Brazzaville

Brazzaville is the capital and largest city of the Republic of the Congo. It is an important place for money and government work, sitting on the north side of the Congo River. Across the river is Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The city has more than 2.1 million people, which is more than a third of the country's population. Many people in Brazzaville have jobs that are not related to farming.

During World War II, Brazzaville was an important place for Free France between 1940 and 1942. In 2013, Brazzaville was named a City of Music by UNESCO and joined the Creative Cities Network.

Toponymy

The name "Brazzaville" starts with "Brazza," from the surname of Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, an explorer from Italy who worked for France. He founded the town.

The name Brazzaville means 'city of the armed wing,' but this was not meant to be. "Brazza" comes from a village named Brazzacco in Italy. That name comes from a Latin word meaning 'armed wing'.

In local languages like Kongo and the Teke languages, Brazzaville has many different names.

Geography

Brazzaville is a big city near the Congo River. It is just below the Pool Malebo and includes Mbamu, a large island in the Republic of Congo.

The city is about 506 km from the Atlantic Ocean and 474 km south of the equator. It sits at an altitude of 317 m. The Congo River has rapids called Livingston Falls, making travel difficult.

Across the river is Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is the only place where two national capital cities are across from each other on a river.

In March 2018, the "Brazzaville Declaration" was signed to protect the Cuvette Centrale in the Congo Basin. This area helps keep the Earth’s climate stable. The declaration was signed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, and Indonesia.

History

See also: Timeline of Brazzaville

Long ago, before Europeans arrived, two small trading places called Mfwa and Mpila were home to people from the Tio Kingdom, part of the Eastern Teke group.

The city of Brazzaville began when French explorers came during a time when European countries were claiming land in Africa, known as the Scramble for Africa. An explorer named Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, who was born in Italy but became a French citizen, started the city on September 10, 1880. The local leader, Iloo I, agreed to let French leaders protect his land.

Later, Brazzaville became an important city for France in Africa. It was the capital of French-controlled areas and grew with big buildings and a railway. During World War II, it was a base for leaders who opposed Nazi control.

Over the years, the city has seen many changes and challenges, including conflicts and people moving there for safety.

Demographics

Brazzaville has about 2.15 million people.

Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has more than 10 million people. The area around Kinshasa and Brazzaville has about 12 million people, but they are not closely connected. The two cities have competed since the mid-19th century. There have been ideas to build a bridge between them, and groups agreed to work on this in 2018.

Government

Brazzaville is a special area called a commune inside a larger area called a department. Both share the same name. It has its own local government led by a mayor.

The commune of Brazzaville is split into nine smaller parts. Since 2011, the department includes a new area called Ile Mbamou. In October 2024, it added another commune named Kintélé.

See also: List of mayors of Brazzaville

Economy

Brazzaville grew because it is near the Congo River. This helped it become a place for trading and industry. Ships and boats could bring materials from inland areas to the city. A railway to Pointe-Noire helped send products to the port for export.

Today, Brazzaville has many industries, including machine shops, textiles, tanning, and manufacturing. As a major port on the Congo River, it receives raw materials like rubber, wood, and agricultural products, which are sent to Pointe-Noire for export.

Many companies, government groups, and NGOs have offices in Brazzaville. The World Health Organization has its regional office for Africa here. Important companies in Brazzaville include the country’s main airline, Equatorial Congo Airlines, and the mobile phone company Warid Congo.

Culture

Roger Erell designed a house in Brazzaville for Charles de Gaulle when he led Free France. The city has important buildings like the Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza Mausoleum, the Nabemba Tower, and the Congressional Palace.

People also visit places such as the Marien Ngouabi Mausoleum, the Brazzaville Zoo, and the Poto-Poto School of Painting.

Places of worship

Many people in Brazzaville became Christian when France controlled the area. Today, Christian churches are common in the city. The Roman Catholic Church has a big area called an archdiocese there. New churches have been started by people who moved to the city and by local groups that follow Protestant beliefs. Some examples are the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-du-Congo in Brazzaville, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Brazzaville and Gabon, the Evangelical Church of Congo, and the Assemblies of God.

Education

The Marien Ngouabi University is a public university in Brazzaville. It opened in December 1971. Today, many students go to the university.

There are also international schools, such as the Lycée Français Saint-Exupéry de Brazzaville.

Climate

Brazzaville has a tropical wet and dry climate. The wet season is from October to May. The dry season is from June to September. July and August are the driest months, with very little rain. Because Brazzaville is south of the equator, its dry season starts around its "winter" solstice in June. The city's temperatures stay fairly steady all year.

Transport

The city has Maya-Maya Airport. It has regular flights to Pointe-Noire and to places in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. There is a short flight between Brazzaville and Kinshasa that happens twice a week, taking only five minutes.

The Congo-Ocean Railway has a station in the city. It used to run the La Gazelle train service to Pointe-Noire and other stops.

Brazzaville is an important river port. Ferries travel to Kinshasa and Bangui, stopping at Impfondo. Ferries and fast private boats are the main way to travel between Kinshasa and Brazzaville. The Livingstone Falls are near the city where the Djoué River meets the Congo River. Because of the falls, trains must carry their loads around this part of the river.

While there is no organized public bus system, private buses can be found in the capital.

Taxis are common and easy to spot because they are painted green with white roofs. A short ride costs CF700. About twenty percent of vehicles in Brazzaville are taxis. There are also shared taxis that follow set routes and cost CF150.

Plans are in place for a road-rail bridge to connect Brazzaville with Kinshasa. Both cities use the same train track width of 1067mm.

Notable people

See Category:People from Brazzaville

Politics and religion

Some important people from Brazzaville include Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, the city's founder, and Prosper Philippe Augouard, a French priest who helped start the city. There are also leaders like Ambroise Noumazalaye, who was Prime Minister, and Antoinette Sassou Nguesso, the current First Lady.

Art

Brazzaville has produced many talented artists and musicians. Aurlus Mabélé was a famous singer, and Bill Kouélany is a well-known artist and writer. Other notable names include Sardoine Mia, a modern artist, and Jean Serge Essous, a skilled musician who played the saxophone and clarinet.

Media and science

In media and science, Emmanuel Dongala is a chemist and writer, and Alain Mabanckou is a famous novelist and poet. Dominique Tchimbakala works as a TV news anchor, bringing stories to viewers.

Sport

Many athletes come from Brazzaville. François M'Pelé and Rolf-Christel Guié-Mien were successful football players for their country. Serge Ibaka is a professional basketball player, and Lorène Bazolo represented her country in track and field at the Olympics.

Twin towns and sister cities

Brazzaville has friendly connections with cities in other countries. These include:

• Dresden, Germany
• Weihai, China
• Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

These partnerships help the cities work together and share ideas.