+242 is the country code for the Republic of the Congo
+242 explained
The Republic of the Congo country code, 242, is what you dial before a Congo number when you call from abroad. It is also known as the Congo dialing code, Congo calling code, or Congo phone code. In the Congo phone number format, +242 comes first, then the area code, such as 2228 for Brazzaville, then the local number.
- Country code
- +242
- The 00242 country code is the same number
- ISO country codes
- CG, COG
- Use the CG country code or the COG country code on forms and passports. To call the Republic of the Congo, dial +242
- Used in
- Republic of the Congo
- No other country or territory dials +242
- Exit code
- 00
- From most countries. Also 011 from United States and Canada, 0011 from Australia, and + from any mobile
- Trunk prefix
- None
- Keep every digit after +242
- Number length
- 9 digits
- After +242
- Time now in the Republic of the Congo
- Congo mobile number format
- 06 123 4567
- From abroad: +242 06 123 4567
- Congo landline number format
- 22 212 3456
- From abroad: +242 22 212 3456
+242 area codes of main cities
Each +242 area code below is in the form you dial from abroad: +242, then the city code, then the local number. Inside the Republic of the Congo, callers leave out +242 and dial the rest as it is. So Brazzaville is +242 2228 from abroad and 2228 at home.
- Brazzaville
- +2422228
- Pointe-Noire
- +2422229
- Bouenza/
Lekoumou/ Niari - +2422225
- Cuvette
- +2422221
- Likouala/
Sangha - +2422222
- Pool
- +2422223
- Plateaux
- +2422224
Congo phone number types
The first digits of a Congo number tell you what kind of number it is: a landline, a mobile, a free number, or one that costs more to call. Here is a sample of each type of Congo phone number, as dialed inside the Republic of the Congo and from abroad.
Good to know before you call the Republic of the Congo
“Allô”
Hello. It is the standard way French speakers answer the phone.
Congo's mobile numbers start with 01, 04, 05, or 06, one prefix for each of the four networks named in the country's numbering plan.
Wikipedia: Telephone numbers in the Republic of the CongoNumbers starting with 800 are Congo's green numbers, one of five special service ranges the plan lists under the digit 8.
Wikipedia: Telephone numbers in the Republic of the CongoBrazzaville faces Kinshasa across the river, the only two national capitals in sight of each other, which is why +242 is often confused with DR Congo's +243.
Wikipedia: Brazzaville
What it costs to call the Republic of the Congo (using Suparelay)
Landline from $1.02/minMobile from $0.87/min
Only 31 of 221 countries cost more to call than the Republic of the Congo.
Enter a numberEach bar counts the countries at that price
Want to call the Republic of the Congo?
Call any phone from this tab. Nothing to install on either side, and you pay cents a minute.
Why a call to the Republic of the Congo fails
You call from: 🇺🇸 United States
The + is written as 00
A phone that cannot type + accepts the exit code instead: dial 00 242 in place of +242.
- Connects
- 011 242 22 212 3456
- Does not connect
- 00 242 22 212 3456
The exit code is wrong for your country
00 works from the Republic of the Congo, Europe, and most of the world. From the US and Canada the exit code is 011.
- Connects
- 011 242 22 212 3456
- Does not connect
- 00 242 22 212 3456
Questions about +242
Which country is +242?
+242, or country code 242, belongs to the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville). The Democratic Republic of the Congo, its neighbor, uses +243.
What is +242?
+242 is the part you dial before a number in the Republic of the Congo when you call from another country.
What is the difference between +242 and 00242?
The + stands for your exit code. 00 is the exit code inside the Republic of the Congo and in Europe, so +242 and 00242 reach the same number there. From the US or Canada, dial 011 242 instead.
Can I text a +242 number?
Yes. Write the number as +242 and your phone sends the text abroad at your carrier's international rate.
How much does it cost to call the Republic of the Congo?
The price depends on the number you call. The dialer on this page shows the exact price of the number you enter before you call.
Why do people mix up +242 with the Democratic Republic of the Congo's code?
Brazzaville and Kinshasa, the two capitals, face each other across the same river, the only two national capitals in sight of each other. That closeness is why callers often confuse +242 with DR Congo's +243.
The information on this page is accurate as of September 26, 2026.
Telephone numbers in the Republic of the Congo (ITU data), Wikipedia