congo

¹

[ kong-goh ]

noun

1. congou.

Congo

²

[ kong-goh ]

noun

1. People's Republic of the Congo, a republic in central Africa, west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 132,046 sq. mi. (341,999 sq. km). : Brazzaville. Formerly French Congo,.
2. Democratic Republic of the Congo, a republic in central Africa. 905,568 sq. mi. (2,345,410 sq. km). : Kinshasa. Formerly Zaire, none Democratic Republic of the Congo, none Belgian Congo, none Congo Free State.
3. Congo River, a river in central Africa, flowing in a great loop from southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to the Atlantic. About 3,000 miles (4,800 km) long. Also called Zaire.
4. Kongo.

Congo

/ ˈkɒŋɡəʊ /

noun

1. Democratic Republic of Congo
   Democratic Republic of Congo a republic in S central Africa, with a narrow strip of land along the Congo estuary leading to the Atlantic in the west: Congo Free State established in 1885, with Leopold II of Belgium as absolute monarch; became the Belgian Congo colony in 1908; gained independence in 1960, followed by civil war and the secession of Katanga (until 1963); President Mobutu Sese Seko seized power in 1965; declared a one-party state in 1978, and was overthrown by rebels in 1997. The country consists chiefly of the Congo basin, with large areas of dense tropical forest and marshes, and the Mitumba highlands reaching over 5000 m (16 000 ft) in the east. Official language: French. Religion: Christian majority, animist minority. Currency: Congolese franc. Capital: Kinshasa. Pop: 75 507 308 (2013 est). Area: 2 344 116 sq km (905 063 sq miles) Former names1885–1908Congo Free State1908–60Belgian Congo1960–71Congo-Kinshasa1971–97Zaïre
2. See Congo-Brazzaville
   Republic of Congo
   Republic of Congo another name for Congo-Brazzaville
3. the second longest river in Africa, rising as the Lualaba on the Katanga plateau in the Democratic Republic of Congo and flowing in a wide northerly curve to the Atlantic: forms the border between Congo-Brazzaville and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Length: about 4800 km (3000 miles). Area of basin: about 3 000 000 sq km (1 425 000 sq miles) Former Zaïrese name (1971–97)Zaïre
4. See Kongo
   a variant spelling of Kongo

Other Words From

• trans-Congo adjective

Example Sentences

At the highest navigable point of the Congo River, thick jungle creates an impenetrable wall of green around a large island.

From The Daily Beast

Victims were put into sacks, speared, and thrown into the Congo River.

From The Daily Beast

Since then, Kisangani has been the epicenter of nearly every rebellion in the Congo.

From The Daily Beast

“This town was the most beautiful girl in the Congo,” laments a friend sitting nearby.

From The Daily Beast

Since then, conflict has continued to pummel much of the eastern part of the Congo, but Kisangani has remained relatively calm.

From The Daily Beast

That which was in the menagerie of Versailles, which came from Congo, was but seven feet and a half high, in his seventeenth year.

From Project Gutenberg

On his last trip, during which he spent nearly four years in the Congo, he secured about two and one-half tons of ivory.

From Project Gutenberg

The language of some of the tribes of the Congo is described by a missionary as more complex than Greek.

From Project Gutenberg

I understand, sir—you wish me to go to the dear old Congo Government and apologize—I shall be ready in ten minutes.

From Project Gutenberg

Aruwimi, a large river of equatorial Africa, a tributary of the Congo, on the north bank.

From Project Gutenberg