Pointe-Noire, Republic of Congo

Pointe-Noire is the second largest city in the Republic of the Congo, following the capital of Brazzaville, and an autonomous department since 2004.

It is situated on a headland between Pointe-Noire Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Pointe-Noire is the main commercial centre of the country of Congo.

Pointe Noire's or Black Point's name originated from Portuguese navigators who saw a block of black rocks on the headland in 1484. From then on, Pointe Noire, called Ponta Negra, became a maritime reference and then a small fishing village from 1883, after the French signed a treaty with local people, the Loangos.

Pointe-Noire continued growing and was the most modern city in 1960 when Congo gained independence. Pointe-Noire is the essential centre of the oil industry of the Republic of Congo, one of the main oil producers in Central Africa. Congolese oil has been largely exploited by the French company Elf Aquitaine since its discovery around 1980, albeit that the discovery of oil re-attracted people and factories began to thrive.

Pointe-Noire is also known for its fishing industry, which is often at odds with the oil development. Pointe-Noire was also once home to a potash exploitation which led to the construction of a wharf, currently closed to the public. It has a lovely beach called Notre Dame.

Cruises based out of South Africa, cruises ex the UK and World Cruises all operate in the October to April period.
The northern part for this region is equatorial and the seasons reflect rain more than temperature. The rain is part of the monsoon cycle and the rainy seasons are in April and October/November.


Population: 715,334 (3007)
Language: Official: French
National languages: Kituba, Lingala
Currency: Central African CFA franc
Time Zone: UTC/GMT +1 hour
Area code: 242