| FishBase | Complete | Literature | Reference | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Families | Species | Families | |||
| Marine | 201 | 86 | Yes | Giaccardi, M., P. Yorio and M.E. Lizurume, 1997 | ||
| Freshwater | 8 | 5 | Yes | Vatova, A., 1975 | ||
| Total | 211 | 89 | No | |||
| Conservation | The following information is to be sought: - Status of knowledge of the freshwater fauna; - Existence of conservation plans; - Information on major aquatic habitats or sites within the country; - Current major threats to species; - Future potential threats to species; - Contact(s) for further information. |
| Geography and Climate |
Congo Dem. Rep. consists mainly of a low-lying central basin covered by tropical rain forest. The basin is surrounded by mountainous terraces in the west, elevated plateaus covered with savanna in the south and southeast, and dense grasslands in the north. The eastern region is crossed by high mountains.
Congo Dem. Rep. lies astride the Equator, about one-third to the north and two-thirds to the south. The climate, therefore, is equatorial and especially hot and humid in the forested central areas. North of the Equator there is a single rainy season from April to November; south of it a rainy season lasts from October to May. In the central region rainfall is distributed evenly throughout the year. Ref. Vanden Bossche, J.-P. and G.M. Bernacsek, 1990 |
| Hydrography |
Lakes: the major lakes within the country are those of the Rift Valley and are found in the extreme east of the country (Tanganyika, Mweru, Kivu, Edward and Albert). In addition to these lakes, there are two major water bodies attached to the lower reaches of the river system: Lake Tumba and Lake Maji Ndombe (2,300 km2). The Kamulondo Depression (Lualaba floodplain) contains some 50 lakes, of which Lake Upemba is by far the largest. Numerous small lakes are scattered throughout the country. The combined lake surface area is circa 28,000 km2.
Rivers, floodplains and swamps: with the exception of parts of the Ubangi system and the upper reaches of some of the southern tributaries, almost the whole of the Congo River basin lies within the country. The main channel of the Congo is joined by such major tributaries as the Ubangi, Lualaba, Luapula, Lulonga, Tshuapa. There is a total of some 33,000 km of major river channel and their area (circa 34,000 km2) is increased by intensive floodplains, particularly in the Kamulondo Depression and in the Mbandaka region of confluence between the Ubangi and the Congo streams. In total, the floodplains are thought to cover about 50,000 km2 during high water, but such a figure can only be approximate due to the difficulties in measuring such areas.
Reservoirs: two major reservoirs have been installed in the southeast of the country: Mwadingusha on the Lufira, and Nzilo on the Lualaba.
Coastal lagoons: none of significant size. Ref. Vanden Bossche, J.-P. and G.M. Bernacsek, 1990 |