Page 23 - SST Class 05

Unit II : World’s Lifestyles

4 Congo : The Land

of Forests

Forests and I

The forests are very important for us. They give us many benefits, therefore, it is essential that we
conserve forests in an efficient manner so that we can derive maximum benefits from them. Owing to
unrest in Congo, the country’s natural and mineral wealth is being wasted and its wildlife is being
destroyed indiscriminately, leading to poverty. We have a lesson to learn from this.

The Torrid Zone or very hot zone lies on both sides of the Equator within the Tropic of
Cancer (23½°N) and the Tropic of Capricorn (23½°S). The sun shines direct over this

zone. Within this zone, the area located between 5°N and 5°S is called equatorial
region . This area is the warmest because it is still closer to the Equator.

This region experiences rainfall round the year. So, trees grow here abundantly. There
are dense forests here, called equatorial forests . These forests are so dense that sunlight
cannot pass through them.
The important countries located in the equatorial region are Brazil and Colombia in

South America; Ghana, Congo and Kenya in Africa; and Malaysia and Sumatra in
Asia, among others. We shall study Congo in this lesson.

Congo

Location
Congo was earlier called Zaire . Its official name is the Democratic Republic of the
Congo . Its capital is Kinshasa, so it is also called Congo-Kinshasa . It became free in
1960 from the Belgian rule, but has witnessed unrest ever since. It is facing the
situation of civil war and terrorism now.

Congo is the second largest country in Africa. Located in central Africa, it is almost a
landlocked country, with only a narrow outlet to the Atlantic Ocean. The Equator
passes through it. It is totally covered with equatorial forests.

Congo is the second largest country of Africa in terms of land. Its territory is divided
into a city province of Kinshasa and 25 other provinces which are divided into districts.

Congo : The Land of Forests 23