Congo & central african republic

The Congo River forms the boundary between the former Belgian Congo and the former French colony called Congo. The two countries bear little resemblance to each other. After independence, French Congo became the People’s Republic of Congo, which has now been shortened to just the Congo Republic. The other Congo became Zaire, and then the Democratic Republic of Congo, or DEM Congo for short. This is a double-sided map with two relatively amicable countries sharing the sheet. Side 1 is Congo, with its capital of Brazzaville, founded 1883, which was the former capital of French Equatorial Africa. It stretches from the Atlantic Ocean, with a port at Pointe Noire, inland to the border of the Central African Republic, or CAR, for short. Although there is a rail line from Pointe-Noire to Brazzaville, due to an undeveloped infrastructure, much of the traffic is along the vast Congo River. The second side of the sheet is devoted to the CAR, with its capital at Bangui. Again, it is joined by a rail line to the coast, at Dakar, Senegal, but the Congo River serves as its main transportation link with the interior. The road network seems to have improved since I was there, but both countries definitely fall into the category of countries for adventure travel, not routine tourism!