tributary of the Kouilou River in southern Congo (Brazzaville). Its headwaters rise in the Batéké Plateau northwest of Brazzaville. It runs south to Galobondo, west to Loudima, and northwest to Makabana, where it joins the Louessé River to form the Kouilou River. The Niari basin attracted extensive settlement after World War II, spurred by the construction of the Brazzaville–Pointe-Noire railway through the Niari valley. The basin is rich in copper, lead, and zinc deposits. It also has some of the most fertile soil in the Congo and has therefore been selected as the site for a number of agricultural research stations and experimental farms. The name Niari is sometimes extended to include the Kouilou River (q.v.) as well as the Niari proper.