{{Short description|Town and commune in the Republic of the Congo}} {{Infobox settlement <!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage--> <!-- Basic info ---------------->| official_name = Impfondo | settlement_type = Town and Commune | pushpin_map = Republic of the Congo | pushpin_label_position = bottom | pushpin_map_caption = Location in the Republic of the Congo | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = 25px Republic of the Congo | subdivision_type1 = Department | subdivision_name1 = Likouala Department | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Impfondo District | subdivision_type3 = Commune | subdivision_name3 = Impfondo | population_as_of = 2023 census | population_total = 38,240 | population_blank1_title = Ethnicities | population_blank2_title = Religions | coordinates = {{coord|1|37|7|N|18|03|44|E|region:CG|display=inline}} | elevation_m = 326 }}
'''Impfondo''' is a town and a commune<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sgg.cg/JO/2017/congo-jo-2017-12.pdf|title=Loi n° 13-2017 du 16 mars 2017 portant érection de certaines communautés urbaines en communes|website=sgg.cg|access-date=17 August 2023}}</ref> in the northeastern Republic of the Congo lying on the Oubangui River. It is home to an airport and is linked by river barge to Brazzaville and to Bangui. It is the administrative centre of the Likouala Department and the Impfondo District.
== History == Historically called Desbordesville, Impfondo is usually a stopping point on the way to Bangui by barge. It is a frontier kind of place, the last vestige of what could be called civilisation in an area overwhelmed by dense forest swamps and small villages. Rumours abound of a police force and sets of soldiers more corrupt than in other parts of the Congo, probably due to its remoteness, in addition to being so close to the Democratic Republic of Congo over the river. Soldiers from DR Congo have been known to cross and harass the population on occasion, making people here more on edge than usual. The western side of the Congo River in the Likouala is home to refugee camps, though as the conflict in DR Congo subsides, they should be making their way back across the river.<ref name="Sean 2008">{{Cite book|title=Congo : Democratic Republic and Republic|last=Sean.|first=Rorison|date=2008|publisher=Bradt Travel Guides|isbn=9781841622330|location=Chalfont St. Peter|oclc=181927517}}</ref>{{Needs update|date=January 2022|reason=Has this happened in the 14 years since the source was published?}} Due to persistent flooding and proximity to the border with the DRC, Impfondo is considered a high-risk zone for Ebola.<ref>{{cite book |title=Republic of Congo Humanitarian Situation |date=2021 |publisher=UNICEF |url=https://www.unicef.org/media/104401/file/Republic%20of%20Congo%20Humanitarian%20Situation%20Report%20Mid%20Year%202021.pdf}}</ref>
To the west of Impfondo lies the Lac Tele area of the tropical jungle. This area is one of the least developed regions of Africa, with stretches of barely touched equatorial rain forest and wetlands stretching for hundreds of kilometres. Wilderness and animal concerns take precedence over the daily lives of people, and by some accounts, the Congo's north is the 'last great wilderness of Africa<ref name="Sean 2008" />'.
Large animals are still found across the area, including lowland gorillas, hippopotamus, forest elephants, crocodiles and numerous monkeys. The wetlands are also home to several hundred bird species, numerous snake species, and many as yet discovered aspects of the region.
There is a highly undeveloped dirt trail road heading north from Impfondo along the river into the Central African Republic.<ref name="Sean 2008" /> ==Climate== Impfondo has a tropical monsoon climate (''Am'') according to the Köppen climate classification. {{Weather box |location = Impfondo (1991-2020) |single line = Yes |metric first = Yes | Jan high C = 31.6 | Feb high C = 32.8 | Mar high C = 33.0 | Apr high C = 32.4 | May high C = 32.0 | Jun high C = 30.9 | Jul high C = 29.8 | Aug high C = 30.0 | Sep high C = 30.6 | Oct high C = 30.8 | Nov high C = 30.6 | Dec high C = 31.1 | year high C = 31.3 | Jan mean C = 25.4 | Feb mean C = 26.4 | Mar mean C = 26.9 | Apr mean C = 26.5 | May mean C = 26.3 | Jun mean C = 25.6 | Jul mean C = 25.2 | Aug mean C = 25.0 | Sep mean C = 24.8 | Oct mean C = 25.0 | Nov mean C = 25.3 | Dec mean C = 25.5 | year mean C = 25.7 | Jan low C = 20.3 | Feb low C = 21.4 | Mar low C = 21.9 | Apr low C = 22.0 | May low C = 22.0 | Jun low C = 21.9 | Jul low C = 21.2 | Aug low C = 21.1 | Sep low C = 21.1 | Oct low C = 21.2 | Nov low C = 21.2 | Dec low C = | year low C = 22.0 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation mm = 47.1 | Feb precipitation mm = 83.5 | Mar precipitation mm = 132.6 | Apr precipitation mm = 154.7 | May precipitation mm = 144.2 | Jun precipitation mm = 126.4 | Jul precipitation mm = 142.2 | Aug precipitation mm = 153.6 | Sep precipitation mm = 193.3 | Oct precipitation mm = 187.6 | Nov precipitation mm = 161.2 | Dec precipitation mm = 71.8 |source 1 = NOAA<ref name="WMONormals">{{cite web |url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/archive/arc0216/0253808/4.4/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/RepublicOfCongo/CSV/IMPFONDO_64459.csv |title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |access-date = January 4, 2024}}</ref>}}
==Administration== The district of Impfondo is divided into districts including Dongou, Liranga and Bétou, villages located on the right bank of the Congo River and the Ubangi River. The town of Impfondo has eight neighborhoods: Moungoungui (01), Tolingana (02), Bakandi (03), town center (04), Angola libre (05), Tossangana (05), Bohona (06), Gangania (07) and Kombola (08).
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Likouala Department Category:Populated places in the Republic of the Congo Category:Ubangi River