Kinshasa, Congo Heart of Africa The Congo River - The legendary and literal “heart” of Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is inherently linked to the river that runs through it. The Congo River basin covers an area of more than a million square miles — including most of the country. The Congo is the world’s deepest river, and one of the longest. It is essential to the region’s economic and cultural existence. Rainfall - Located on the equator, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has an annual rainfall of about 60 inches. The country contains the world’s second-largest rain forest — only the Amazon rainforest is larger. Like Zimbabwe, the DRC is rich in natural resources, including cobalt, copper, cadmium, zinc, manganese, iron ore and many other heavy metals — in addition to diamonds, gold and silver. Unfortunately, these resources have invited both exploitation and corruption, leaving the DRC one of the poorest countries in the world. Adding to its