Democratic Republic Of The Congo
Visited
At a glance
- Region
- Middle Africa
- Capital
- Kinshasa
- Population
- 109.3 million (2024)
- Area
- 2,344,858 km²
- Languages
- French, Kikongo, Lingala, Tshiluba, Swahili
- Currency
- Congolese franc (CDF)
- Drives on the
- right
- Calling code
- +243
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Before you go
Overview
The Democratic Republic of Congo is often referred to by the acronym, DRC. It is the second-largest country in Africa.
The capital city is Kinshasa and is situated on Congo River. It is the largest city in central Africa and is the country’s official administrative, economical and cultural centre.
Some people say it’s the centre of Africa’s world war since it has had a long-time war fuelled by its vast mineral wealth claimed by all sides. The war together with diseases and malnutrition caused six million deaths.
Farming In Democratic Republic Of The Congo.
In the 1200s, the Kongo empire was established situated at northern Angola, farthest west Congo and around Lake Kinsale and Upemba. British, Dutch, Portuguese and French traffickers engaged in the slave trade in the 16th and 17th centuries through Kongo middlemen. In the 1970s, Belgian King Leopold II organized a private venture to colonize Congo. Then in 1908, Congo Free State was positioned to be ruled by Belgian because of the brutality they faced. DRC gained independence in 1960. This was followed by civil war and temporary dissolution of the country. In 1965, Mobutu Sese Seko took overpower.
Rebels exiled Mobutu in 1997 then Laurent Kabila became the president. In 1997-2003, there arose a large civil war that involved several neighbouring countries and the United Nations had to intervene. In 2006, the country conducted first free elections in forty years and Joseph Kabila won in the run-off vote. President Kabila remained in power in 2016 defying the constitution. Felix Tshisekedi was declared the winner of the December 2018 presidential elections on 24th January 2019.
DRC has vast natural resources. They include deposits of diamonds, cobalt and copper and there is huge potential for creating hydroelectric power.
The major religion in DRC is Christianity. The official language is French while other national languages are Kituba, Lingala, Swahili and Tshiluba. The education system comprises of six years of primary school and six years of secondary education.
DRC is bordered by South Sudan and Central African Republic to the north, Burundi, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania to the east, Zambia to the southeast and Angola to the southwest.
History
The Kingdom of Kongo ruled parts of the west before King Leopold II of Belgium took the territory as a personal possession in 1885, marked by terrible abuses. Independence came in 1960, and the country was known as Zaire from 1971 to 1997.
Food & culture
Fufu and chikwangue made from cassava are eaten with pondu (cassava leaves), fish and moambe stew. Congolese rumba is recognised by UNESCO.
Wildlife
Virunga National Park is home to mountain gorillas, and the country is the only place in the world to find bonobos and okapi.
Festivals & events
Independence Day on 30 June is the main national holiday.
Things to see
Virunga National Park, the Nyiragongo volcano and its lava lake, Kahuzi-Biega's lowland gorillas and the Congo River.
Interesting facts
The DRC is the second-largest country in Africa. The Congo River is the deepest river in the world.
Cities & towns I’ve visited
Neighbours
My Bucket List goals in Democratic Republic Of The Congo
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