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Where is the country of Democratic Republic of the Congo located? Congo-Kinshasa is a country in Central Africa. It used to be known as Zaire and before that Belgian Congo (or Belgian Congo). Today, the country is referred to as Congo-Kinshasa to distinguish it from neighboring Congo-Brazzaville. Another commonly used name for the country is Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is often abbreviated to DR Congo or DRC. The more than two million square kilometers of land can be divided geographically into two areas. To the west is the lower Congo Basin. In the east and south, plateaus and mountains dominate, including the no less than 5109 meters high Mount Stanley, which lies on the border with Uganda. The height differences ensure a fairly varied climate within Congo-Kinshasa.

Climate types

Thanks to its location around the equator, the vast majority of Congo-Kinshasa has a tropical climate. The central part of the Congo Basin has a tropical rainforest climate (type Af according to the Köppen-Geiger climate classification), passing through a tropical monsoon climate along the edges of the basin to a tropical savanna climate in much of the rest of Congo-Kinshasa. The higher south of Congo-Kinshasa does not meet the criteria for a tropical climate. Here there is a mix of a warm China climate, with a temperate China climate in the highest places. This is mainly due to the lower minimum temperatures recorded on site. There is even eternal snow on the mountain peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains, which results in a high mountain climate (type EH).

Rainy seasons

With regard to the rainy season, Congo-Kinshasa can be divided into two parts. The area south of the equator has a rainy season from October to May, the north has a rainy season from April to November. The central part of Congo-Kinshasa (where, for example, Mbandaka is located) does not have a pronounced rainy season. Rain falls here all year round without a significant peak or seriously dry months.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Best time to visit Congo-Kinshasa

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Congo-Kinshasa? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. Congo-Kinshasa, whose official name is Democratic Republic of Congo, is a large country located in the center of the African continent. Congo-Kinshasa is seen among lovers of the real Africa as a pearl among travel destinations. The enormous rich flora and fauna ensure that Congo-Kinshasa is high on the wish lists of Africa travelers. However, the country is not an easy holiday destination. The poor infrastructure, the existing corruption and the lurking crime ensure that a holiday in Congo-Kinshasa will be adventurous in every way.

Best travel period

Those who are not so easily deterred can travel to Congo-Kinshasa all year round. Due to the different periods with drier days that can be observed within the country, it is actually impossible to indicate one period as the best time to travel to Congo-Kinshasa. The northern half of Congo-Kinshasa has a mix of the tropical rainforest climate and the tropical monsoon climate. The southern half of the Democratic Republic of Congo mainly has to do with the tropical savanna climate. The mountain areas in the east and the areas in the extreme southeast have a somewhat more temperate character with a longer period of drought.

Around the equator

The area that concentrates around the equator mainly consists of rainforest. Precipitation falls here all year round, with a few months in which there is less rainfall without you can call it a dry period. These include the months of January, February, June and July. It is tropically warm all year round with temperatures around thirty degrees during the day.

The north and the strip below the equatorial zone

Within Congo-Kinshasa you can designate two zones with a tropical climate in which there is a wet season and a dry period. The northern regions have a drier season that starts towards the end of November and lasts until mid-March. This is the area above the equator. In the savannah area that lies below the equator, where the capital Kinshasa is located, among other things, there is a dry period that coincides with the Dutch summer. In the second half of May, the amount of rain suddenly decreases considerably and will remain so until the end of September. The period June to September is therefore the best travel time for this part of Congo-Kinshasa.