Lighthouses of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

There are two central African nations named for the Congo River: the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Both nations have been independent since 1960.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is the former Belgian Congo. Sometimes called DR Congo or Congo Kinshasa and formerly called Zaire, the Democratic Republic is the second-largest country in Africa. It is located mostly south of the Congo River in the interior of the continent. The country has only a very short Atlantic coastline, about 35 km (22 mi) long, extending north from the river's mouth. The south side of the mouth of the Congo is in Angola, and north of the Democratic Republic's coastline is the disjunct Angolan province of Cabinda. Thus the coast of the Democratic Republic is the western end of a narrow corridor through Angolan territory.

The only port on the DRC's Atlantic coast is a small facility at Banana Creek, a short distance north of the Congo River entrance. The DRC's principal seaports are Boma, located on the north bank of the Congo about 100 km (60 mi) from the coast, and Matadi, located on the south bank of the Congo about 150 km (90 mi) from the coast. The Atlantic coast is within the province of Kongo Central, one of the country's 26 provinces.

On the east side of the country the DRC also has a long coast on Lake Tanganyika, the largest of Africa's rift valley lakes.

French is the official language in the DRC along with four indigenous languages. The French word for a lighthouse is phare; île is an island, cap is a cape, pointe is a promontory or point of land, roche is a rock, récife is a reef, baie is a bay, estuaire is an estuary or inlet, détroit is a strait, rivière is a river, and havre is a harbor.

Navigational aids in the Democratic Republic are presumably maintained by the Office National des Transports (ONATRA), which operates the ports of Boma and Matadi.

Special thanks to Alan Munday and Samuel Hedouin for permission to present their photos of these rarely-seen lighthouses.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume D of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 113.

General Sources
World of Lighthouses - Congo Kinshasa
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Online List of Lights - Congo River and Approaches
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas.
Afrikanische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard views from the collection of Klaus Huelse.
Navionics Charts
Navigation chart for the DRC.

Moanda Light
Muanda Light, Muanda, April 2008
photo copyright Alan Munday; used by permission

Atlantic Coast Lighthouses
Pointe Bulabemba (Île Bulabemba) (2)
Date unknown (station established 1903). Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, 3 s on, 3 s off. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) tripod tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Samuel Hedouin contributed the photo below right and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Bulabemba was the site of a political prison but Hedouin reports that the prison has been closed. Located on the north side of the mouth of the Congo River. Site and tower closed. Admiralty D4390; NGA 25524.
* Muanda (Moanda)
1903. Inactive for many years. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is unpainted red-brown brick with white stone trim. Alan Munday contributed the 2008 photo above, a 2009 aerial view is available, Paolo Flores has a 1972 photo, Lightphotos.net has a distant view by Nanette Filou. Trees now hide the lighthuse partly in Google's satellite view. Huelse has a historic postcard view. Located on a headland at Muanda, near the center of the Democratic Republic's coastline. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS DRC-001.
* Pointe Kipundji (Kupundji, Nsiamfumu)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); white flash every 5 s. 9.5 m round cylindrical cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, rising through the center of an octagonal wood keeper's cottage supported by iron pilings. Lighthouse painted white. Samuel Hedouin contributed the photo below left, Noe Diakubama-Proffac posted the same photo, a view from the sea (misidentified as being in Cabinda) is available, there's also a view from atop the tower, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a headland at Nsiamfumu, near the northern end of the Democratic Republic's coastline. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS DRC-002; Admiralty D4370; NGA 25516.

Lake Tanganyika Lightbeacon
[Kalemie]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 16 m (52 ft), white light, pattern unknown. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) mast. The light is centered in a photo but is hard to see in Google's satellite view. Kalemie (called Albertville under Belgian rule) is the DRC's main port on Lake Tanganyika. It has a rail connection to the rest of the country and ferries cross the lake to Kigoma in Tanzania and to other lake ports. The port is operated by the national railroad company. Located at the end of a short peninsula that shelters the south side of the port. Site status unknown. Operator: SNCC (Société Nationale Chemins de fer du Congo).
Phare de Pointe Kipundji
Kipundji Light, Nsiamfumu, May 2006
photo copyright Samuel Hedouin; used by permission

Bulabemba Light, Bulabemba, May 2007
photo copyright Samuel Hedouin; used by permission

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining page: Angola

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Posted October 17, 2007. Checked and revised March 13, 2024. Lighthouses: 3. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.