Flag of the Kongo Kingdom.
Kongo represents the Kingdom of Kongo, a highly centralised and long lasting African state which ruled the area around the mouth of the Congo River (modern-day western DRC Congo and northern Angola) for some five centuries.
Ever since Portuguese explorers first discovered the kingdom in the 15th century, it maintained intimate links with Portugal, with it's kings going so far as to adopt Portuguese names and convert to Catholicism. Indeed, it was the first African nation to (voluntarily) become Christian during the Age of Discovery (Ethiopia had been Christian since the 4th century). Kongo traded extensively with Portugal and other European powers, exchanging slaves and ivory for luxury goods and firearms; however Portugal fought several wars against the kingdom down the centuries, gradually taking territories and weakening it. The Kingdom of Loango (another state of the Kongo people) broke away from Kongo in the 16th century and rejected Christianity, turning back to traditional religions (in the game both have cores on all Bakongo inhabited areas). Kongo was eventually taken over and split by Portugal and Belgium.
Kongo is a Catholic state with Bakongo as its primary culture and African minor as accepted.
Playing Kongo is doable, but you will need to expand by attacking Loango and any other nearby African states you can. With a fairly large population, Christianity as your state religion (which will make it somewhat easier to get good relations with the Europeans) and access to some rare resources sought after in Europe (Tropical wood and later Rubber) you may be able to survive and westernise. Watch out for Belgium, as by the 1880s they will be eyeing your provinces.
Tag: KON - Kongo