Republic of Congo Weather, climate and geography

Weather and climate

Best time to visit

Equatorial climate with short rains from October to December and long rains between mid January and mid May. The main dry season is from June to October.

Required clothing

Practical lightweight cottons and linens with a light raincoat or umbrella in the rainy season.

Geography

Congo is situated in Africa, bordered to the north by Cameroon and the Central African Republic, to the south and east by the Democratic Republic of Congo, to the southwest by the Atlantic, and to the west by Gabon. The Cabinda Enclave, belonging to Angola, lies to the southwest, on the Atlantic coast. Vast areas are swamps, grassland or thick forests with rivers being virtually the only means of internal travel. The vast River Congo and its major tributaries form most of the country's border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, drawing much of its water from the swamplands in the north of the country. The narrow sandy coastal plain is broken by lagoons, behind which rise the Mayombe Mountains. Most of the population lives in the south of the country.