The Congo Republic now occupies territory that was once ruled by the Loango, Bakongo, and Teke Kingdoms. After the arrival of the Portuguese in the 15th century, the coastal kingdoms profited more from the slave trade than did the peoples of the interior, for whom the trade created great turmoil. After the area came under French protection in the 19th century, private companies licensed there organized coercive labor systems abusive enough to scandalize the French public, and the sympathetic explorer Savorgnan de Brazza was sent to investigate. Because the capital named in his honor became the center for all of French Equatorial Africa, the city received more attention from the French government in such institutions as schools and hospitals. Since independence, the Congolese history of ethnic rivalries has continued, and while this has not undermined the nation's vibrant culture, it has complicated efforts to democratize the government.

The majority of the population are from Bantu societies, of which the largest is the Kongo, with smaller groups of Sangha and Teke. The Ubangi comprise the other major ethnicity, among whom the Mboshi are most numerous, and the forests shelter a small number of Binga Pygmies who are descended from the nation's original inhabitants. French is the official language and is taught in all the schools. Lingala is a trade language that is widely spoken, as is Kikongo. Christianity is prevalent in the Congo Republic, and the majority of Christians are Roman Catholic. Many Congolese adhere to animist beliefs or combine these with their Christianity. There are also several independent African churches, such as the Church of Jesus Christ on Earth, developed by the prophet Simon Kimbangu. The small number of Muslims are primarily immigrants.

The art of the Congo Republic is some of the best in Africa, and the energetic traditions of both Kongo and Teke woodcarvers are highly prized. Carved figures with realistic features often represent ancestors. Some of the more stylized, stiffly posed figures are fetishes, believed to be inhabited by a spirit. The country also has a history of distinguished literary accomplishment. One of the first important writers was Sylvain Bemba, whose career as a journalist informed his novels and plays. His works explore historical and contemporary questions of great importance in appealing ways. For example, in The Man who Killed the Crocodile, a tyrant who mistreats his wife and people is confronted by the local school teacher, a story that deals with injustice and the power of education. Sony Labou Tansi is a younger author whose explosive language adds tension to his fictional accounts of local politics. Gerald Felix Tchicaya U Tamsi is the greatest of Congolese poets whose work also provides political commentary and recounts the disappointments of contemporary African society.

Monuments to the leaders of historical societies exist near the coast. Diossa was once the capital of the Loanga Kingdom, and there is a mausoleum there to its kings. Just to the north, in the city of Loango, is the Museum Ma Loango housed in a colonial-era mansion. In the capital, Brazzaville, the most interesting landmark is St. Anne's Basilica, built in 1949. The basic structural elements of this church are those of the traditional African beehive home, with supports arching toward each other in the center overhead. Yet from the outside, the windows are supported by neo-Gothic masonry, and the total effect of this combination is extraordinary. The same architect designed a beautiful house for General Charles De Gaulle when he stayed there during World War II. Also in Brazzaville is the Poto Poto Painting School, where a distinctive artistic style that features African themes, angular composition, and bright color is taught, displayed and sold. The city's most visible landmark is the Tour Nabemba, the 30-story tower that is the tallest skyscraper in Central Africa.