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Democratic Republic of the Congo
     
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___ Democratic Republic of the CongoA virtual travel guide to Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as Zaire. This page aims to give you a broad overview of this Central African country's art, culture, people, environment, geography, history, economy and government.Beside a country profile you find links to sources that will provide you with in-depth information about this war-torn nation, e.g.: official web sites of DRC, addresses of foreign embassies in DRC, country guides and more like maps, int'l and local media with news from Democratic Republic of the Congo. |
 The Democratic Republic of the Congo is by far the most biologically rich country in Africa. © Photo: wcs.org | |
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Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC) |
Country Profile |
 Flag of Democratic Republic of the Congo Background: Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years through several subsequent sham elections as well as through the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a rebellion led by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but in August 1998 his regime was itself challenged by an insurrection backed by Rwanda and Uganda. Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed in July 1999 by the DROC, Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda, and Congolese armed rebel groups, but sporadic fighting continued. Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. A transitional government was set up in July 2003; Joseph KABILA remains as president and is joined by four vice presidents representing the former government, former rebel groups, and the political opposition. Source: CIA World Fact Book The Democratic Republic of Congo remains a humanitarian disaster despite the presence of UN troops and the recent approval of a new constitution that paved the way for elections in April. Source: UN Mission MONUC The war in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has cost millions of lives. Hundreds of thousands of people have been shot dead. Millions have died from the indirect consequences of war. Source: Amnesty International border countries: Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia |
 Official Name: République Démocratique du Congo abbreviation: RDC former: ZaÏre, Congo belge int'l long form: Democratic Republic of the Congo abbreviations: DROC, DRC also in use: Congo Kinshasa, DR Congo former: Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire ISO Country Code: cd Time: Local Time = UTC +1h Actual Time: Wed-June-19 05:08 Country Calling Code: +243 Capital City: Kinshasa (pop. 6.5 million) Other Cities: Bandundu, Bukavu, Goma, Kananga, Kindu, Kisangani, Lubumbashi, Matadi, Mbandaka, Mbuji-Mayi. Government: Type: Republic; transitional regime highly centralized with executive power vested in the president. Independence: 30 June 1960 (from Belgium). Constitution: 18 February 2006 Geography: Location: Central Africa, northeast of Angola Area: 2,344,000 km² (905 000 sq. mi) Terrain: Varies from tropical rainforests to mountainous terraces, plateau, savannas, dense grasslands, and mountains. Highest point: Pic Marguerite 5 110 m on Rwenzori Range's Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley). Climate: Equatorial; ranges from tropical rainforest in the Congo River basin, hot and humid in much of the north and west, cooler and drier in the south central area and the east. People: Nationality: Congolese Population: 66 million (2011) Ethnic groups: More than 200 African ethnic groups; the Luba, Kongo, and Anamongo are some of the larger groupings of tribes. Religions: Chrisinity 70%, other sects and traditional beliefs 10%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%. Languages: French (Official). National languages: Lingala, Swahili, Kikongo, Tshiluba. Literacy: 64% Natural resources: Cobalt, copper, Columbite-tantalite (coltan) refined, coltan becomes tantalum, niobium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber. Agriculture products: Coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava (tapioca), palm oil, bananas, root crops, corn, fruits; wood products. Industries: mining (diamonds, copper, zinc), mineral processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement, commercial ship repair. Exports partners: Belgium 47.5%, Finland 20.8%, USA 10.9%, China 7.5% (2004) Imports partners: South Africa 17.2%, Belgium 14.5%, France 10.1%, Zambia 8.5%, Kenya 5.9%, USA 5.6%, Germany 5.5% (2004) Currency: Congolese Franc (CDF) |
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Note: External links will open in a new browser
window. Official Sites of Democratic Republic of the CongoPrésidence de la République Démocratique du CongoOfficial website of the Presidency of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ministére des Finances Official website of the Ministry of Finance DRC. Diplomatic Missions Permanent Mission of DR Congo to the UN Official site, !!! has violently graphic images of war victims. Foreign Embassies at Democratic Republic of the Congo Address list of Foreign Embassies accredited to DRC. Gouvernorat Bas-Congo Official website of the Government of Bas-Congo province. UN Mission UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - MONUC The largest U.N. peacekeeping operation - site about the UN mandate on the 1999 Ceasefire Agreement for a cessation of hostilities between all belligerent forces in DRC. Maps Map
of Democratic Republic of the CongoPolitical map of Democratic Republic of the Congo. Administrative Map
of Democratic Republic of the CongoMap showing the administrative divisions of Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Google
Earth Democratic Republic of the CongoSearchable map/satellite view of Democratic Republic of the Congo. Google
Earth KinshasaSearchable map/satellite view of Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's capital city. Map
of AfricaPolitical Map of Africa.  A symbol for the future: a kid playing in a voters registration centre in Equateur province. © Photo: Photo Myriam Asmani / MONUC |
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NewsCongo VisionRecent news from the DR Congo (in French). Groupe de Presse L'Avenir DROC online news (in French) Le Potentiel DR Congo current news (in French) Le Soft International Online version of the newspaper (in French) societecivile.cd Portal site with extensive news from the DR Congo (in French) Radio/TV Digitalcongo.net Info Radio/TV Digital Congo portal site with current news (in French and English) Radio Okapi SIte of the radio station with current news (in French) Int'l News Sources BBC News Africa Africa news by BBC. CongoDaily Part of the World News Network offering current news about the region. IRIN News org Great Lakes region and DRC recent news by the UN press agency. Reuters AlertNet - Democratic Republic of the Congo AlertNet provides news, information and analysis. |
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Arts & CultureCongo. Nature & CultureExhibition to raise public awareness of the enormous natural and cultural diversity in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the protection of this unique heritage. Nostalgie Ya Mboka A weekly radio programme featuring the 'belle epoch' of music from the two Congos. Papa Wemba Site of the musician born in Congo-Kinshasa. |
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Business & EconomyMinistére des FinancesOfficial website of the Ministry of Finance DRC (in French). La Cellule Technique de Coordination et de Planification Minière. Official website of the ministry of mining with information on mineral resources and mining in Congo-Kinshasa (in French). Banque Centrale du Congo Central Bank of the DRC (in French). Agence Nationale pour la Promotion des Investissements The national agency for the promotion of investments in DRC (in French). |
 Child labor in a DRC gold mine. © From The Curse of Gold Photo: Marcus Bleasdale hrw.org |
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About the Democratic Republic of the CongoCountry Profile: DRC World Heritage SitesUNESCO information on DRC's five World Heritage Sites: Salonga National Park, Virunga National Park, Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Okapi Faunal Reserve in the Ituri forest and Garamba National Park. Congonline Belgium based site with comprehensive information about DRC (in French). Congo-Pages An introduction to Congolese life and culture. Kongo Kinshasa A comprehensive guide to Congo-Kinshasa (in German) Kinshasa Ville de Kinshasa Official website of the city of Kinshasa. (in French) Katanga Katanga: The Congo's Forgotten Crisis Int'l Crisis Group report about Katanga province as one of the most violent yet neglected regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. DRC: The peculiar terror that is northern Katanga A remote wilderness of shallow lakes, marshes and quagmires near the source of the Congo River has become Katanga's newest battleground. |
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EducationMinistère de l'Enseignement primaire, secondaire et professionnelOfficial website of the Ministry for Education. (in French) The American University of Kinshasa Established since 1994. INHEA: Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire) Higher Education Profile About the state of higher education in Congo-Zaire. Université de Kinshasa Site is offline. Université Kongo Site with information about the Kongo University at Kinshasa. Université Protestante au Congo Protestant University of Congo, Kinshasa |
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EnvironmentMinistère de l’Environnement |
 Tourism based on gorilla-viewing has enormouspotential for economic developemnt. © Photo: wcs.org |
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HistoryHistoireTimeline and history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (in French) Our History History of the Democratic Republic of the Congo since Leopold II. American Museum of Natural History. Congo Expedition, May 1909-November 1915 The American Museum of Natural History sponsored an expedition to the Belgian Congo with Herbert Lang leading the expedition and James P. Chapin as his assistant. Between 1909-1915, Lang and Chapin collected nearly 23 000 vertebrate specimens and over 100 000 invertebrates. They also collected thousands of anthropological objects and took thousands of photographs in the field. DRC Recent History Anatomy of a rebellion CNN report on the 1997 revolt that toppled Mobutu Sese Seko and brought the late Laurent Kabila to power. Year in Brief, July - Dec 2005 A chronology of key events in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. |
 A symbol of hope for ending the war in DRC. Small arms captured in DDR operations in Isiro were destroyed at the Simi-Simi Senegalese Camp at Kisangani. © Photo: William Elachi Alwiga / MONUC |
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Human RightsThe Curse of GoldHRW report documents human rights abuses linked to efforts to control two key gold mining areas, Mongbwalu (Ituri District) and Durba (Haut Uélé District), both bordering Uganda. Essential Background Overview of human rights issues in Democratic Republic of Congo. Human Rights Watch: Democratic Republic of Congo Articles related to human rights issues in the DRC. Journaliste En Danger Kinshasa based NGO for the defense of the freedom of press (in French). The call for tough arms controls Voices from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (AI report). Amnesty International DRC News, reports, public statements, press releases. ReliefWeb » Countries & Emergencies » Dem. Rep. Congo News, key documents and background information in various sectors. |
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Additional Information on Democratic Republic of the CongoAfrica South of the Sahara: Democratic Republic of the CongoList of annotated links to DRC related information by Stanford University. BBC News Country Profile: DRC Governments on the WWW: Democratic Republic of the Congo Index on Africa: Congo-Kinshasa Site offers news, background and feature articles from African sources. MBendi Profile: Democratic Republic of the Congo Including economic overviews and directories of companies. Open Directory Project: Democratic Republic of the Congo Wikipedia: Democratic Republic of the Congo The World Factbook -- Democratic Republic of the Congo |
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