Kinshasa and Brazzaville are the world's closest capitals

Kinshasa and Brazzaville, the capital of the adjacent Republic of Congo, are the nearest capitals in the world. The Congo River, the world's second-largest river by volume, separates them, and it widens to five kilometers (more than three miles) at this point. For decades, there has been discussion of creating a bridge to connect the cities, but transportation between the two is still via boat. Passengers can pick between a more upscale and calm ride in a speedboat or a massive, overcrowded ferry. Ferries convey items such as grain and dried fish, as well as vehicles and furniture. People with impairments are permitted to cross for free and play an important role in the product trade.

Although only a few kilometers separate the two towns and their citizens speak the same language, residents of the two capitals frequently act as if they come from different worlds. People in Brazzaville, a quiet city of just more than a million people, are wary of their "noisy, partying" neighbors in Kinshasa. It's pretty unusual to be asked, "How's the weather over there?" while going from Kinshasa to Brazzaville.