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mountains in the northeast and the Mitumba mountains in the southeast. The Katanga
plateau lies in the south and the Angola plateau in the southwest. In the east, Congo is
bordered by four major lakes, called Albert, Edward, Kivu and Tanganyika.

Know It!

v The Congo River is the second largest river in Africa after the Nile. It is widely used for navigation, so it is
also known as the Highway of Central Africa .

Climate

Being located in the equatorial region, Congo has a hot and wet climate. The average
temperature is 25°C. Normally, mornings are hot and humid, but as the day proceeds,
the temperature rises. By noon, it becomes very hot. This heat can be unbearable at
times because of a high level of humidity. This leads to rainfall in the afternoon, which
makes the evening and night usually cool.

Congo receives a heavy rainfall; its average annual rainfall is 200 cm or more.
Thunderstorms are also common. In our country, Kerala experiences a similar climate.

Natural Vegetation

Owing to a hot and wet climate, thick and dense equatorial forests are found in the
Congo basin. Evergreen trees grow here. These trees remain green throughout the
year. They are tall and dense, and form a thick canopy at the top. It is difficult for
sunlight to penetrate this canopy. They have strong wood, which is exported to other
countries. Some of the most important trees found here include ebony, mahogany,
redwood and rosewood, which provide good quality timber. There are found rubber

and coconut trees also.
These forests are some of the world’s thickest and largest forests. Due to these dense
forests, Congo is also called the Heart of Darkness .

Under the dense trees grow different types of creepers, climbers and flowers, as well as
many types of herbs, shrubs and grasses.

Wildlife

The thick forests in Congo are natural habitat to hundreds of species of animals. The
wildlife here includes a fine variety of monkeys like gorillas, chimpanzees and
baboons. Besides, rhinoceroses, antelopes, tigers, lions, leopards, jaguars, hyenas and
zebras can be found. Its lakes and rivers are the favourite home to a variety of
crocodiles, alligators and other water animals. Snakes and pythons can be found just
about anywhere.

Some very curious animals are found here. The African elephant is bigger than its

Congo : The Land of Forests 25