Abstract
The Congo has a maritime coastline of 40 km, covering an area of $2,345,409km^2$. The fluvial system covers around $34,000km^2$ in a network of more than 33,000 km of rivers, principal tributaries, and streams. There are around 1,000 known species of fish, essentially freshwater and some brackish. The lakes of the Rift Valley contain the richest lacustrine fauna in the world. The family of Cichlidae alone has more than 900 species. At the same time, the lakes are profoundly different. Lake Tanganyika has 250 species of fish, of which 216 are endemic, whereas Lake Kivu contains only 32 and 16, respectively. A dense hydrographic network of water surfaces, inundated plains and lakes cover around $86,080km^2$ (3.5% of the national area) and have a considerable aquatic potential. The large peripheral lakes of the East cover around $48,000km^2$ of which 47% are under Congolese jurisdiction. The respective areas belonging to the Congo are: Lake Tanganyika, $14,800km^2$; Lake Albert, $2,420km^2$; Lake Kivu, $1,700km^2$; Lake Edward, $1,630km^2$; Lake Mo$\ddot{e}$ro, $1,950km^2$. Another two important lakes in the interior, Lake Tumba and Lake Mai-Ndombe, cover (between them) 2,300 and $7,000km^2$, depending on season (less in the dry season and more in the rainy season). There are also the lakes of the Kamalondo depression ($6,256km^2$), Lake Tshangalele ($446km^2$) and Lake N'Zilo ($280km^2$).