CUVETTE

former rgion of northern Congo (Brazzaville), west-central Africa. Since 1997 it has been divided into two rgions: East Cuvette (Cuvette Est), bordered by Congo (Kinshasa) to the southeast; and West Cuvette (Cuvette Oueste), bordered by Gabon to the west. The capital of East Cuvette is Owando, while the capital of West Cuvette is Ewo. The Cuvette (French: basin) region lies in the northwestern part of the Congo River basin and includes a number of slow, meandering tributaries. Much of the region is either permanent swamp and marsh or low land subject to frequent flooding. Cassava is the main traditional crop. Cash crops include coffee, rice in the southwest, cacao in the north, and palms near the palm oil processing towns of Owando, Etoumbi, and Ewo. Fish are caught, smoked, and dried at Mossaka on the Congo River. West Cuvette has unexploited timber and gold resources in the north. The region has some roads and seasonally navigable rivers, and there are airfields at Owando, Makoua, Boundji, and Kell. Area (East and West Cuvette) 28,900 square miles (74,850 square km). Pop. (East and West Cuvette; 1992 est.) 151,839.