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How does the Congo River’s flow compare with the Amazon River’s flow?

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Physical map of the Congo River basin and its drainage network in Central Africa, showing rivers, major tributaries, elevation gradients, cities, international boundaries, and the approximate boundary of the Ituri Forest. Swamps and flood-prone areas are marked in blue, with symbols indicating waterfalls, rapids, and dams. An inset locator map shows the basin's position within Africa.
Congo River

The Congo River and the Amazon River are both major equatorial rivers, but their flow rates differ significantly due to the size of their respective drainage basins.

  • Congo River: The Congo’s drainage basin is approximately half the size of the Amazon’s. Its rate of flow at the mouth is about 1,450,000 cubic feet (41,000 cubic meters) per second.1
  • Amazon River: The Amazon is the world's largest river by volume. Its flow is significantly higher, measured at more than 6,180,000 cubic feet (175,000 cubic meters) per second. At the Óbidos narrows, the flow has been measured at 7,628,000 cubic feet (216,000 cubic meters) per second.12

While both rivers benefit from heavy rainfall throughout the year, the Amazon's vastly larger basin and hydrological characteristics result in a substantially greater volume of water discharge compared to the Congo.1