Congo-Chambeshi River Boat Trip Online Quiz | Geography

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. As you step aboard the boat for your trip on the Congo-Chambeshi River, you are greeted by your tour guide Fabrice. He tells you he comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of the countries named after the river. What was this country known as between 1971 and 1997?

Answer: Zaire

The two countries that take their name from the Congo River are The Democratic Republic of the Congo and The Republic of the Congo. The Democratic Republic of the Congo was known as Zaire between 1971 and 1997. It is the ninth largest country in the world and the second largest in Africa.

2. Your trip starts at the mouth of the Congo where you can see the river discharging into which ocean?

Answer: Atlantic

The Congo discharges into the Atlantic Ocean. The river has an average discharge of 41,000 cubic metres of water per second; only the Amazon River has a greater discharge. The mouth of the Congo is located between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola with the river forming part of the border between these two countries.

3. As the boat heads upstream, Fabrice tells you some facts about the Congo-Chambeshi. He tells you that it is 2920 miles long, meaning it ranks where in terms of longest rivers in the world?

Answer: 9th

The Congo-Chambeshi River is the ninth longest river in the world. The Chambeshi River is the longest tributary of the Congo and is therefore usually regarded as the source of the Congo River. Although it is only the ninth longest river, the Congo is the deepest river in the world with depths having been measured at over 720ft.

4. As you sail up the river, Fabrice points out the Inga Dams to you. He tells you that they use the power of the river to produce what?

Answer: Electricity

The first Inga Dam was completed in 1972 and a second was finished in 1982. They are connected to the Inga Falls, a series of rapids and waterfalls where the Congo drops 96m over a distance of 15km. The first Inga Dam has a capacity of 351 megawatts, and the second Inga Dam has a capacity of 1424 megawatts.

5. The next feature of the Congo River that Fabrice points out is a series of waterfalls and rapids totaling 220 miles in length and named after which famous explorer?

Answer: David Livingstone

The Livingstone Falls are located a little downstream from Kinshasa, the capital city of The Democratic Republic of the Congo. David Livingstone was a Scottish missionary who explored parts of Africa during the mid-19th century. Although he did explore some of the upper Congo, Livingstone never actually visited the site of the falls.

They were named in his honor by fellow British explorer Henry Stanley.

6. Your boat trip now takes you through the city of Kinshasa which Fabrice tells you is the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He tells you some facts about the city including the year in which it was founded. What year is this?

Answer: 1881

Kinshasa was founded in 1881 by the British explorer Henry Stanley. The city was originally called Leopoldville after the Belgian King Leopold II who controlled the area. After the Democratic Republic of the Congo gained independence from Belgium, the city was renamed Kinshasa after a village called Kinchassa that was once near the site of the city.

7. Fabrice now tells you that the Congo River is crossing the equator. How many times does he say the river crosses the equator in total?

Answer: 2

The Congo River crosses the equator twice once near Mbandaka and once near Ubundu, both located to the north of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congo is the only major world river to cross the equator twice.

8. Fabrice continues to tell you about the river. He tells you that the Congo has a fairly stable water volume all year round as its drainage basin encompasses areas on both sides of the equator. One of your fellow passengers disagrees. Is Fabrice right?

Answer: Yes

Fabrice is correct. Unlike many rivers where the water volume fluctuates depending on the seasonal climate, the Congo has a fairly stable water volume all year round. This is because of different climate patterns in the northern and southern hemispheres, meaning that some part of the drainage basin is in the rainy season all through the year.

9. Your boat trip now is passing through the Congo Rainforest. Fabrice tells you that it ranks where in terms of the world's largest rainforests?

Answer: 2nd

The Congo Rainforest is the second largest rainforest in the world; only the Amazon Rainforest is bigger. The Congo Rainforest covers areas in the countries of Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic.

The rainforest is not subject to much deforestation, having the lowest rate of deforestation of the major rainforests.

10. You are now on the Upper Congo near where the Chambeshi, the Congo's longest tributary, branches off. Fabrice informs you that the Upper Congo is not normally known as the River Congo and is instead known by what name?

Answer: Lualaba River

The Lualaba River is the name given to the Upper Congo located upstream of Boyoma Falls near Kisangani. There are three tributaries of the river on this section: the Luvua, the Luapula, and the Chambeshi, which as the longest is usually regarded as the source of the Congo River.

Source: Author The_Cyclist

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Pagiedamon before going online.
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Congo-Chambeshi River Boat Trip Quiz

Come join your tour guide Fabrice and learn all about this fascinating African river. (N.B. In reality the Congo River is not easily navigable by boat but this is a virtual boat trip, so I think we'll be fine!)

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