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Republic of the Congo Travel Guide - Travel S Helper

Republic of the Congo

travel guide

The Congo Republic (French: République du Congo), often known as the Congo Republic, Congo-Brazzaville, or simply Congo, is a Central African republic. It is bounded on the west by Gabon and the Atlantic Ocean, on the northwest by Cameroon, on the northeast by the Central African Republic, on the east and south by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and on the southwest by the Angolan exclave of Cabinda.

Bantu-speaking tribes controlled the region, establishing trade routes into the Congo River basin. Congo-Brazzaville was once a French colony in Equatorial Africa. The former French Congo became the Republic of the Congo after independence in 1960. From 1970 until 1991, the People’s Republic of the Congo was a Marxist–Leninist one-party state. Although a democratically elected government was deposed during the Republic of the Congo Civil War in 1997, President Denis Sassou Nguesso has reigned for 26 of the previous 36 years.

The Republic of the Congo became the fourth largest oil producer in the Gulf of Guinea as a result of political stability and hydrocarbon development, providing the country with relative prosperity despite the country’s poor infrastructure and public services, as well as an unequal distribution of oil revenues.

Following the country’s independence as the Congo Republic on August 15, 1960, Fulbert Youlou reigned as the country’s first president until a three-day revolt organized by labor forces and opposing political parties removed him. The Congolese military temporarily seized control of the nation and established a civilian temporary administration led by Alphonse Massamba-Débat.

Massamba-Débat was elected President for a five-year term under the 1963 constitution, but his tenure was cut short by an August 1968 coup d’état. On December 31, 1968, Capt. Marien Ngouabi, a participant in the coup, seized the president. One year later, President Ngouabi declared Congo to be Africa’s first “people’s republic,” and announced the National Revolutionary Movement’s intention to rename itself the Congolese Labour Party (PCT). President Ngouabi was murdered on March 16, 1977. An temporary administration was formed, led by an 11-member Military Committee of the Party (CMP), with Col. (later Gen.) Joachim Yhombi-Opango serving as President of the Republic.

Congo completed its transition to multi-party democracy in August 1992, after decades of tumultuous politics fueled by Marxist-Leninist rhetoric and the fall of the Soviet Union. Denis Sassou Nguesso resigned, and Congo’s new president, Prof. Pascal Lissouba, took office on August 31, 1992.

Congo’s democratic development, however, was halted in 1997. As the July 1997 presidential elections neared, tensions between the Lissouba and Sassou camps grew. On June 5, President Lissouba’s government troops approached Sassou’s Brazzaville property, and Sassou ordered members of his private militia, nicknamed as “Cobras,” to fight. Thus started a four-month war that destroyed or damaged most of Brazzaville and resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians. Angolan troops invaded Congo on the side of Sassou in early October, and the Lissouba government fell in mid-October. Sassou proclaimed himself President soon after. The Congo Civil War lasted another year and a half until a peace agreement was reached between the different groups in December 1999.

In sham elections in 2002, Sassou received almost 90 percent of the vote. His two major opponents, Lissouba and Bernard Kolelas, were barred from running, and the only remaining viable contender, Andre Milongo, urged his followers to boycott the elections before withdrawing from the campaign. A new constitution, approved by referendum in January 2002, gave the president additional powers, prolonged his tenure to seven years, and established a new bicameral parliament. International observers were critical of the organization of the presidential election and the constitutional referendum, both of which were reminiscent of the Congo’s one-party state period. Congo currently has a rotational seat on the United Nations Security Council.

Opposition parties boycotted the July 2009 elections. Sassou was re-elected, although with a questionably high turnout. Riot police brutally suppressed demonstrations in Brazzaville.

The Republic of the Congo’s limited population is concentrated in the southwest, leaving large expanses of tropical forest in the north almost uninhabited. Thus, the Republic of Congo is one of Africa’s most urbanized nations, with 85 percent of its entire population residing in a few metropolitan centers, notably Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire, or one of the tiny towns or villages along the 332-mile (534-kilometer) railway that links the two cities. Industrial and commercial activity in rural regions has decreased significantly in recent years, leaving rural economies reliant on the government for assistance and sustenance. Prior to the 1997 conflict, there were about 15,000 Europeans and other non-Africans living in Congo, the majority of them were French. Currently, just approximately 9,500 people remain.

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Republic of the Congo - Info Card

Population

5,657,000

Currency

Central African CFA franc (XAF)f

Time zone

UTC+1 (WAT)

Area

342,000 km2 (132,000 sq mi)

Calling code

+242

Official language

French

Congo | Introduction

Geography and climate Of Congo

Congo is situated along the Equator in central-western Sub-Saharan Africa, between latitudes 4°N and 5°S, and longitudes 11° and 19°E. The Democratic Republic of the Congo borders it to the south and east. It is also bordered to the west by Gabon, to the north by Cameroon and the Central African Republic, and to the southwest by Cabinda (Angola). It has a short Atlantic Ocean shore.

Brazzaville, the capital, is situated on the Congo River in the country’s south, just across from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The southwest of the nation is a coastal plain with the Kouilou-Niari River as the main drainage; the center of the country is a central plateau between two basins to the south and north. Forests are increasingly under threat of exploitation.

Because the nation is situated on the Equator, the climate is constant all year, with an average day temperature of a humid 24 °C (75 °F) and nights ranging from 16 °C (61 °F) to 21 °C (70 °F). The average annual rainfall varies from 1,100 millimetres (43 in) in the Niari Valley in the south to more than 2,000 millimetres (79 in) in the country’s center regions. The dry season lasts from June to August, whereas the rainy season lasts from March to May and September to November across the bulk of the nation.

In 2006–07, Wildlife Conservation Society researchers examined gorillas in densely wooded areas focused on the Ouesso district of the Sangha Region. They estimate a population of 125,000 western lowland gorillas, whose seclusion from people is mainly due to unfavorable wetlands.

Things To Know Before Traveling To Congo

MTN, CelTel (now Zain), and Warid are the three mobile carriers you may use to contact your loved ones.

Local calls are quite inexpensive, costing between 20 and 30 FCFA per minute.

White visitors should use caution while visiting the Republic. Racial tension and prejudice are prevalent in this area, so be cautious and keeping to yourself.

Visa & Passport Requirements for Congo

To enter the Republic of Congo, all foreigners must get a visa. Except for residents of a few West and North African nations, visas are not available on arrival, and arriving without one may result in a variety of problems that you should avoid at all costs (fines, passport confiscation, etc.). However, if you catch the next connecting flight and do not leave the airport, you may transit without a visa.

Economy Of Congo

The economy is a combination of village agriculture and handicrafts, a petroleum-based industrial sector, support services, and a government plagued by budget difficulties and overstaffing. Petroleum extraction has replaced forestry as the economy’s backbone. In 2008, the oil industry contributed 65 percent of GDP, 85 percent of government income, and 92 percent of exports. The nation also possesses a significant amount of undiscovered mineral riches.

Early in the 1980s, fast increasing oil earnings allowed the government to fund large-scale development projects, with GDP growth averaging 5% per year, one of the highest rates in Africa. The government has mortgaged a significant part of its petroleum profits, leading to a revenue shortfall. The devaluation of Franc Zone currencies by 50% on January 12, 1994 led in 46 percent inflation in 1994, although inflation has subsequently decreased.

Economic reform initiatives were bolstered by foreign institutions, most notably the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. When civil conflict broke out in June 1997, the reform effort came to a stop. When Sassou Nguesso came to power at the conclusion of the conflict in October 1997, he openly stated his desire to go ahead with economic reforms and privatization, as well as to resume collaboration with foreign financial institutions. However, economic growth was hampered by falling oil prices and the return of armed conflict in December 1998, both of which exacerbated the republic’s fiscal imbalance.

Despite record-high oil prices since 2003, the present government rule over an uneasy internal peace and confronts severe economic challenges of encouraging recovery and eliminating poverty. Natural gas and diamonds are other recent significant Congolese exports; however, Congo was kicked out of the Kimberley Process in 2004 after accusations that most of its diamond exports were smuggled out of the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo; it was re-admitted to the organization in 2007.

The Republic of the Congo also contains significant undeveloped reserves of base metals, gold, iron, and phosphate. The nation is a member of the Organization for the Harmonization of African Commercial Law (OHADA). In 2009, the Congolese government agreed to lease 200,000 hectares of land to South African farmers in order to decrease its reliance on imports.

The Republic of the Congo’s GDP increased by 6% in 2014 and is projected to increase by 7.5 percent in 2015.

How To Travel To Congo

Get In - By plane

Maya-Maya Airport (IATA: BZV) in Brazzaville is served by Air France, as well as flights to Douala in Cameroon, Addis Ababa and Kinshasa by Ethiopian Airlines, Nairobi, Casablanca, and the National Carrier ECAir.

Get In - By car

Driving is safe in the Republic of the Congo. A well-maintained road leads north from Brazzaville, but only as far as President Sassou’s hometown of Oyo. Beyond Oyo, the roads become extremely rough and impassable in the rain. It’s also difficult to get a rental vehicle that you can drive alone.

Get In - By boat

Passenger and VIP ferries run every 2 hours between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. between Brazzaville and Kinshasa. The ferries are priced at US$15 for passengers and US$30 for VIPs. The VIP ferry is suggested since the boats are spanking new and not as crowded. In either route, a valid visa for both countries is needed. Both ends of the bureaucracy take some time.

Entry and departure procedures in Brazzaville are “simple” and straightforward, and locals are very friendly in helping visitors to pass through without incident. In Kinshasa, however, these processes are more complex and are heavily dependent on whether you are an independent tourist or are accompanied by an organization or an official government agent. There are also speed boats to rent, either in a group or individually (price! ), but it is not recommended to reserve them since they really speed across the river along the rapids. Barges go up the Congo and Oubangui rivers to Bangui.

How To Travel Around Congo

Get Around - By shared taxi or minibus

In Brazzaville, very inexpensive shared taxis and minibuses operate on an ad hoc basis between cities and villages, packed with Congolese people transporting various types of cattle for sale.

Get Around - By taxi

Taxis in Brazzaville are green. 700 CFA will often bring you around a neighborhood. At night, this rises to 1000 CFA. Drivers are usually reasonable in their pricing, and no bargaining is necessary before getting in.

Get Around - By train

The Congo-Ocean Railway (COR, or CFCO) runs 502 kilometers from Pointe-Noire (now in the Republic of Congo) to Brazzaville.

The route was closed for six years when the civil war began in 1997. The BBC stated in 2007 that it was in a “decrepit condition, with the bulk of trains now damaged.” In August 2007, UNICEF organized a train to deliver malaria nets, which are essential for illness prevention.

Destinations in Congo

Cities in Congo

  • Brazzaville — the Republic of the Congo’s capital The Congo River separates it from Kinshasa, the capital of the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo.
  • Abala-Ndolo
  • Djambala
  • Dolisie
  • Mossendjo
  • Ouésso is a transportation center in the country’s extreme north, amid a region dotted with Pygmy settlements.
  • Owando – one of the country’s most recently municipalized towns, and one of the finest locations to visit in the Republic of Congo’s north.
  • Pointe Noire — a port city on the coast.

Regions in Congo

While the Congo’s regions are varied, there is one constant: the thick Congo Rainforest covers about 80% of the nation.

  • Coast and Mayombe
  • Congolese Plateau
  • Cuvette
  • Niari Valley
  • Pool
  • Sangha and Likouala

Other destinations in Congo

  • Conkouati Reserve
  • Ile Mbamou Island is a government-owned island approximately an hour’s drive from Brazzaville.
  • Lefini Reserve is the most well-known reserve in the nation, abutting Lesio-Louna to the north.
  • The Lesio Louna Gorilla Reserve is a park north of Brazzaville devoted to gorilla conservation in the Congo.
  • Mount Fouari National Reserve
  • Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park Is the biggest and most remote of Congo’s national parks and reserves, situated in the extreme north bordering the Dzanga Sangha National Reserve of Central African Republic.
  • Odzala National Park — the country’s most famous national park.
  • Tiger Fish Congo Camp. You may visit the Tiger Fish Camp to catch the world’s largest tiger fish – the heaviest fish ever caught there weighed 56kg!

Food & Drinks in Congo

Food in Congo

Osaka Restaurant in Pointe Noire serves delicious and nutritious Chinese cuisine. A dinner cost between US$12 and US$18 on average. All meals were delivered in excellent clean plates, and the restaurant is inside and has air conditioning, as well as a backup generator just in case. Some of the employees are fluent in English and French.

Brazzaville has a number of excellent eateries. Any taxi driver may take you to one of these more upscale locations (5000 – 15000 CFA). On Sundays, most businesses are closed. Beers are likely to be expensive here (1000 to 2000 CFA).

Drinks in Congo

Palm wine is a popular drink in the hamlet. Beer is the most popular beverage in town, followed by Fanta, Coke, and so on. A native red wine (SOVINCO) imported from Gabon is also available, as is the “brique,” a liter of imported, mainly Spanish wine from the box.

Beer prices vary from 500 to 5,000 CFA, depending on the area and kind of bar/restaurant.

N’Gok (meaning “Crocodile,” blond, Congolese), Primus (blond, Belgium, Central Africa), Mütsig (blond, French Alsace Region), Guinness (dark, Ireland), and Turbo King were all produced in Congo under Heineken supervision (dark, Central Africa)

If all of that is too much for you, there is also water in 1.5 litre plastic bottles offered by different local and foreign brands.

Money & Shopping in Congo

Republic of the Congo uses the Central African CFA franc (XAF). Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon also use it. While technically distinct from the Western African CFA franc (XOF), the two currencies are used interchangeably at par in all CFA franc (XAF & XOF)-using nations.

The French treasury backs both CFA francs, which are linked to the euro at 1 euro = 655.957 CFA francs.

The United States dollar is not widely accepted.

Shopping in Congo

In the market near the BDEAC (Banque de Développement pour les Etats de l’Afrique Centrale), there is an artisan market as well as shops. Stunning jewelry, masks, paintings, and other works of art.

In the market near the BDEAC (Banque de Développement pour les Etats de l’Afrique Centrale), there is an artisan market as well as shops. Beautiful jewelry, masks, paintings, and other works of art.

All transactions are made in cash. Small change is very rare and difficult to get. Banknotes that are ripped or taped are not accepted.

Culture Of Congo

The Congolese culture has been affected by a diverse range of natural environments, including the savannah plains of the North Niari flooded forests, the vast Congo River, the steep mountains and forest of Mayombe, and 170 kilometers of beaches along the Atlantic coast. Once upon a time, the existence of many ethnic groups and varied governmental systems (Kongo Empire, Kingdom of Loango kingdom Teke, Northern chiefdoms) offered tremendous variety in traditional cultures as well as many old creative manifestations. Vili Nail fetishes, Bembe statuettes that are extremely expressive despite their tiny size, weird Punu and Kwele masks, Kinabalu reliquaries, Teke fetishes, fascinating cemeteries with their massive graves, Lari country The Congolese have a significant colonial architectural history that they are rediscovering now as part of their lineage and tourism capital. They are also taking tremendous care, at least in Brazzaville, to repair these antiques.

Tourism is a minor resource in the Congo, with reception facilities centered in Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville without an adequate and reliable communications network. Many places are difficult to see, but ironically, some of the South’s most populated and developed areas are often the most difficult to reach. The enormous Chaillu Mountains, for example, are almost difficult to explore.

Many Congolese singers have carried the country’s image to the farthest reaches of the globe: the Franco-Congolese rapper Passi, who is currently based in France, is responsible for the release of several hit albums such as the “Temptations” with the famous song “I zap and I mate,” not to mention the M’Passi singer of the former group Melgroove, rappers Calbo of Arsenik, Ben J of Neg Marrons, Mystic

Several authors from the Republic of Congo are well-known throughout Africa and the French-speaking world, including Alain Mabanckou and Jean-Baptiste Tati Loutard. Tchicaya U Tam’si, Jeannette Ballou Tchichelle, Henri Lopes, Lassy Mbouity, and Jeannette Ballou Tchichelle.

Other creative forms, such as cinema, often fail to break through. Following a strong start in the 1970s, the unstable political environment and the shutdown of theaters hampered output. Each year, the nation produces no feature films, and most creators direct broadcast their video productions. Unfortunately, Congolese culture, art, and media have remained a bad investment owing to the instability created by successive administrations.

Stay Safe & Healthy in Congo

Stay Safe in Congo

Petty street crime against foreigners is uncommon in Brazzaville. Muggings and pickpocketings, on the other hand, are common around the ports in Pointe Noire and Brazzaville, as well as in the Congolese districts surrounding Brazzaville’s City Center. Criminals are known to target middle-class and wealthy homes that do not have 24-hour security.

Police resources are inadequate, and emergency calls are responded very slowly. Because legal remedy is limited in cases of theft and robbery, it is strongly advised to leave any expensive things at home.

In July 2009, there were several protests against President Sassou’s re-election. Riot police attacked and damaged the equipment of several international journalists. It is usually safe to stroll the streets, but avoid protests.

Stay Healthy in Congo

This country’s population estimates explicitly account for the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in population distribution by age and sex than would otherwise be expected. In any situation, use caution: DO NOT HAVE UNPROTECTED SEX.

Malaria is very likely if appropriate preventive medicine is not used. Malaria induced by Plasmodium falciparum may be fatal. If any of these symptoms appear, get medical care.

Throughout the nation, medical treatment is of poor quality. Hospitals lack contemporary technology, medical supplies and medicines, as well as highly-trained doctors, nurses, and support personnel.

o Netcare Clinic: B.P. 2422, Brazzaville, Congo. Tel: 547 0911 (Main Line) OR 679 6711.

This facility first opened in 2002. It is a South African franchise. It is spotless and contains three private rooms, an ambulance, a one-bed emergency room, rudimentary radiography, a pharmacy, and a laboratory with microscopy, haematology, and basic chemistry. Dr.ALI, a Lebanese doctor who is regarded the finest medic in NETCARE, and Dr.STEPHAN, a French doctor who is also an excellent doctor, are the two major physicians.

o Mavre Pharmacie Phone: 81 18 39 Brazzaville has a variety of pharmacies, but Pharmacie Mavre is recommended. It is located in Centreville, close to the Cabinet Dentaire building. Please keep in mind to always double-check the expiry dates on boxes before buying any goods.

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