Happy Thanksgiving!!

The other day we learned about the Democratic Republic of the Congo and I said it was not the same country as the Republic of the Congo, so let’s talk about that one today. 

It’s another nation in central Africa and is bordered by DRC, as well a Gabon, Cameroon, Central African Republic, and the Angolan exclave of Cabinda, as well as the Atlantic Ocean. To distinguish it from Big Congo, it’s also referred to Congo-Brazzaville (Brazzaville is the capital), the Congo Republic or just Congo (though the DRC is sometimes just called the Congo, too). 

Congo Republic Basics

• The Republic of the Congo is much smaller than its similarly named neighbor, at 132,000 square miles, or 342,000 square kilometers. It has a population of more than six million people. 
• Brazzaville is the capital and largest city, which was named for the colony’s founder, Pierre Savorgnan de Brazzá. It has a president and prime minister but is considered an authoritarian dictatorship. 
• The official language is French but other national languages are also recognized.
• Like its neighbor it was named for the Congo River, and when it was a colony of France it was called French Congo or Middle Congo. It gained independence from France in 1960. 
• The country has savanna plains, tropical forests, the river, mountains and beaches. It is ecologically diverse, with around 400 species of mammals, 1,000 birds and 10,000 plant species, about 3,000 of which are unique to the nation. 

Republic of the Congo National Symbols 

The flag of the Congo has a yellow stripe running diagonally through the center, with a green section above and red below. This flag was first used in 1959 but was changed from 1970-1991 after the DRC was established. In 1991 this flag was adopted again. 

The national anthem is “La Congolaise” or “The Congolese,” which also was first adopted in 1959 and returned in 1991.  

The CIA says the elephant and lion are national symbols, as both are found on the country’s coat of arms (along with the motto in French, Unity, Work Progress). 

Republic of Congo Activities for Kids

Older kids might be interested to learn that Charles de Gaulle led the Free French forces from Brazzaville, and Congo was the capital of teh Free French movement from 1940-43. The Charles de Gaulle house, where he lived, is now the home of the French ambassador. 

Learn more about the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, one of the oldest national parks in Africa, which is home to 2,000 unique life forms. 

On Teachers Pay Teachers the resources for Republic of the Congo are all mixed in with the DRC content, but here are a few: country study, reading comprehension, more reading passages, passages and questions and more reading passages and questions. 

Republic of Congo and Big Congo eat many of the same foods, and moambe chicken is considered a national dish in both countries. Lots of meals have a starchy component like cassava or corn flour mash (known as fufu or ugali), which are often eaten with stew. Try dongo dongo, a stew made with okra and fish or other meat. 

Global Smarties has a post that’s a little bit about both Congos, including learning ideas for kids and adults.