"Pointe Noire, as dark as the name... " a Pointe-Noire Travel Page by Alpha_Ghana

The harbour of Pointe Noire is well known for the exportation of petrol and timber. It is also known as the most corrupted harbour on the Atlantic ocean.
The government is so corrupted that everything is allowed in the country, provided that you pay the correct person, mainly the top dictatorial family.
It is well known that all people having good business have been expulsed and a governmental family has taken over the business.

Pointe Noire is also isolated. There is no road going to and fro the city. The recent civil war has destroyed everything, and the money of the petrol is used directly for the personal use of the people in power rather than in the development of the country.

Pleaqse note that taking pictures is strictly forbidden by Law. It is a cause to directly go to jail and pay an extra salary to some police officers.

Pointe Noire is the economic capitale of Congo. As many other cities in Africa (and as Plato said: in each city, there are always two cities: the rich city and the poor city), the town is divided into two parts: the coast close to the harbour, with economical, commercial and expatriate activity, and "La Cite" for all Congoleses and some West Africans who dominate the local commerce.
The portion of expatriates in the country, mainly French and Lebanese having been in the country for numerous years, is quite high. There is no business or commerce belonging to a Congolese.
The activity turns around the petrol. It will last probably another 10 years, then Pointe Noire and the whole Congo will be deserted.
As during the same time, Chinese companies cut all the forrests, in less than 15 years, Congo will be a desert with no economy. Since war, there is no more cattle, no more agriculture, just some lazy fishermen.
It is said that only one out of ten Congoleses has an income. Each person having a small income, sometimes less than 100$ per month, has to share it with an average of nine other people
A good house with pool costs in 2007 6000$ per month. Shopping in the general stores costs you minimum 100$ per day.

I could not take this picture, I did it as everybody was watching elsewhere.
Even the beach is not nice. It is white sand, but in Pointe Noire, nobody is miantaining them. So, very dirty, trash and dead animals.
Pointe Noire is expanding. Since there is no land control, everybody builds wherever he likes.
On Cote Sauvage, all houses are anyhow, no gutter, no evacuation, no water.
During 90% of the time, you must have a genset, the government is unable to provide electricity, and when there is, the tension is so low that all appliances might implode...