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The sources of the Congo are in the highland s and mountains of the East Africa Rift, as well as Lake TanganyikaLake Tanganyika is a large lake in central Africa (3° 20' to 8° 48' South and from 29° 5' to 31° 15' East). It is estimated to be the second oldest lake in the world after Lake Baikal in Siberia. The lake is situated within the Western Rift of the Great R and Lake MweruLake Mweru is a lake located on the border between Zambia and Democratic Republic of the Congo, about 150 km west of the southern end of Lake Tanganyika. It is approximately 96 km long and 45 km wide, with its long end oriented northeast/southwest, and li, which feed the Lualaba RiverThe Lualaba is the largest tributary of the Congo River, running from the vicinity of Lubumbashi north to Kisangani, where the Congo officially begins. The Lualaba was once considered a possibility for the source of the Nile, until Henry Morton Stanley jo, which then becomes the Congo below Boyoma FallsBoyoma Falls formerly known as Stanley Falls consists of seven cataracts extending over 100 km on the Lualaba River near Kisangani (formerly Stanleyville) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the bottom of the falls the Lualaba becomes the Congo..
The Congo flows generally west from KisanganiKisangani formerly Stanleyville (population 500,000) is a city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa. It is the provincial capital of Orientale. Kisangani is located where the Lualaba River becomes the Congo River north of the Boyoma F just below the falls, then gradually bends southwest, passing by Mbandaka , joining with the Ubangi RiverThe Ubangi River (also Oubangi is a major tributary of the Congo River in central Africa. It is considered to begin at the junction of the Mbomou and Uele Rivers, flows west for about 350 km, then bends to the southwest, passes through Bangui, then flows, and running into the Pool MaleboThe Pool Malebo (formerly Stanley Pool also seen as Malebo Pool , is a lake-like widening in the lower reaches of the Congo River. It is about 35 km (22 mi) long and 23 km (14 mi) wide, and has an island ( Bamu Island) at its western end. The two Congo ca ( Stanley Pool). Kinshasa and Brazzaville are on opposite sides of the river at the Pool, then the river narrows and falls through a number of cataracts in deep canyons (collectively known as the Livingstone Falls), running by Matadi and Boma , and into the sea at the small town of Muanda .
The mouth of the Congo was visited in 1482 by the Portuguese Diogo Cão, and in 1816 a British expedition went up as far as Isangila . Henry Morton Stanley was the first European to navigate along the river's length and report that the Lualaba was not a source of the Nile as had been suggested.
Nearly the entire Congo is readily navigable, and with railways now bypassing the three major falls, much of the trade of central Africa passes along it, including copper, palm oil (as kernels), sugar, coffee, and cotton. The river is also potentially valuable for hydroelectric power, and the Inga facility below Pool Malebo is the first to exploit the river.
Tributaries, in order going upstream: