Here are the capitals of the nine countries of Central Africa. Two of them face each other across a river.
| Country | Capital |
|---|---|
| Cameroon | Yaoundé |
| Chad | N'Djamena |
| Central African Republic | Bangui |
| Equatorial Guinea | Ciudad de la Paz (see the note) |
| Gabon | Libreville |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | São Tomé |
| Republic of the Congo | Brazzaville |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Kinshasa |
| Angola | Luanda |
Key idea
Kinshasa (DR Congo), Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo), Luanda (Angola), Yaoundé (Cameroon), N'Djamena (Chad), Bangui (Central African Republic), Libreville (Gabon) and São Tomé. Equatorial Guinea has a note: in 2026 it named Ciudad de la Paz, a new city on the mainland, as its capital in place of Malabo, on Bioko Island, which still holds much of the government. Both are accepted here.
Why it works
Kinshasa and Brazzaville grew where the Congo River widens into a lake-like stretch called the Pool Malebo, just above a long series of rapids. Boats coming down the river had to stop there, so towns grew on both banks. Today each is the capital of a different country, and only the river separates them.
Worked example: Across the river
Which capital lies across the Congo River from Kinshasa?
- Kinshasa is on the south bank, in the DR Congo.
- On the north bank is Brazzaville, capital of the Republic of the Congo.
Answer: Brazzaville.
Worked example: Cameroon's capital
Douala is Cameroon's biggest port. What is the capital?
- The capital is Yaoundé, inland.
Answer: Yaoundé.
Common mistake
People swap Kinshasa and Brazzaville. Link the big city to the big country: Kinshasa is the capital of the large Democratic Republic of the Congo; Brazzaville is the capital of the smaller Republic of the Congo.