Brazzaville

Brazzaville is the capital city of the Republic of the Congo. It is a busy place with many people and jobs. The city sits on the north side of the Congo River. Right across the river is Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These two cities are special because they are the only two national capitals in the world that are across from each other on a river.

The city has more than 2 million people, which is more than a third of the country’s population. Many people in Brazzaville work in jobs that are not related to farming, like trading and industry.

Brazzaville has a special meaning because of its name. It starts with “Brazza,” from the surname of Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, an explorer from Italy who worked for France. He founded the town. The name Brazzaville means “city of the armed wing,” but this was not meant to be. “Brazza” comes from a village named Brazzacco in Italy. That name comes from a Latin word meaning “armed wing.”

Brazzaville is an important place for music. In 2013, it was named a City of Music by UNESCO and joined the Creative Cities Network. People love to visit places such as the Brazzaville Zoo and the Poto-Poto School of Painting.

The city has a big university called the Marien Ngouabi University. Many students go there to learn and grow. There are also international schools, such as the Lycée Français Saint-Exupéry de Brazzaville.

Brazzaville has an airport called Maya-Maya Airport. It has flights to Pointe-Noire and to places in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. There is a short flight between Brazzaville and Kinshasa that happens twice a week, taking only five minutes.