Cicadas - Congo (Brazzaville)

Aside from the Vatican City, a city completely contained within the city of Rome, there are no other world capitals as close in proximity as the capital cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Congo. The two cities, with a combined population of over 12 million people, are separated by the Congo River.

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Cicada - There are over 2,500 species of cicadas worldwide and they can be found on every continent except Antarctica. During the mating season, male cicadas attract females by producing a continuous “singing” noise through the flexing and relaxing of two internal structures called tymbals. The sound is amplified within the hollow section of the male’s abdomen and can reach extraordinary levels. Females also produce sounds by flicking their wings. Depending on species, the life cycle of a cicada ranges from 2 to 17 years.

Calabar Bean - Congo (Brazzaville)

Physostigma venenosum is native to tropical Africa and produces the Calabar bean. The plant grows to heights of 15 meters and produces seed pods containing 2 to 3 chocolate brown beans. The beans contain physostigmine, an alkaloid. If accidentally ingested by humans, these beans produce an effects similar to having been exposed to nerve gas. The toxin disrupts communication between the central nervous system and respiratory organs, resulting in death by asphyxiation.

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The first known inhabitants to settle the area of present day Republic of Congo were the Bambuti people, a group belonging to Pygmy tribes. They were slowly replaced by the Kongo, a branch of the Bantu people. The Kongo began to dominate the region by establishing a loose confederation of tribal kingdoms along the mouth of the Congo River. At the height of power, this Kongolese kingdom had a population of 4 million inhabitants and covered an area of 300,000 square kilometers.