are listed as UN World Heritage Sites. In total, the rainforest has more than 11,000 species of plants, 450 mammals, 1,150 birds, 300 reptiles, and 200 amphibians.

The Congo Rainforest is crossed by the Congo River, a second longest river in Africa after the Nile, with an overall length of 4,700 km (2,922 miles). The flow volume is the second largest of any river in the world, only behind the Amazon River. The river has an upside-down U shape, curving north from the ocean then curving south at its midpoint. Between 1971 and 1997 the river was called the Zaire River. The Livingstone Falls, located near the mouth of the river, prevent sea access. Though technically rapids rather than a waterfall, if one accepts rapids as a waterfall, then the Livingstone Falls are the largest-volume waterfalls in the world. The falls are named after the famous British explorer David Livingstone, even though he never visited them.

The Congo Rainforest is also known for being one of the most dangerous places in the world. Like many African countries, most of the Congo basin countries are politically unstable, and the eastern Congo is known for having the highest rate of sexual brutality in the entire world. War is practically constant, and respect for women nearly non-existent. Like the Amazon Rainforest, the Congo Rainforest is also being deforested by timber companies. America and European countries have contributed billions of dollars to preserving the rainforest, but the impact of such efforts is questionable. If circumstances do not change, most of the rainforest could be destroyed within a century or less.

Share
CulturalWorld.org is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Michael Anissimov
By Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov is a dedicated CulturalWorld.org contributor and brings his expertise in paleontology, physics, biology, astronomy, chemistry, and futurism to his articles. An avid blogger, Michael is deeply passionate about stem cell research, regenerative medicine, and life extension therapies. His professional experience includes work with the Methuselah Foundation, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and Lifeboat Foundation, further showcasing his commitment to scientific advancement.
Discussion Comments
By rosoph — On Mar 25, 2011

A lot of the Congo Rainforest animals are animals that I always pictured to be found in Africa, just not in the rainforest.

For example, I never would have thought to see elephants in the forest. I always pictured them in more of a desert like environment. The giraffe is anther one. I'm not sure exactly what kind of environment I thought they would live in, but the rainforest definitely wouldn't have been my guess.

Perhaps the rainforest is a lot different than what I've always pictured in my mind. Or maybe the zoos around here just haven't done the best job of portraying what kind of environment the animals would live in. Or maybe I just wasn't paying close enough attention. I have been enlightened.

By reader888 — On Mar 22, 2011

It seems kind of odd to me that the Livingston Falls would be named after someone who was never even there. Why is this?

Did he explore the Congo Rainforest and just never see the falls? Or was he never in the entire rainforest at all?

By upnorth31 — On Mar 21, 2011

I always imagined a rainforest as being sort of a magical place. With all of the different kinds of plants and animals that can be found there, I thought it would be picturesque. "The heart of darkness" is not a description I would have thought suitable. I guess I was wrong.

If the Congo really is such a brutal and dangerous place, I can see how this description would fit. Is this why Joseph Conrad described it this way?

I've always wanted to visit a rainforest. I guess the Congo Rainforest is not the one to pick!

Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov is a dedicated CulturalWorld.org contributor and brings his expertise in paleontology, physics,...
Learn more
Share
https://www.culturalworld.org/what-is-the-congo-rainforest.htm
Copy this link
CulturalWorld.org, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

CulturalWorld.org, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.