History
Prior to European exploration, the place now called Pointe-Noire was a region around the fishing village of Ndji-Ndji. At the time, it was under the dominion of the Kingdom of Loango, being around 20 kilometres south of their capital Buali.
The name Pointe-Noire ("Black Point") originated with Portuguese navigators who saw an outcropping of black rocks on the headland in 1484 near Ndji-Ndji.
The land of the Loango kingdom was acquired by France on March 12, 1883 through a treaty negotiated between Lieutenant Cordier and the King of Loango (Mâ Loango) Manimacosso-Chicusso; Pointe-Noire was founded that year.
In 1910, French Equatorial Africa (Afrique équatoriale française, AEF) was created, and French companies were allowed to exploit the Middle Congo (modern-day Congo Brazzaville). …
Climate
Pointe-Noire has a tropical savanna climate under the Köppen climate classification. The city has a wet season that spans from October through April, while the remaining 5 months form the dry season. Pointe-Noire receives roughly 1,000 millimetres (39 in) of precipitation annually. Temperatures are somewhat cooler during the dry season with average temperatures roughly at 24 degrees Celsius. During the wet season, average temperatures hover around 28 degrees Celsius.
Economy
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.
Pointe-Noire is also known for its fishing industry, which is often at odds with the oil development. Local waters are reportedly getting overfished.
Formerly, Pointe-Noire was home to a potash exploitation which led to the construction of a wharf, currently closed to the public.
Transportation
The port of Pointe-Noire functions under the auspices of Port Autonome de Pointe-Noire, and is a member port of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH).
Pointe-Noire is home to Agostinho-Neto International Airport which as of August 2023 had direct flights to Abidjan, Addis Ababa, Brazzaville, Cotonou, Douala, Istanbul, Libreville, Luanda and Paris and was the second busiest airport in the country.
Pointe-Noire is also the terminus of the Congo-Ocean Railway, the railway station being a notable building. As of 2014 the railway was operating the La Gazelle train service every other day to Brazzaville and intermediate destinations. The city also includes Tié-Tié Railway Station and Ngondji Railway Station, the next railway stations after the Pointe Noire terminus.
Pointe-Noire has a taxi-bus network that runs throughout the entire city.
Notable people
Delvin N'Dinga, footballer
Junior Etou (born 1994), Congolese basketball player for Hapoel Be'er Sheva of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
Alain Mabanckou (born 1966), writer
Sardoine Mia (born 1998), artist
Ghislaine Sathoud, feminist writer
Anatole Collinet Makosso (born 1965), prime minister since 2019
