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Glite Dictionary
Congo River

Congo River

1 3.1
A major river in central Africa that flows to the Atlantic Ocean
  • proper noun
translation icon : río Congo
  • The expedition left Zanzibar in early 1887, traveling by steamer via Cape Town to the mouth of the Congo River.

There's there's a huge city on one side of the Congo River.

Examples

  • At Lukolela on the Congo River, the expedition's porters were given five days' worth of food allowance so that they could stock up.

    Academic text (2006)

  • The Congo River flows through the heart of Africa, providing vital resources to the surrounding communities.

  • Five days later, the ship left suddenly without clearance and headed straight to Africa, entering the Congo River on September 16.

    Academic text (2009)

  • Remember about a month ago there was an international logging complex that was burned to the ground on the banks of the Congo River...

    Point Break (2015)

  • In their six-week voyage up the Congo River (see Map 1), expedition members were given trade goods to purchase food.

    Academic text (2006)

  • From here we went to Matadi, the final seaport below the great cataracts of the Congo River.

    Academic text (1990)

  • The Namibian government has plans to divert water from the Congo River across Angola to northern Namibia.

    Academic text (2002)

  • First published 1009 (photographer unknown), Lukolela is downriver from the city of Mbandaka on the Congo River.

    Academic text (2007)

  • In the article "Tracking the Polio Virus Down the Congo River," Raoul Kamadjeu (2009) described how Google Earth was used in public health planning and mapping.

    Academic text (2010)

  • Many tourists travel to see the stunning landscapes along the Congo River, which is known for its rich biodiversity.

Synonyms

Zaire River
vsCongo River
7.0

The old name for the Congo River in central Africa that flows to the Atlantic Ocean

is the current name now used for that river
Congo
vsCongo River
2.7

A large river in central Africa that flows into the Atlantic Ocean

is the full official name rather than the short form

Surface Forms

Congo River main

Morphology

Congo + river

This is fully compositional: the name 'Congo' (a well-known region/river) combined with the noun 'river' refers to the specific river in central Africa. Geographic names formed as [place] + river are cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily understand the meaning.

Etymology

Congo River may come from the people and kingdom called Kongo who lived along its banks, and early Portuguese explorers used that local name for the river. That's why the river is called 'Congo River' today.