Congo

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Congo

The Republic of the Congo, otherwise known as Congo-Brazzaville, or just Congo, is a country on the west coast of Central Africa, west of the Congo River. The south-western part of the country is a coastal plain whose primary water basin is the Kouilou-Niari River. The country's interior is made up of a central plateau, situated between 2 southern and northern basins. The Congo lies in 4 continental ecoregions: Atlantic Equatorial Coastal Forests, Northwestern Congolian Lowland Forests, Western Congolian Swamp Forests and Western Congolian Forest-Savanna Mosaic. The Atlantic Equatorial coastal forests is home to a number of endemic forest mammals, including the Sun-Tailed Monkey, the Long-Footed Shrew, the Lesser Angolan Epauletted Fruit Bat, the African Smoky Mouse, the Forest Elephant, gorillas, chimpanzees and many other primates. There is also a wealth of birdlife in the forests. The swamp forests of western Congo are home to the endangered Western Lowland Gorilla and the African Forest Elephant. The forest-savannah mosaic of western Congo is home to many species of large mammals. African Buffalo, Waterbuck, Bushbuck, Southern Reedbuck, Yellow-Backed Duiker and Common Duiker are widespread. Lions are the only main predators. The African Forest Elephant was once widespread in the ecoregion, but is now endangered and has a limited range. There are two endemic bird species in the area, the White-Headed Robin-Chat and the Orange-Breasted Bush Shrike.