Hydrogeology of Republic of Congo
Africa Groundwater Atlas >> Hydrogeology by country >> Hydrogeology of the Republic of the Congo
Most of the textual information on this page was taken from the chapter on the Congo in the report ‘Groundwater in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa’ (UN 1989). This information is outdated. If you have more recent information on the hydrogeology of the Republic of the Congo, please get in touch.
Compilers
Dr Kirsty Upton and Brighid Ó Dochartaigh, British Geological Survey, UK
Geographical Setting
General
| Estimated Population in 2013* | 4,447,632 |
| Rural Population (% of total) (2013)* | 35.5% |
| Total Surface Area* | 341,500 sq km |
| Agricultural Land (% of total area) (2012)* | 31.0% |
| Capital City | Brazzaville |
| Region | Central Africa |
| Border Countries | Gabon, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Annual Freshwater Withdrawal (2013)* | 46 Million cubic metres |
| Annual Freshwater Withdrawal for Agriculture (2013)* | 8.7% |
| Annual Freshwater Withdrawal for Domestic Use (2013)* | 69.6% |
| Annual Freshwater Withdrawal for Industry (2013)* | 21.7% |
| Rural Population with Access to Improved Water Source (2012)* | 38.8% |
| Urban Population with Access to Improved Water Source (2012)* | 95.7% |
* Source: World Bank
Climate
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Koppen Geiger Climate Zones -
Average Annual Precipitation -
Average Temperature
For further detail on the climate datasets used see the climate resources section.
Surface water
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Soil
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Land cover
Geology
This section provides a summary of the geology of the Republic of the Congo. More information is available in the report Groundwater in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa: Congo (1989) (see References section, below).
The geology map shows a simplified version of the geology at a national scale (see the Geology resources page for more details).
| Key Formations | Period | Lithology | Structure |
| Geological Environment 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name of formation1 | Time period | Description | Structure |
| Geological Environment 2 | |||
| Geological Environment 3 | |||
Hydrogeology
This section provides a summary of the hydrogeology of the main aquifers in the Republic of the Congo. More information is available in the report Groundwater in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa: Congo (1989) (see References section, below).
The hydrogeology map shows a simplified version of the type and productivity of the main aquifers at a national scale (see the Aquifer properties resource page for more details).
Unconsolidated
| Named Aquifers | Period | General Description | Water quality |
Sedimentary - Intergranular Flow
| Named Aquifers | Period | General Description | Water quality |
Sedimentary - Intergranular & Fracture Flow
| Named Aquifers | Period | General Description | Water quality |
Sedimentary - Fracture Flow
| Named Aquifers | Period | General Description | Water quality |
Basement
| Named Aquifers | Period | General Description | Water quality |
Groundwater Status
Groundwater quantity
Groundwater quality
Groundwater use and management
Groundwater use
Groundwater management
Groundwater monitoring
Transboundary aquifers
For further information about transboundary aquifers, please see the Transboundary aquifers resources page
References
The following report provides more information on the geology and hydrogeology of the Republic of the Congo. It can also be accessed through the Africa Groundwater Literature Archive United Nations. 1989. Groundwater in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa: Congo. United Nations Department of Technical Cooperation for Development, Natural Resources/Water Series No.19
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Africa Groundwater Atlas >> Hydrogeology by country >> Hydrogeology of the Republic of the Congo