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Capital of Congo: Brazzaville — Facts & 5-Question Quiz

The capital of Congo is Brazzaville. Congo sits in Africa, has a population of 5,970,424, and uses the XAF. Official languages include French.

Quick facts

  • Capital: Brazzaville
  • Continent: Africa
  • Population: ~5,970,424
  • Area: 342,000 km²
  • Population density: 17.5 people per km²
  • Official language: French
  • Currency: XAF
  • ISO code: CG

How big is Congo?

By population, Congo ranks 113th in the world, holding roughly 0.08% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 64th.

Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Congo has 17.5 people per square kilometre, which is about 3.4 times below the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.

Within Africa, Congo is the 36th most populous country of 54.

Countries of a similar size

The two countries closest to Congo in population are Singapore (5,975,689) and Denmark (5,882,261).

By land area, its closest counterparts are Finland (338,424 km²) and Vietnam (331,212 km²).

Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.

Language and currency

French is spoken officially in 30 countries in this dataset, including Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi and Cameroon, and 24 others.

The XAF is not unique to Congo — it is also used by Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad and Equatorial Guinea, and 1 other. Shared currencies usually mark a monetary union or a long-standing peg, and they are a useful shortcut in quizzes: get one country's currency and you often get several.

How to remember Congo

There are two Congos. This one is the Republic of the Congo, and its capital is Brazzaville. Across the Congo River sits Kinshasa, capital of the much larger Democratic Republic of the Congo. B before K, smaller before bigger.

The flag of Congo: green, yellow and red

🇨🇬 The flag is divided diagonally by a yellow band, with a green triangle in the top-left and a red triangle in the bottom-right. Green stands for farming and forests and yellow for the people's friendship and nobility. The meaning of red was never officially set, but it is usually linked with the struggle for independence.

Region and neighbours

Congo is a country in Central Africa that lies across the equator, west of the Congo River, with a short Atlantic coastline. It shares land borders with 5 countries: Gabon, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. Its border with Angola is with Angola's exclave of Cabinda.

Three facts about Congo

  1. Brazzaville and Kinshasa face each other across the Congo River, making them the closest pair of national capitals after Rome and Vatican City.
  2. Brazzaville is named after the explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza.
  3. The equator crosses the country, and much of the north is rainforest that is home to western lowland gorillas.

Sources: Wikipedia: Republic of the Congo, Wikipedia: Flag of the Republic of the Congo, Wikipedia: Brazzaville, CIA World Factbook.

Quiz yourself on Congo

Congo capital quiz

  1. What is the capital of Congo 🇨🇬?

    • Brazzaville
    • Mbabane
    • Luanda
    • Victoria
    Show answer

    Brazzaville

  2. What is the capital of Central African Republic 🇨🇫?

    • Lusaka
    • Bangui
    • Libreville
    • Addis Ababa
    Show answer

    Bangui

  3. What is the capital of Liberia 🇱🇷?

    • Libreville
    • Monrovia
    • Bangui
    • Victoria
    Show answer

    Monrovia

  4. What is the capital of Libya 🇱🇾?

    • Banjul
    • Freetown
    • Port Louis
    • Tripoli
    Show answer

    Tripoli

  5. What is the capital of Mauritania 🇲🇷?

    • Nouakchott
    • Juba
    • Maputo
    • Monrovia
    Show answer

    Nouakchott

Congo in Africa

The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt and Democratic Republic of the Congo.

If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Africa is the block Congo belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.

Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Congo.

Frequently asked questions

What is the capital of Congo?

The capital of Congo is Brazzaville.

What is the population of Congo?

About 5,970,424, making it the 113th most populous country in the world.

How big is Congo?

342,000 square kilometres, ranking 64th by land area, at a density of 17.5 people per square kilometre.

What currency does Congo use?

The XAF, shared with 5 other countries.

What are the colours of the Congo flag?

The flag of Congo is divided diagonally by a yellow band, with a green triangle in the top-left and a red triangle in the bottom-right. Green stands for farming and forests and yellow for the people's friendship and nobility. The meaning of red was never officially set, but it is usually linked with the struggle for independence.

Which countries border Congo?

Congo shares land borders with Gabon, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. Its border with Angola is with Angola's exclave of Cabinda.

How can I remember the capital of Congo?

There are two Congos. This one is the Republic of the Congo, and its capital is Brazzaville. Across the Congo River sits Kinshasa, capital of the much larger Democratic Republic of the Congo. B before K, smaller before bigger.

More capitals to learn

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