Congo

Congo is different from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which used to be known as Zaire.

Congo (or the Republic of the Congo) is located in Central Africa. The capital is Brazzaville. The population is roughly 4,662,446, and it covers 132,047 square miles (roughly the size of new Mexico combined with Massachusetts, or slightly smaller than Germany).

The earliest inhabitants of Congo that we have record of are the Pygmy, who were displaced by Bantu speakers around 1500 B.C. In the late 1800s, the region became colonized by the French, eventually gaining independence in 1960. The government has been a little rocky since then, being under the control of communists until 1991, then had its first democratic elections. In 1997 there was a 4-month civil war, ending in a peace deal in 2003.

The Congo River

The main export of Congo is petroleum, though most people are engaged in subsistence agriculture.

The endangered Western Lowland Gorilla's habitat range extends through Congo.

FUN FACT: The Brazzaville Declaration was signed in Brazzaville, the symbolic capital of Free France during Nazi occupation in WWII.

Niger

I did a report on Niger in 8th grade French class (we each had to report on a French colony), but honestly I don't remember anything about it except what the flag looks like, and I can point to it on a map within 2 countries... Over the years, I have had to point out to people that it is pronounced /nee JHER/ and not like the n* word.

Niger is a landlocked country in western Africa. It is 80% desert. The capital is Niamey, and the population is about 17,138,707. With a land area of 1,270,000 square km (789,141 sq miles), it is about the size of Texas, California, and Georgia combined. Although 80% of the population is Muslim, the separation of church and state is guaranteed in Niger's constitution.

Niger has been inhabited since prehistoric times. In the 5th century BCE, Niger was a hub in trans-Saharan trade. From 600–1591, the Songhai Empire was based in what was to become Niger. Over the following centuries, parts of Niger were controlled by the Hausa Empire, the Mali Empire, and the Kanem-Bornu Empire. In the early 20th Century, France tightened its grip on its African colonies, Niger included. After some bloody massacres, France had squashed most rebellions by 1922. Niger became independent from France in 1960.

Salt laborers

Niger's main economic backbone is subsistence farming, though being a desert climate, only 11-15% of the land is arable. Niger also contains some of the world's largest deposits of uranium ore, which makes up its largest export.

Ténéré tree in 1961

Ténéré Tree monument

FUN FACT: The Tree of Ténéré was an acacia tree that stood 400 km from the next closest tree. It was known as "the Loneliest Tree in the World," and a famous landmark on trans-Saharan trade routes. It was knocked down by a drunk driver in 1973, and has been replaced by a statue.

UNFUN FACTS: Niger has both the world's highest fertility rate and the world's highest infant mortality rate.