Democratic Republic of the Congo - Wikipedia

Democratic Republic of the Congo - Wikipedia
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Coordinates
4°19′S
15°19′E
 / 
4.317°S 15.317°E
 /
-4.317; 15.317
Country:
3°S
24°E
 / 
3°S 24°E
 /
-3; 24
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Country in Central Africa
Not to be confused with
Republic of the Congo
"DRC" redirects here. For other uses, see
DRC (disambiguation)
Democratic Republic
of the Congo
République démocratique
du Congo
French
Flag
Emblem
Motto:
Justice – Paix – Travail
("Justice – Peace – Work")
Anthem:
Debout Congolais
("Arise, Congolese")
Show globe
Show map of Africa
Capital
and largest city
Kinshasa
4°19′S
15°19′E
 / 
4.317°S 15.317°E
 /
-4.317; 15.317
Country:
3°S
24°E
 / 
3°S 24°E
 /
-3; 24
Official languages
French
Recognised national languages
Kikongo ya leta
Lingala
Swahili
Luba-Kasai
Religion
(2021)
95.4%
Christianity
2.6%
traditional faiths
1.5%
Islam
0.5%
others
none
Demonym
Congolese
Government
Unitary
semi-presidential republic
President
Félix Tshisekedi
Prime Minister
Judith Suminwa
Legislature
Parliament
Upper house
Senate
Lower house
National Assembly
Formation
Colonised
by
Leopold II of Belgium
17 November 1879
Congo Free State
1 July 1885
Belgian Congo
15 November 1908
Independence
from
Belgium
30 June 1960
Admitted to the United Nations
20 September 1960
• Democratic Republic
1 August 1964
Republic of Zaire
27 October 1971
First Congo War
17 May 1997
Current constitution
18 February 2006
Area
• Total
2,345,409 km
(905,567 sq mi) (
11th
• Water (%)
3.32
Population
• 2025 estimate
124,388,160
15th
• Density
48/km
(124.3/sq mi) (
168th
GDP
PPP
2025 estimate
• Total
$200.76 billion
79th
• Per capita
$1,881
180th
GDP
(nominal)
2025 estimate
• Total
$79.120 billion
83rd
• Per capita
$742
182nd
Gini
(2012)
42.1
medium inequality
HDI
(2023)
0.522
low
171st
Currency
Congolese franc
CDF
Time zone
UTC
+1 to +2
WAT
and
CAT
Date format
dd/mm/yyyy
Calling code
+243
ISO 3166 code
CD
Internet TLD
.cd
The
Democratic Republic of the Congo
DRC
),
also known as the
DR Congo
Congo-Kinshasa
, or simply the
Congo
or less often
Zaire
is a country in
Central Africa
. By land area, it is the
second-largest country in Africa
and the
11th-largest in the world
. With a population of around 124 million people, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the
fourth-most populous country
in Africa and the most populous
Francophone country
in the world.
French
is the official and most widely spoken language, though there are
over 200 indigenous languages
, of which
Lingala
is the most widely spoken. The capital, largest city, and economic center is
Kinshasa
. The DRC is bordered by the
Republic of the Congo
, the
Cabinda exclave of Angola
, and the
South Atlantic Ocean
to the west; the
Central African Republic
and
South Sudan
to the north;
Uganda
Rwanda
Burundi
, and
Tanzania
(across
Lake Tanganyika
) to the east; and
Zambia
and
Angola
to the south. Centered on the
Congo Basin
, most of the country's
terrain
is covered by
dense rainforests
and is crossed by many rivers, while the east and southeast are mountainous.
The territory of the Congo was first inhabited by
Central African foragers
around 90,000 years ago and was settled in the
Bantu expansion
about 2,000 to 3,000 years ago.
In the west, the
Kingdom of Kongo
ruled around the mouth of the
Congo River
from the 14th to the 19th century. In the center and east, the empires of
Mwene Muji
Luba
, and
Lunda
ruled between the 15th and 19th centuries. These kingdoms were broken up by Europeans during the
colonization of the Congo Basin
. King
Leopold II of Belgium
acquired rights to the Congo territory in 1885 and called it the
Congo Free State
. In 1908, Leopold
ceded
the territory after international pressure in response to
widespread atrocities
, and it became a
Belgian colony
. Congo achieved
independence
from
Belgium
in 1960 and was immediately confronted by
secessionist movements
, the assassination of Prime Minister
Patrice Lumumba
, and the
seizure of power
by
Mobutu Sese Seko
in 1965. Mobutu renamed the country
Zaire
in 1971 and imposed a
personalist dictatorship
10
Instability caused by the influx of refugees from the
Rwandan Civil War
into the east of the country led to the
First Congo War
between 1996 and 1997, ending in Mobutu's overthrow.
11
Its name was changed back to the DRC and it was confronted by the
Second Congo War
from 1998 to 2003, which resulted in an estimated several million deaths and the assassination of President
Laurent-Désiré Kabila
12
13
14
15
The war ended under President
Joseph Kabila
, who restored relative stability, though fighting continued in the east.
16
Human rights
remained poor, and there were frequent abuses, such as
forced disappearances
, torture, arbitrary imprisonment and restrictions on civil liberties.
17
Kabila stepped down in 2019, the country's first
peaceful transition of power
since independence, after
Félix Tshisekedi
won the contentious
2018 general election
18
Over
100 armed groups
remain active,
concentrated in the Kivu region
. One of the DRC's largest cities,
Goma
, was occupied by the
March 23 Movement
(M23) rebels
in 2012
and
since 2025
. The
M23 uprising
escalated in early 2025, with military support from
Rwanda
, which has caused a
conflict between the two countries
19
20
21
peace agreement
brokered by the
United States
was signed by Rwanda and the DRC in June 2025.
22
Despite being incredibly rich in
natural resources
, the DRC is one of the world's poorest countries, having suffered from political instability, lack of infrastructure, rampant corruption, centuries of commercial and colonial extraction and exploitation, with little widespread development.
23
24
The nation is a prominent example of the "
resource curse
".
25
Aside from Kinshasa, the next largest cities,
Lubumbashi
and
Mbuji-Mayi
, are
mining communities
. The largest exports are raw
minerals
and
metal
, which accounted for 80% of exports in 2023, with China being the DR Congo's largest trade partner.
26
27
For 2023, DR Congo's level of human development was ranked 171 out of 193 countries by the
Human Development Index
It is classified one of the
least developed countries
by the UN.
28
As of 2022
[update]
, following two decades of
civil wars
and
internal conflicts
, around one million Congolese refugees were still living in neighbouring countries.
29
Two million children are at risk of starvation, and the fighting has displaced 7 million people.
30
31
The country is a member of the UN,
Non-Aligned Movement
African Union
COMESA
Southern African Development Community
Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie
, and
Economic Community of Central African States
Etymology
edit
Further information:
Congo River
and
Kongo people
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is named after the
Congo River
, which flows through the country. The Congo River is the world's deepest river and the world's third-largest river
by discharge
. The
Comité d'études du haut Congo
("Committee for the Study of the Upper Congo"), established by King
Leopold II of Belgium
in 1876, and the
International Association of the Congo
, established by him in 1879, were also named after the river.
32
The Congo River was named by early European sailors after the
Kingdom of Kongo
and its
Bantu
inhabitants, the
Kongo people
, when they encountered them in the 16th century.
33
34
The word
Kongo
comes from the
Kongo language
(also called
Kikongo
). According to American writer Samuel Henry Nelson: "It is probable that the word 'Kongo' itself implies a public gathering and that it is based on the root
konga
, 'to gather' (trans[itive])."
35
The modern name of the Kongo people,
Bakongo
, was introduced in the early 20th century.
citation needed
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been known in the past as, in chronological order, the
Congo Free State
Belgian Congo
, the
Republic of the Congo-Léopoldville
, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the
Republic of Zaire
, before returning to its current name, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
At the time of independence, the country was named the Republic of the Congo-Léopoldville to distinguish it from its neighbour
Congo
, officially the
Republic of the Congo
. With the promulgation of the
Luluabourg Constitution
on 1 August 1964, the country became the DRC but was renamed
Zaire
(a past name for the Congo River) on 27 October 1971 by President
Mobutu Sese Seko
as part of his
Authenticité
initiative.
36
The word
Zaire
is from a
Portuguese
adaptation of a Kikongo word
nzadi
("river"), a truncation of
nzadi o nzere
("river swallowing rivers").
37
38
39
The river was known as
Zaire
during the 16th and 17th centuries.
Congo
seems to have replaced
Zaire
gradually in English usage during the 18th century, and
Congo
is the preferred English name in 19th-century literature, although references to
Zaire
as the name used by the natives (i.e., derived from Portuguese usage) remained common.
40
In 1992, the Sovereign National Conference voted to change the name of the country to the "Democratic Republic of the Congo", but the change was not made.
41
The country's name was later restored by President
Laurent-Désiré Kabila
when he overthrew Mobutu in 1997.
42
To distinguish it from the neighboring Republic of the Congo, it is sometimes referred to as
Congo (Kinshasa)
Congo-Kinshasa
, or
Big Congo
43
Its name is sometimes also abbreviated as
Congo DR
DR Congo
44
DRC
45
the DROC
46
and
RDC
(in French).
45
History
edit
Main article:
History of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Early history
edit
Main articles:
Early Congolese history
and
Kingdom of Kongo
States of the western Congo Basin, c. 1350
The area of the present day Democratic Republic of the Congo was inhabited as early as 90,000 years ago, and later underwent major demographic and technological change with the expansion of
Bantu peoples
during the first millennium BC.
47
: 17–18
From this process emerged organised states and empires, including early federated states around Pool Malebo and later the
Kingdom of Kongo
48
as well as the
Luba
and
Lunda Empires
Congo Free State (1877–1908)
edit
From the 1870s to 1908, King
Leopold II
of Belgium established and ruled the
Congo Free State
as his personal possession, using forced labour and concessionary companies to extract rubber, while violence, disease and exploitation caused catastrophic population loss.
49
50
51
11
International exposure of the abuses, notably through the 1904
Casement Report
and growing diplomatic pressure, led to Leopold's loss of control and the annexation of the territory as the Belgian Congo in 1908.
Belgian Congo (1908–1960)
edit
Main article:
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was governed directly from
Brussels
, and although this change in administration ended the most extreme abuses of the Congo Free State, Belgian rule largely continued earlier patterns of direct control, racial segregation, forced labour, and repression, while prioritising economic exploitation through close cooperation between the state, missionaries, and private companies. After the
Second World War
, urbanisation, development programmes, and limited social improvements fostered a small African middle class, but political exclusion persisted, contributing to the rise of nationalist movements and escalating demands for independence in the late 1950s.
Independence and political crisis (1960–1965)
edit
Main articles:
Congo Crisis
and
Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville)
The leader of
ABAKO
Joseph Kasa-Vubu
, first democratically elected
President
of
Congo-Léopoldville
Patrice Lumumba
, first democratically elected
Prime Minister
of the
Congo-Léopoldville
, was murdered by Belgian-supported
Katangan separatists
in 1961.
In May 1960, a growing nationalist movement, the
Mouvement National Congolais
led by
Patrice Lumumba
, won the
parliamentary elections
. Lumumba became the first
Prime Minister
of the Republic of the Congo, on 24 June 1960. The parliament elected
Joseph Kasa-Vubu
as
president
of the Alliance des Bakongo (
ABAKO
) party. Other parties that emerged included the
Parti Solidaire Africain
led by
Antoine Gizenga
, and the Parti National du Peuple led by Albert Delvaux and
Laurent Mbariko
52
The Belgian Congo achieved independence on 30 June 1960 under the name "République du Congo" ("Republic of Congo" or "Republic of the Congo" in English). Shortly after, on 15 August 1960, the neighboring French colony of
Middle Congo
also gained independence and adopted the same name, '
Republic of the Congo
.' To avoid confusion between the two, the former Belgian Congo became known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), while the former French colony retained the name 'Republic of the Congo' (Congo).
Shortly after independence the
Force Publique
mutinied, and on 11 July the
province of Katanga
(led by
Moïse Tshombe
) and
South Kasai
engaged in secessionist struggles
against the new leadership.
53
54
Most of the 100,000
Europeans
who had remained behind after independence fled the country.
55
After the United Nations rejected Lumumba's call for help to put down the secessionist movements, Lumumba asked for assistance from the Soviet Union, who accepted and sent military supplies and advisers. On 23 August, the Congolese armed forces
invaded South Kasai
. Lumumba was dismissed from office on 5 September 1960 by Kasa-Vubu who publicly blamed him for massacres by the armed forces in South Kasai and for involving Soviets in the country.
56
On 7 September, Lumumba made a speech to the Congolese House of Representatives, arguing his dismissal was illegal under the nation's laws. Congolese law gave parliament, not the president, the authority to dismiss a government minister. The House and Senate both rejected the dismissal of Lumumba, but the removal proceeded unconstitutionally.
57
On 14 September, Colonel
Joseph Mobutu
, with the backing of the US and Belgium, removed Lumumba from office. On 17 January 1961, Lumumba was handed over to Katangan authorities and executed by Belgian-led Katangan troops.
58
A 2001 investigation by Belgium's Parliament found Belgium "morally responsible" for the murder of Lumumba, and the country has since officially apologised for its role in his death.
59
On 18 September 1961, in ongoing negotiations of a ceasefire, a
plane crash near Ndola
resulted in the death of
Dag Hammarskjöld
, the
Secretary-General of the United Nations
, along with all 15 passengers, setting off a succession crisis. Amidst widespread confusion and chaos, a temporary government was led by technicians (the
Collège des commissaires généraux
). Katangan secession ended in January 1963 with the
assistance of UN forces
. Several short-lived governments of
Joseph Ileo
Cyrille Adoula
, and Moise Kapenda Tshombe took over in quick succession.
Meanwhile, in the east of the country, Soviet and Cuban-backed rebels called the
Simbas
rose up, taking a significant amount of territory and proclaiming a communist "People's Republic of the Congo" in Stanleyville. The Simbas were pushed out of Stanleyville in November 1964 during
Operation Dragon Rouge
, a military operation conducted by Belgian and American forces to rescue hundreds of hostages. Congolese government forces fully defeated the Simba rebels by November 1965.
60
Lumumba had previously appointed Mobutu chief of staff of the new Congo army,
Armée Nationale Congolaise
61
Taking advantage of the leadership crisis between Kasavubu and Tshombe, Mobutu garnered enough support within the army to launch a coup. A
constitutional referendum
the year before
Mobutu's coup of 1965
resulted in the country's official name being changed to the "Democratic Republic of the Congo".
In 1971 Mobutu changed the name again, this time to "Republic of Zaire".
62
36
Mobutu autocracy and Zaire (1965–1997)
edit
Main article:
Zaire
Mobutu Sese Seko
and Richard Nixon in Washington, D.C., 1973
Mobutu had the staunch support of the United States because of his
opposition to communism
; the U.S. believed that his administration would serve as an effective counter to communist movements in Africa.
63
single-party system
was established, and Mobutu declared himself
head of state
. He periodically held elections in which he was the only candidate. Although relative peace and stability were achieved, Mobutu's government was guilty of severe
human rights
violations,
political repression
, a
cult of personality
and
corruption
By late 1967, Mobutu had successfully neutralized his political opponents and rivals, either through co-opting them into his regime, arresting them, or rendering them otherwise politically impotent.
64
Throughout the late 1960s, Mobutu continued to shuffle his governments and cycle officials in and out of the office to maintain control. Joseph Kasa-Vubu's death in April 1969 ensured that no person with First Republic credentials could challenge his rule.
65
By the early 1970s, Mobutu was attempting to assert Zaire as a leading African nation. He traveled frequently across the continent while the government became more vocal about African issues, particularly those relating to the southern region. Zaire established semi-clientelist relationships with several smaller African states, especially Burundi, Chad, and Togo.
66
Corruption became so common the term "le mal Zairois" or "Zairian sickness",
67
meaning gross corruption, theft and mismanagement, was coined, reportedly by Mobutu.
68
International aid, most often in the form of loans, enriched Mobutu while he allowed national infrastructure such as roads to deteriorate to as little as one-quarter of what had existed in 1960. Zaire became a
kleptocracy
as Mobutu and his associates embezzled government funds.
Mobutu with the Dutch
Prince Bernhard
in Kinshasa in 1973
In a campaign to identify himself with African nationalism, starting on 1 June 1966, Mobutu renamed the nation's cities: Léopoldville became Kinshasa (the country was known as Congo-Kinshasa), Stanleyville became
Kisangani
, Elisabethville became
Lubumbashi
, and Coquilhatville became
Mbandaka
. In 1971, Mobutu renamed the country the
Republic of Zaire
36
its fourth name change in eleven years and its sixth overall. The Congo River was renamed the Zaire River.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Mobutu was invited to visit the United States on several occasions, meeting with U.S. Presidents
Richard Nixon
Ronald Reagan
and
George H. W. Bush
69
Following the
dissolution of the Soviet Union
U.S. relations with Mobutu cooled, as he was no longer deemed necessary as a
Cold War
ally. Opponents within Zaire stepped up demands for reform. This atmosphere contributed to Mobutu's declaring the Third Republic in 1990, whose constitution was supposed to pave the way for democratic reform. The reforms turned out to be largely cosmetic. Mobutu continued in power until armed forces forced him to flee in 1997. "From 1990 to 1993, the United States facilitated Mobutu's attempts to hijack political change", one academic wrote, and "also assisted the rebellion of Laurent-Desire Kabila that overthrew the Mobutu regime."
70
In September 1997, Mobutu died in exile in Morocco.
71
Continental and civil wars (1996–2007)
edit
Main articles:
First Congo War
and
Second Congo War
Belligerents of the
Second Congo War
By 1996, following the
Rwandan Civil War
and
genocide
and the ascension of a
Tutsi
-led government in Rwanda, Rwandan
Hutu
militia forces (
Interahamwe
) fled to eastern Zaire and used refugee camps as bases for incursions against Rwanda. They allied with the Zairian Armed Forces to launch a campaign against Congolese ethnic Tutsis in eastern Zaire.
72
A coalition of Rwandan and Ugandan armies invaded Zaire to overthrow the government of Mobutu, launching the First Congo War. The coalition allied with some opposition figures, led by
Laurent-Désiré Kabila
, becoming the
Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of the Congo
. In 1997 Mobutu fled and Kabila marched into Kinshasa, naming himself as president and reverting the name of the country to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
73
74
Kabila later requested that foreign military forces return to their own countries. Rwandan troops retreated to
Goma
and launched a new Tutsi-led rebel military movement called the
Rassemblement Congolais pour la Democratie
to fight Kabila, while Uganda instigated the creation of a rebel movement called the
Movement for the Liberation of the Congo
, led by Congolese warlord
Jean-Pierre Bemba
citation needed
The two rebel movements, along with Rwandan and Ugandan troops, started the Second Congo War by attacking the DRC army in 1998. Angolan, Zimbabwean, and Namibian militaries entered the hostilities on the side of the government.
Kabila was assassinated in 2001.
75
His son
Joseph Kabila
succeeded him
76
and called for multilateral peace talks. UN peacekeepers, MONUC, now known as
MONUSCO
, arrived in April 2001. In 2002–03, Bemba intervened in the Central African Republic on behalf of its former president,
Ange-Félix Patassé
77
Talks led to a peace accord under which Kabila would share power with former rebels, implemented between 2002 and 2003.
16
The most widely reported estimate for the death toll during the Second Congo War is 5.4 million people, though other estimates put it at three million. It has been described as the deadliest conflict since
World War II
16
78
By June 2003 all foreign armies except those of Rwanda had pulled out of Congo. A
transitional government
was set up until an election was held. A constitution was approved by voters; further, on 30 July 2006, DRC held its
first multi-party elections
. These were the first free national elections since 1960, which many believed would mark the end to violence in the region.
79
However, an election-result dispute between Kabila and Bemba turned into a skirmish between their supporters in Kinshasa. MONUC took control of the city. The second round of the election took place in October 2006, which Kabila won, and in December 2006 he was sworn in as president.
Refugees in the Congo
Continued conflicts (2008–2018)
edit
Main articles:
Kivu conflict
Ituri conflict
, and
2018 Yumbi violence
People fleeing their villages due to fighting between
FARDC
and rebel groups,
North Kivu
, 2012
Government troops near
Goma
during the
M23 rebellion
in May 2013
Laurent Nkunda
, a member of
Rally for Congolese Democracy–Goma
, defected along with troops loyal to him and formed the
National Congress for the Defence of the People
(CNDP), which began an armed rebellion against the government. In March 2009, after a deal between the DRC and Rwanda, Rwandan troops entered the DRC and arrested Nkunda and were allowed to pursue FDLR militants. The CNDP signed a peace treaty with the government in which it agreed to become a political party and to have its soldiers integrated into the national army in exchange for the release of its imprisoned members.
80
In 2012
Bosco Ntaganda
, the leader of the CNDP, and troops loyal to him,
mutinied
81
and briefly captured the provincial capital of Goma in November 2012.
82
83
Neighboring countries have been accused of arming rebel groups and using them as proxies to gain control of the resource-rich country.
84
85
In March 2013, the
United Nations Security Council
authorized the
United Nations Force Intervention Brigade
to neutralize armed groups.
86
In 2013, the
Mai-Mai
created by Laurent Kabila briefly invaded the provincial capital of
Lubumbashi
and 400,000 people are displaced in the province as of 2013
[update]
87
On and off fighting in the
Ituri conflict
occurred between the
Nationalist and Integrationist Front
and the
Union of Congolese Patriots
. In the northeast,
Joseph Kony
's
Lord's Resistance Army
moved from their original bases in Uganda and South Sudan to DR Congo in 2005 and set up camps in the
Garamba National Park
88
89
In 2015,
major protests
broke out across the country and protesters demanded that Kabila step down as president.
90
On 27 November 2016 Congolese foreign minister
Raymond Tshibanda
told the press no elections would be held in 2016: "it has been decided that the voter registration operation will end on July 31, 2017, and that election will take place in April 2018".
91
Protests broke out in the country on 20 December
when Kabila's term in office ended. Across the country, dozens of protesters were killed and hundreds were arrested.
Human Rights Watch said in 2017 that Kabila recruited former 23 March Movement fighters to put down country-wide protests over his refusal to step down from office at the end of his term. "M23 fighters patrolled the streets of the Congo's main cities, firing on or arresting protesters or anyone else deemed to be a threat to the president", they said.
92
Fierce fighting has erupted in Masisi between government forces and a powerful local warlord, General Delta. The United Nations mission in the DRC is its largest and most expensive peacekeeping effort, but it shut down five UN bases near Masisi in 2017, after the U.S. led a push to cut costs.
93
2018 election and Tshisekedi presidency (2018–present)
edit
Main article:
M23 campaign (2022–present)
President
Félix Tshisekedi
with the president of neighbouring
Republic of the Congo
Denis Sassou Nguesso
in 2020; both wear
face masks
due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
On 30 December 2018, a
general election
was held. The election was originally scheduled for 23 December, but was postponed after a warehouse fire destroyed several electronic voting machines, prompting concerns about potential tampering.
94
Polling eventually opened on 30 December across most of the country, though voting remained suspended in certain areas—a measure officials said was intended to protect residents from an ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern provinces.
95
After polls closed, the government imposed an internet blackout in some regions, announcing that service would be restored following the release of results, which had been slated for 6 January.
95
On 10 January 2019, the electoral commission announced opposition candidate
Félix Tshisekedi
as the winner of the presidential vote,
96
and he was officially sworn in as president on 24 January.
97
However, there were widespread suspicions that the results were rigged and that a deal had been made between Tshisekedi and Kabila,
98
as professional election polls carried out on election day found that Martin Fayulu, the leading opposition candidate, was expected to take 47% of the vote, compared to 23% for Felix Tshisekedi and 19% for Emmanuel Shadary, Kabila's hand-picked successor.
95
99
In August 2019, six months after the inauguration of Félix Tshisekedi, a coalition government was announced.
100
Tshisekedi succeeded in strengthening his hold on power, gaining the support of almost 400 out of 500 members of the National Assembly, the pro-Kabila speakers of both houses of parliament being forced out. In April 2021, the
new government
was formed without the supporters of Kabila.
101
major measles outbreak
in the country left nearly 5,000 dead in 2019.
102
The
Ebola outbreak
ended in June 2020, after causing 2,280 deaths over two years.
103
The
COVID-19 pandemic
also
reached the DRC
in March 2020, with a
vaccination campaign
beginning on 19 April 2021.
104
105
The
Italian ambassador
to the DRC,
Luca Attanasio
, and his bodyguard were
killed in North Kivu on 22 February 2021
106
On 22 April 2021, meetings between Kenyan President
Uhuru Kenyatta
and Tshisekedi resulted in new agreements increasing international trade and security (counterterrorism, immigration, cyber security, and customs) between the two countries.
107
In February 2022,
allegations of a coup d'état
in the country led to uncertainty,
108
but the coup attempt failed.
109
In December 2023, President Felix Tshisekedi won
reelection
with more than 70% of the vote.
110
The M23 Movement had a
resurgence in 2022
and
received military assistance from Rwanda
, which accused the Congolese government of supporting the
FDLR
Hutu militia. In early 2025, the conflict escalated with the M23 capture of
Goma
and
Bukavu
, involving thousands of Rwandan troops. Peace negotiations between Rwanda and the DRC brokered by the United States took place in the spring of 2025, and culminated in the signing of a peace deal on 27 June 2025. The
peace agreement
calls for the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from eastern Congo within 90 days and the end of the DRC's support for the FDLR, along with the creation of a regional economic integration framework for the two countries.
22
Despite the treaty, the
United Nations Humans Rights Office (UNHRO)
found that hostilities in the provinces where Goma and Bukavu are located, increased during the period from January to July 2025. UNHRO found that M23, along with the occupying
Rwandan Defense Force (RDF)
soldiers allegedly massacred hundreds of civilians in four villages within
Rutshuru
, a region within
North Kivu
province.
111
In July 2025, a Declaration of Principles was signed in
Doha
as a first agreement on shared objectives for a ceasefire, and to limit future violence in the conflict.
112
In October 2025, former president Joseph Kabila was sentenced to death in absentia for alleged collaboration with the rebel group M23.
113
Geography
edit
Main articles:
Geography of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and
Geology of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
This section
needs additional citations for
verification
Please help
improve this article
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The map of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo map of Köppen climate classification
The DRC is located in central
sub-Saharan Africa
, bordered to the northwest by the
Republic of the Congo
, to the north by the
Central African Republic
, to the northeast by
South Sudan
, to the east by
Uganda
Rwanda
and
Burundi
, and by
Tanzania
(across Lake Tanganyika), to the south and southeast by
Zambia
, to the southwest by
Angola
, and to the west by the South Atlantic Ocean and the
Cabinda exclave of Angola
. The country lies between latitudes
6°N
and
14°S
, and longitudes
12°E
and
32°E
. It straddles the
Equator
, with one-third to the north and two-thirds to the south. With an area of 2,345,408 square kilometres (905,567 sq mi), it is the second-largest country in Africa by area, after
Algeria
As a result of its equatorial location, the DRC experiences high precipitation and has the highest frequency of thunderstorms in the world. The annual rainfall can total upwards of 2,000 millimetres (80 in) in some places, and the area sustains the
Congo rainforest
, the second-largest rainforest in the world after the
Amazon rainforest
. This massive expanse of lush jungle covers most of the vast, low-lying central
basin
of the river, which slopes toward the Atlantic Ocean in the west. This area is surrounded by
plateaus
merging into
savannas
in the south and southwest, by mountainous terraces in the west, and dense
grasslands
extending beyond the Congo River in the north. The glaciated
Rwenzori Mountains
are found in the extreme eastern region.
The
tropical climate
produced the Congo River system which dominates the region topographically along with the rainforest it flows through. The
Congo Basin
occupies nearly the entire country and an area of nearly 1,000,000 km
(390,000 sq mi). The river and its tributaries form the backbone of Congolese economics and transportation. Major tributaries include the
Kasai
Sangha
Ubangi
Ruzizi
Aruwimi
, and
Lulonga
Satellite image of Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Congo River has the second-largest flow and the second-largest
watershed
of any river in the world (trailing the
Amazon
in both respects). The sources of the Congo River are in the
Albertine Rift
Mountains that flank the western branch of the
East African Rift
, as well as
Lake Tanganyika
and
Lake Mweru
. The river flows generally west from Kisangani just below
Boyoma Falls
, then gradually bends southwest, passing by
Mbandaka
, joining with the Ubangi River, and running into the
Pool Malebo
(Stanley Pool). Kinshasa and
Brazzaville
are on opposite sides of the river at the Pool. Then the river narrows and falls through a number of cataracts in deep canyons, collectively known as the
Livingstone Falls
, and runs past
Boma
into the Atlantic Ocean. The river and a 37-kilometre-wide (23 mi) strip of coastline on its north bank provide the country's only outlet to the Atlantic.
The Albertine Rift plays a key role in shaping the Congo's geography. Not only is the northeastern section of the country much more mountainous, but tectonic movement results in
volcanic
activity, occasionally with loss of life. The geologic activity in this area also created the
African Great Lakes
, four of which lie on the Congo's eastern frontier:
Lake Albert
Lake Kivu
Lake Edward
, and Lake Tanganyika.
The
rift valley
has exposed an enormous amount of mineral wealth throughout the south and east of the Congo, making it accessible to mining.
Cobalt
, copper,
cadmium
, industrial and gem-quality
diamonds
, gold, silver,
zinc
manganese
tin
germanium
uranium
radium
bauxite
, iron ore, and coal are all found in plentiful supply, especially in the Congo's southeastern Katanga region.
114
The gold production in 2015 is 37 metric tonnes.
115
On 17 January 2002,
Mount Nyiragongo
erupted
, with three streams of extremely fluid
lava
running out at 64 km/h (40 mph) and 46 m (50 yd) wide. One of the three streams flowed directly through Goma, killing 45 people and leaving 120,000 homeless. Over 400,000 people were evacuated from the city during the eruption. The lava flowed into and poisoned the water of
Lake Kivu
killing its plants, animals and fish. Only two planes left the local airport because of the possibility of the explosion of stored petrol. The lava flowed through and past the airport, destroying a runway and trapping several parked airplanes. Six months after the event, nearby
Mount Nyamuragira
also erupted. The mountain subsequently erupted again in 2006, and once again in January 2010.
116
Ituri Rainforest
Lake Kivu
in
North Kivu
province
Climate change
edit
This section is an excerpt from
Geography of the Democratic Republic of the Congo § Climate change
edit
As of 2023, the DRC is the 18th highest emitting nation of
greenhouse gases
and the highest emitter on the African continent.
117
The majority of these emissions arise from
land use
change and
deforestation
, as the country uses little
fossil fuel
and only one-fifth of the population has access to electricity.
118
119
The DRC is one of the most vulnerable nations to
climate change
and the least prepared to deal with its impacts.
120
Climate change in the DRC is predicted to cause more frequent and intense floods, droughts and exacerbated disease epidemics.
119
Sectors vulnerable to climate change include agriculture, forestry and energy.
121
Biodiversity and conservation
edit
Main articles:
Wildlife of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature
, and
Environmental issues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Further information:
List of ecoregions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The endangered
mountain gorilla
; half of its population live in the DRC's
Virunga National Park
, making the park a critical habitat for those animals.
Found in the
Congolian rainforests
, the
okapi
was unknown to science until 1901.
The rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo contain great
biodiversity
, including many rare and
endemic
species, such as the common
chimpanzee
and the
bonobo
, the
African forest elephant
mountain gorilla
okapi
forest buffalo
leopard
and, further south in the country, the
southern white rhinoceros
. Five of the country's national parks are listed as
World Heritage Sites
: the
Garumba
Kahuzi-Biega
Salonga
and
Virunga National Parks
, and the
Okapi Wildlife Reserve
. the Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of 17
Megadiverse countries
and is the most biodiverse African country.
122
Conservationists have particularly worried about
primates
. The Congo is inhabited by several
great ape
species: the common chimpanzee (
Pan troglodytes
), the bonobo (
Pan paniscus
), the
eastern gorilla
Gorilla beringei
), and possibly a population of the
western gorilla
Gorilla gorilla
).
123
It is the only country in the world in which bonobos are found in the wild. Much concern has been raised about great ape extinction. Because of hunting and habitat destruction, the numbers of chimpanzee, bonobo and gorilla (each of whose populations once numbered in the millions) have now dwindled down to only about 200,000 gorillas, 100,000 chimpanzees and possibly only about 10,000 bonobos.
124
125
The gorillas, chimpanzee, bonobo, and okapi are all classified as
endangered
by the
World Conservation Union
Major environmental issues in DRC include
deforestation
poaching
, which threatens wildlife populations, water pollution and mining. From 2015 to 2019, the rate of
deforestation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
doubled.
126
In 2021, deforestation of the
Congolian rainforests
increased by 5%.
127
Government and politics
edit
Main articles:
Politics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and
Elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Félix Tshisekedi
president
since 2019
Judith Suminwa
prime minister
since 2024
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is, constitutionally, a
semi-presidential republic
128
in which the
president
is the head of state,
129
elected by
universal suffrage
to a term of five years,
130
while the
prime minister
is the head of government
131
appointed by the president with the support of the majority party or coalition of parties in the
parliament
132
The prime minister and the
cabinet
, known as the government, are responsible to the legislature rather than to the president.
131
The parliament is a
bicameral legislature
consisting of the
Senate
and the
National Assembly
131
Deputies of the National Assembly are directly elected for a term of five years,
133
while senators are elected indirectly by provincial legislatures, also for a term of five years.
134
The president is the
commander-in-chief
of the armed forces
135
and appoints government and military officials.
136
The
constitution
is the basis for an independent judiciary,
137
consisting of the
Constitutional Court
to evaluate the constitutionality of laws and to settle disputes regarding elections or the separation of powers;
138
the
Court of Cassation
as the
court of last resort
in the civil and military judicial system;
139
and the
Council of State
as the highest administrative court.
140
The DRC's political system is considered to be
authoritarian
and scores low on rankings of democracy, political rights, and civil liberties. Despite the constitution providing for the separation of executive, legislative, and judicial powers, in practice the president and his associates have dominated the political system.
141
Freedom House
rates the country as "not free" in 2025, citing endemic corruption, the manipulation of the political system, and human rights abuses, including by security forces.
142
The Economist Democracy Index
described the DRC as an "authoritarian regime" in 2024, ranking it 156 out of the 167 countries that it evaluated.
143
The DRC was also ranked 163 out of 180 countries in the
Corruption Perceptions Index
for 2024.
144
Administrative institutions remain weak, especially in rural areas, undermining the ability of government to provide basic services to the population. The state has also struggled to extend its administration over the country's entire territory.
141
The
Fragile States Index
ranked the DRC the 5th most fragile country in the world, out of 179 countries, as of 2024.
145
During the presidency of
Joseph Kabila
from 2001 to 2019, the government was marked by corruption, a lack of transparency, and human rights violations.
141
Kabila remained in office beyond his constitutional mandate, which ended in 2016, by delaying an election.
146
After it was
held in late 2018
Kabila was succeeded by
Félix Tshisekedi
in the DRC's first
peaceful transition of power
since independence,
141
but the election is widely seen as having been rigged in a deal made between Kabila and Tshisekedi.
146
147
Tshisekedi was
reelected in late 2023
, and after negotiations appointed
Judith Suminwa
as prime minister in 2024, the first woman to hold the post.
148
The current political system is known as the Third Republic, declared by
Laurent-Désiré Kabila
at his presidential inauguration on 29 May 1997.
149
Apart from changing the country's name from Zaire back to the DR Congo and restoring its previous symbols, Kabila's government made few changes from the dictatorship of
Mobutu Sese Seko
150
After the Second Congo War (1998–2003), during which Laurent-Désiré Kabila was assassinated,
141
a transitional constitution was adopted on 4 April 2003
151
as part of the peace process.
141
It was replaced by the current constitution,
151
the Constitution of the Third Republic, which went into effect on 18 February 2006. The current
flag
was also adopted.
152
The
Transitional Government
, led by Joseph Kabila, oversaw the creation of the current system: the first cabinet took office in June 2003, the two chambers of the parliament were organized in July 2003, a constitution was adopted by a
referendum
in December 2005, and the country's
first free election
in over four decades was held in July 2006.
153
Since the process of democratization began in 1990, more than 600 registered political parties emerged in the DRC, though only four of them—the
UDPS
PPRD
UNC
, and
MLC
—successfully operate across the entire country.
141
Administrative divisions
edit
Main articles:
Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and
Territories of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Further information:
Administrative divisions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The country is divided into the city-province of Kinshasa and 25
provinces
154
The provinces are subdivided into 145
territories
and 33
cities
. Before 2015, the country had 11 divisions.
155
156
1.
Kinshasa
14.
Ituri Province
2.
Kongo Central
15.
Haut-Uele
3.
Kwango
16.
Tshopo
4.
Kwilu Province
17.
Bas-Uele
5.
Mai-Ndombe Province
18.
Nord-Ubangi
6.
Kasaï Province
19.
Mongala
7.
Kasaï-Central
20.
Sud-Ubangi
8.
Kasaï-Oriental
21.
Équateur
9.
Lomami Province
22.
Tshuapa
10.
Sankuru
23.
Tanganyika Province
11.
Maniema
24.
Haut-Lomami
12.
South Kivu
25.
Lualaba Province
13.
North Kivu
26.
Haut-Katanga Province
Foreign relations
edit
Main article:
Foreign relations of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
President
Joseph Kabila
with U.S. President
Barack Obama
in August 2014
The global growth in demand for scarce raw materials and the industrial surges in China, India, Russia, Brazil and other
developing countries
require that
developed countries
employ new, integrated and responsive strategies for identifying and ensuring, on a continual basis, an adequate supply of strategic and critical materials required for their security needs.
157
Highlighting the DR Congo's importance to United States national security, the effort to establish an elite Congolese unit is the latest push by the U.S. to professionalize armed forces in this "strategically important" region.
158
There are economic and strategic incentives (for external countries) to bring more "security" to the Congo, which is rich in natural resources such as
cobalt
, a metal used in many industrial and military applications.
157
The largest use of cobalt is in
superalloys
, used to make
jet engine
parts for high speed war planes. Cobalt is also used in
magnetic alloys
and in cutting and wear-resistant materials such as cemented
carbides
. The
chemical industry
consumes significant quantities of cobalt in a variety of applications including
catalysts
for petroleum and chemical processing; drying agents for paints and inks; ground coats for porcelain enamels; decolorant for ceramics and glass; and pigments for ceramics, paints, and plastics. The country possesses 80% of the world's cobalt reserves.
159
It is thought that due to the importance of cobalt for batteries for electric vehicles and stabilization of electric grids with large proportions of intermittent renewables in the electricity mix, the DRC could become an object of increased geopolitical competition.
157
In the 21st century,
Chinese investment
in the DRC and Congolese exports to China have grown rapidly. In July 2019, UN ambassadors of 37 countries, including DRC, have signed a joint letter to the UNHRC defending China's
treatment of Uyghurs
and other Muslim ethnic minorities.
160
In 2021, President
Félix Tshisekedi
called for a review of mining contracts signed with
China
by his predecessor
Joseph Kabila
161
in particular the Sicomines multibillion
'minerals-for-infrastructure' deal
162
163
Although located in the Central African
UN subregion
, the nation is also economically and regionally affiliated with Southern Africa as a member of the
Southern African Development Community
(SADC).
164
Military
edit
Main article:
Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Congolese soldiers being trained by UN personnel
The military of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known as the
FARDC
, consists of the
Land Forces
, the
Air Force
, and the
Navy
. There is also a separate
Republican Guard
that is outside of the FARDC command structure, being directly responsible to the president.
165
166
In 2023 there were 103,000 soldiers in the Land Forces, 6,700 in the Navy, 2,550 in the Air Force, 14,000 in the central command, and 8,000 in the Republican Guard. All services together numbered 134,250 personnel, nominally making the FARDC the largest military in Central Africa.
165
However, the FARDC has been undermined by low levels of professionalism, training, morale, pay, and equipment, along with rampant corruption, and its lack of vehicles and aircraft makes it difficult to move troops across the country's large territory.
21
165
166
The FARDC was established in 2003 after the end of the Second Congo War with the integration of many former rebel groups into its ranks,
166
and it still also works with pro-government militias.
21
Since then it has been a diverse combination of the former Zairian armed forces, rebel groups from the Congo Wars, and other militias that were integrated more recently. President Félix Tshisekedi announced the beginning of military reforms in 2022 to create a more cohesive national army.
167
This effort included replacing most of the high command with younger officers that had a record of success and providing more military spending for the years between 2022 and 2024.
165
167
Despite this, the FARDC continues to be disorganized and has systematic corruption, preventing it from fulfilling its mission to effectively defend the country's entire territory.
141
The armed forces are organized on the basis of geographic joint commands known as defense zones, one each for the western, south-central, and eastern DRC,
168
which are further divided into military regions.
165
The Land Forces consist of brigades, and in 2011, those in Eastern Congo were reorganized into regiments. It was estimated in 2023 that in total there are nine brigades, 27 regiments, one artillery battalion, and one military police battalion.
165
Many units are reported to be at half of their official strength or less because of combat losses and desertions.
21
The FARDC has spent decades fighting against over 100 armed groups in Eastern Congo and the
Kasaï region
, including local
Mai-Mai
militias, the Rwandan-backed 23 March Movement (M23),
Nduma Defense of Congo-Renovated
(NDC-R), the
Allied Democratic Forces
(which has become part of the
Islamic State
), and the
Lord's Resistance Army
169
Law enforcement, crime, and corruption
edit
Main articles:
Crime in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and
Corruption in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The
Congolese National Police
, known as the
PNC
, are the primary police force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
170
171
The DRC has a
civil law system
primarily based on
Belgian law
, but also customary and tribal law.
128
The country accepts the jurisdiction of the
International Criminal Court
128
having ratified the
Rome Statute
on 11 April 2002. The Criminal Code, the Military Criminal Code, and the Code of Criminal Procedure were modified by the DRC's parliament on 31 December 2015 to be in compliance with the Rome Statute.
172
A relative of Mobutu explained how the government illicitly collected revenue during his rule: "Mobutu would ask one of us to go to the bank and take out a million. We'd go to an intermediary and tell him to get five million. He would go to the bank with Mobutu's authority and take out ten. Mobutu got one, and we took the other nine."
173
Mobutu institutionalized corruption to prevent political rivals from challenging his control, leading to an
economic collapse in 1996
174
Mobutu allegedly amassed between US$50 million and $125 million during his rule.
175
176
He was not the first corrupt Congolese leader by any means: "Government as a system of organized theft goes back to King Leopold II", noted
Adam Hochschild
in 2009.
177
In July 2009, a Swiss court determined that the
statute of limitations
had run out on an
international asset recovery
case of about $6.7 million of deposits of Mobutu's in a Swiss bank, and therefore the assets should be returned to Mobutu's family.
178
President Kabila established the Commission of Repression of Economic Crimes upon his ascension to power in 2001.
179
However, in 2016 the
Enough Project
issued a report claiming that the Congo is run as a violent
kleptocracy
180
In June 2020, a court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo found President Tshisekedi's chief of staff
Vital Kamerhe
guilty of corruption. He was sentenced to 20 years' hard labour, after facing charges of embezzling almost $50m (£39m) of public funds. He was the most high-profile figure to be convicted of corruption in the DRC.
181
However, Kamerhe was released already in December 2021.
182
In November 2021, a judicial investigation targeting Kabila and his associates was opened in Kinshasa after revelations of alleged embezzlement of $138 million.
183
Human rights
edit
Main article:
Human rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Further information:
Sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Military macho-violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
, and
International Criminal Court investigation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
A group of demobilized
child soldiers
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The
International Criminal Court investigation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
was initiated by Kabila in April 2004. The International Criminal Court prosecutor opened the case in June 2004.
Child soldiers
have been used on a large scale in DRC, and in 2011 it was estimated that 30,000 children were still operating with armed groups.
184
Instances of child labor and
forced labor
have been observed and reported in the
U.S. Department of Labor
's
Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor
in the DRC in 2013
185
and six goods produced by the country's mining industry appear on the department's December 2014
List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has prohibited
same-sex marriage
since 2006,
186
and attitudes towards the
LGBT community
are generally negative throughout the nation.
187
Violence against women
is perceived by large sectors of society to be normal.
188
The United Nations
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women
in 2006 expressed concern that in the post-war transition period, the promotion of women's human rights and gender equality is not seen as a priority.
189
190
Mass rapes, sexual violence and sexual slavery are used as a weapon of war by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and armed groups in the eastern part of the country.
191
The eastern part of the country in particular has been described as the "rape capital of the world" and the prevalence of sexual violence there described as the worst in the world.
192
193
The prevalence of
Female genital mutilation
is estimated at 5% of women
194
195
and is illegal.
196
197
Health
edit
See also:
Health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
In the Kasai province, health authorities declared an ebola disease outbreak with 28 suspected cases as of 4 September 2025.
198
the Democratic Republic of the Congo face several issues related to healthcare. Many of this is attributed to factors such as conflicts and political instabilities.
199
The result is difficulty in providing transportation for medical treatment and supplies. In addition, financial inequalities prevent access to services as well in North and South Kivu.
200
Medical supplies and equipment have also been looted from healthcare facilities.
201
In the beginning of the 2025 quarter, there was a drop in 50% of children under the age of five years old visiting medical facilities, compared to the same quarter from last year. Also, the number of vaccinated children dropped from 67,000 to 29,000 when comparing the first quarter of 2023 to that of 2025.
202
Economy
edit
Main article:
Economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
See also:
Poverty in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Change in per capita GDP of Congo, 1950–2018. Figures are inflation-adjusted to 2011
international dollars
DR Congo's
Human Development Index
scores, 1970–2010
The economy of the DR Congo has grown from US$9.02 billion at the end of the Second Congo War in 2003 to US$72.48 billion in 2024 by
nominal GDP
203
and from
29.23 billion to $190.13 billion by
PPP-adjusted GDP
during the same time period.
204
Minerals and metal, specifically
cobalt
and
copper
, made up 80% of the country's exports in 2023.
26
205
Its largest trade partner by a significant margin is
China
, which represented 41% of its exports in 2024, followed by
Zambia
South Africa
Singapore
, and the
United Arab Emirates
206
The DRC's economy, especially its mining sector, received significant foreign investment, and after the early 2000s it experienced high GDP growth rates that were above the average for sub-Saharan Africa.
207
This led to improvements in infrastructure,
207
but the growth has not alleviated poverty for the population, the majority of which (65%) is involved in
subsistence agriculture
205
Most jobs are informal and there is also very high youth unemployment.
205
An estimated 73.5% of people in the DRC lived below the
international poverty line
of US$2.15 per day as of 2024, making it among the five poorest countries in the world.
148
The DRC had the lowest
Human Development Index
of the 187 ranked countries through 2011.
208
Agriculture is also a large sector of the economy,
27
though its output has declined over the past several decades
209
and the country is dependent on food imports.
205
As of 2023
food-price inflation
had reached 173%.
210
At independence in 1960, the DRC was the second-most-industrialized country in Africa after South Africa; it boasted a thriving mining sector and a relatively productive agriculture sector.
211
It is widely considered one of the world's richest countries in natural resources; its untapped deposits of raw minerals are estimated to be worth in excess of US$24 trillion.
212
213
214
Despite such vast mineral wealth, the economy of the DRC has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. The country generated up to 70% of its export revenue from minerals in the 1970s and 1980s and was particularly hit when resource prices deteriorated at that time.
215
Due to the fall in commodity prices, widespread corruption, and the collapse of
the currency
from
hyperinflation
, by the early 1990s the formal economy had nearly ceased to exist, with much of the population depending on subsistence agriculture or informal bartering.
216
The new government tried to implement a currency reform in 1997 after the First Congo War, but was disrupted by outbreak of the Second Congo War in 1998,
217
which worsened all of the problems, along with infrastructure breakdown and the lack of a clear legal system. Economic stability improved in 2003 with assistance from international donors following the withdrawal of foreign troops,
218
though continuing conflicts and the resulting humanitarian crisis still undermine economic development.
205
148
Mining
edit
Main article:
Mining industry of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Rough diamonds ≈1 to 1.5 mm in size from the DR Congo
The mining sector has been responsible for much of the DRC's economic growth since the Second Congo War.
219
The DRC is the world's largest producer of cobalt ore, accounting for 70% of global production in 2023,
210
and a major producer of copper and
diamonds
220
It has 70% of the world's
coltan
, a third of its cobalt, more than 30% of its diamond reserves, and a tenth of its copper.
221
222
In February 2018, global asset management firm
AllianceBernstein
223
defined the DRC as economically "the Saudi Arabia of the electric vehicle age", because of its cobalt resources, cobalt being essential in the production of the
lithium-ion batteries
that power many
electric vehicles
224
Diamonds come from
Kasaï Province
in the central DRC, though by far the largest mines are located in southern
Katanga Province
and are highly mechanized, with a capacity of several million tons per year of copper and cobalt ore, and refining capability for metal ore. The DRC is the second-largest diamond-producing nation in the world,
and artisanal and small-scale miners account for most of its production.
A mining site in the
Haut-Katanga Province
Smaller-scale economic activity from
artisanal mining
occurs in the
informal sector
and is not reflected in GDP data.
225
A third of the DRC's diamonds are believed to be smuggled out of the country, making it difficult to quantify diamond production levels.
226
In 2002, tin was discovered in the east of the country but to date has only been mined on a small scale.
227
Smuggling of
conflict minerals
such as coltan and
cassiterite
, ores of
tantalum
and tin, respectively, helped to fuel the war in the eastern Congo.
228
Open-pit cobalt mining has led to
deforestation
and habitat destruction.
229
Katanga Mining Limited
, a Swiss-owned company, owns the
Luilu
Metallurgical Plant, which has a capacity of 175,000 tonnes of copper and 8,000 tonnes of cobalt per year, making it the largest cobalt refinery in the world. After a major rehabilitation program, the company resumed copper production operations in December 2007 and cobalt production in May 2008.
230
During 2007–08, Joseph Kabila's administration entered a 'resources-for-infrastructure' deal with China, creating the
joint venture
Sicomines
Sino-Congolais des Mines
), with the majority of the shares owned by the
China Railway Engineering Corporation
(CREC) while the DRC's
Gécamines
owned the rest. The company received mining rights in exchange for investing US$3 billion into building infrastructure.
231
Sicomines began production in 2015.
232
The deal has received criticism for terms that appeared to be disproportionately favorable to China at the expense of the DRC.
233
Félix Tshisekedi's administration ordered an investigation into the deal, which concluded that less than US$1 billion had been spent on infrastructure. Tshisekedi renegotiated the agreement to add new terms, and in 2024 this led to the infrastructure investment being increased to US$7 billion.
234
In April 2013, anti-corruption NGOs revealed that Congolese tax authorities had failed to account for $88 million from the mining sector, despite booming production and positive industrial performance. The missing funds date from 2010 and tax bodies should have paid them into the central bank.
235
Later in 2013, the
Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
suspended the country's candidacy for membership due to insufficient reporting, monitoring and independent audits, but in July 2013 the country improved its accounting and transparency practices to the point where the EITI gave the country full membership.
Transportation
edit
Main article:
Transport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Further information:
Rail transport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Matadi railway station, part of the
Matadi–Kinshasa Railway
Section of National Road 1 between
Boma
and
Moanda
, Kongo Central
The DRC has 152,373 kilometres (94,680 mi) of roads, out of which only 3,047 kilometres (1,893 mi) are paved. It also has 4,007 kilometres (2,490 mi) of railways, with most being
narrow-gauge
236
The infrastructure is in a state of disrepair, and the national highway system is very limited; reaching the capital by road is not possible from many parts of the country.
237
Since the early 2000s there have been improvements to the road network, but the dense forests and numerous rivers in the DRC make construction and maintenance difficult.
238
Air and river transportation have an important role due to the terrain and the poor state of the road and rail networks.
239
Air travel has seen an increase since the early 2000s, with 24 city pairs having airline service as of 2007, although it has a poor safety record.
240
All air carriers certified by the DRC have been banned from European Union airports because of inadequate safety standards.
241
Despite this, airlines are seen as the most reliable form of domestic travel.
237
242
There are eight airlines in the country,
236
including the
flag carrier
Congo Airways
, and several international airlines service
Kinshasa's international airport
. Besides Kinshasa there are three other international airports in the DRC, which are at
Lubumbashi
Kisangani
, and
Goma
242
The DRC has about 15,000 kilometres (9,300 mi) of
navigable
waterways
243
with the Congo River serving as the spine. Water transport has traditionally been the dominant means of moving around in the DRC and is also used to fill gaps between roads. Around two million tons of cargo pass through the port of Kinshasa on the Congo River every year, more than triple the volume moved by the national railroad company, the
SNCC
. River transports are owned by many private operators.
244
The country's three economic hubs—Kinshasa in the west, Lubumbashi in the south, and Kinsangani in the northeast—are not connected by roads or rail.
245
The rail system is concentrated in the southeast, and Kinshasa is connected by river ferry to
Ilebo
, where the rail line to Lubumbashi begins. This line is also critical for the movement of metal and minerals from the southern DRC to ports in Angola or South Africa (via Zambia) to be exported overseas.
243
246
There is an electrified line between Kinshasa and the Atlantic seaport of Matadi. The track and
rolling stock
of the SNCC system is in poor condition, though the more recently built Matadi–Kinshasa line has better track.
247
248
There are 44
national roads
249
with a total of 58,358 kilometres (36,262 mi),
242
250
but three of them are considered the most important.
National Road No. 1
(RN1) is the main highway of the road system, connecting seaports in Kongo Central with Kinshasa and cities in the interior, such as Lubumbashi. RN1 reaches the border with Zambia in the south.
251
National Road 2
(RN2) connects the central city of Mbuji-Mayi with Goma in the east, with most of it outside of the Kivu region being in a bad condition, and
National Road 3
(RN3) connects Goma to Kisangani, from where a river boat can be taken to Kinshasa.
244
250
252
Energy
edit
Main article:
Energy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Further information:
Renewable energy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The generation and distribution of electricity is controlled by
Société nationale d'électricité
(SNEL), but only 15% of the country has access to electricity.
253
The DRC has the infrastructure for hydro-electricity from the Congo River at the
Inga dams
. Both coal and crude oil resources were mainly used domestically up to 2008.
254
As of 2010, the country had 2,400
megawatts
of
installed capacity
, with only 1,000 MW functioning, and the only interconnected part of the power grid is the high voltage transmission line between the Inga dams in Kongo Central and the southern DRC.
255
This line runs to the Zambian border and is also used to export electricity to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
256
Almost half of companies in the DRC have their own generators due to blackouts and the limitations of the power grid.
257
The country has a river system that could provide hydro-electric power to the entire continent, according to a UN report on the country's strategic significance and its potential role as an economic power in central Africa.
258
The DRC's electricity generation potential from hydro-power is estimated at 100,000 MW.
257
The DRC is a member of three electrical power pools. These are Southern African Power Pool, East African Power Pool, and Central African Power Pool.
Because of abundant sunlight, the potential for solar development is very high in the DRC. There are already about 836 solar power systems in the DRC, with a total power of 83 MW, located in
Équateur
(167), Katanga (159), Nord-Kivu (170), the two Kasaï provinces (170), and Bas-Congo (170). Also, the 148 Caritas network system has a total power of 6.31 MW.
259
Demographics
edit
Main article:
Demographics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Further information:
Poverty in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and
Child marriage in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Population
edit
Democratic Republic of the Congo's population between 1960 and 2017
The
CIA World Factbook
estimated the population to be over 115 million as of 2024.
260
Between 1950 and 2000, the country's population nearly quadrupled from 12.2 million to 46.9 million.
261
Since 2000, it has maintained a high growth rate of about 3–3.5% per year, growing from 47 million to an estimated 112 million.
Ethnic groups
edit
Over 250 ethnic groups and 450 tribes (ethnic subgroups) populate the DRC. They are in the
Bantu
Sudanic
Nilotic
Ubangian
and
Pygmy
linguistic groups. Because of this diversity, there is no dominant ethnic group in the Congo, however the following ethnic groups account for 51.5% of the population:
17
Breakdown of the largest ethnic groups in DRC
Luba-Kasaï
Kongo
Mongo
Lubakat
Lulua
Tetela
Nande
Ngbandi
Ngombe
Yaka
Ngbaka
In 2021, the UN estimated the country's population to be 96 million,
262
263
a rapid increase from 39.1 million in 1992 despite the ongoing war.
264
As many as 250 ethnic groups have been identified and named. About 600,000
Pygmies
live in the DRC.
265
Largest cities
edit
Largest cities or towns in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
266
267
Rank
Name
Province
Pop.
Kinshasa
Kinshasa
15,628,000
Mbuji-Mayi
Kasai-Oriental
2,765,000
Lubumbashi
Haut-Katanga
2,695,000
Kisangani
Tshopo
1,640,000
Kananga
Kasaï-Central
1,593,000
Mbandaka
Équateur
1,188,000
Bukavu
South Kivu
1,190,000
Tshikapa
Kasaï
1,024,000
Bunia
Ituri
768,000
10
Goma
North Kivu
707,000
Migration
edit
Population fleeing their villages due to fighting between FARDC and rebels groups, Sake, North Kivu, 30 April 2012
Given the often unstable situation in the country and the condition of state structures, it is extremely difficult to obtain reliable migration data. However, evidence suggests that DRC continues to be a destination country for immigrants, in spite of recent declines in their numbers. Immigration is very diverse in nature; refugees and asylum-seekers – products of the numerous and violent conflicts in the
Great Lakes Region
– constitute an important subset of the population. Additionally, the country's large mine operations attract migrant workers from Africa and beyond. There is also considerable migration for commercial activities from other African countries and the rest of the world, but these movements are not well studied.
268
Transit migration towards South Africa and Europe also plays a role.
Immigration to the DRC has decreased steadily over the past two decades, most likely as a result of the armed violence that the country has experienced. According to the
International Organization for Migration
, the number of immigrants in the DRC has fallen from just over one million in 1960, to 754,000 in 1990, to 480,000 in 2005, to an estimated 445,000 in 2010. Official figures are unavailable, partly due to the predominance of the
informal economy
in the DRC. Data are also lacking on irregular immigrants, however given neighbouring countries' ethnic links to DRC nationals, irregular migration is assumed to be a significant phenomenon.
268
Figures for Congolese nationals abroad vary greatly depending on the source; sources believe there are between three and six million Congolese living abroad. This discrepancy is due to a lack of official, reliable data. Emigrants from the DRC are above all long-term emigrants, the majority of whom live in Africa and to a lesser extent in Europe; 79.7% and 15.3% respectively, according to estimated 2000 data. New destination countries include South Africa and various points en route to Europe. The DRC has produced a considerable number of
refugees
and
asylum-seekers
located in the region and beyond. These numbers peaked in 2004 when, according to
UNHCR
, there were more than 460,000 refugees from the DRC; in 2008, Congolese refugees numbered 367,995 in total, 68% of whom were living in other African countries.
268
Since 2003, more than 400,000 Congolese migrants have been expelled from
Angola
269
Europeans
and Asians makeup a significant part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's migrant population. Most Europeans and Asians went to the country for temporary employment.
270
Forced displacement and refugees
edit
Main articles:
Internally displaced persons in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and
Refugees of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
the Democratic Republic of the Congo has around 6.9 million people displaced within its borders, more than five million of whom are in the eastern provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri. In addition, over 990,000 Congolese refugees and asylum seekers live elsewhere on the African continent.
271
Languages
edit
Main article:
Languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo speaks a variant of
Belgian French
(dark red), compared to other parts of Africa.
French
is the
official language
of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
272
It is culturally accepted as the
lingua franca
, facilitating communication among the many different ethnic groups of the Congo. According to a 2018
OIF
report, 49 million Congolese people (51% of the population) could read and write French.
273
A 2021 survey found that 74% of the population could speak French, making it the most widely spoken language in the country.
274
In Kinshasa, 67% of the population in 2014 could read and write French, and 68.5% could speak and understand it.
275
In 2024, there were around 12 million native French speakers in the country.
276
The four
Bantu languages
with elevated "national" status
Approximately 242 languages are spoken in the country, of which four have the status of national languages:
Kituba
(Kikongo),
Lingala
Tshiluba
, and
Swahili
Congo Swahili
). Although some limited number of people speak these as first languages, most of the population speak them as a second language, after the native language of their own ethnic group. Lingala was the official language of the
Force Publique
under Belgian colonial rule and remains to this day the predominant language of the armed forces. Since the recent rebellions, a good part of the army in the east also uses Swahili, where it competes to be the regional
lingua franca
Under
Belgian rule
, the Belgians instituted the teaching and use of the four Bantu languages in primary schools, making it one of the few African nations to have literacy in local languages during the European colonial period. This trend was reversed after independence, when French became the sole language of education at all levels.
277
Since 1975, the four national languages have been reintroduced in the first two years of primary education, with French becoming the sole language of education from the third year onward, but in practice many primary schools in urban areas solely use French from the first year of school onward.
277
Portuguese
is taught in public schools as a foreign language due to the
Angolan
, and to a lesser extent
Mozambican
immigrant and refugee communities. Brazil has also been promoting the language in Africa.
278
The
lexical similarity
and comparable phonology of French to Portuguese makes it a relatively easy language for people to learn. Many of the roughly 175,000 Portuguese speakers in the DRC are Angolans who fled violence during the
Angolan War of Independence
and
Angolan Civil War
of the late 20th century.
279
Most of them have been repatriated back since the war ended in 2002.
280
Religion
edit
Main article:
Religion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral
Lubumbashi
Our Lady of Peace Cathedral
in
Bukavu
Christianity is the predominant religion of the DRC. A 2013–14 survey, conducted by the
Demographic and Health Surveys
Program in 2013–2014 indicated that Christians constituted 93.7% of the population (with Catholics making up 29.7%, Protestants 26.8%, and other Christians 37.2%). A new Christian religious movement,
Kimbanguism
, had the adherence of 2.8%, while Muslims made up 1%.
281
Other recent estimates have found Christianity the majority religion, followed by 95.8% of the population according to a 2010
Pew Research Center
282
estimate, while the
CIA World Factbook
reports this figure to be 95.9%.
260
The proportion of followers of Islam is variously estimated from 1%
283
to 12%.
284
There are about 35 million Catholics in the country
with six
archdioceses
and 41
dioceses
285
The impact of the Catholic Church is difficult to overestimate. Schatzberg has called it the country's "only truly national institution apart from the state".
286
Its schools have educated over 60% of the nation's primary school students and more than 40% of its secondary students. The church owns and manages an extensive network of hospitals, schools, and clinics, as well as many diocesan economic enterprises, including farms, ranches, stores, and artisans' shops.
citation needed
Sixty-two Protestant denominations are federated under the umbrella of the
Church of Christ in the Congo
. It is often referred to as
the Protestant Church
, since it covers most of the DRC Protestants. With more than 25 million members, it constitutes
one of the largest Protestant bodies
in the world.
Kimbanguism was seen as a threat to the colonial regime and was banned by the Belgians. Kimbanguism, officially "the church of Christ on Earth by the prophet Simon Kimbangu", has about three million members,
287
primarily among the Bakongo of
Kongo Central
and Kinshasa.
Islam has been present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since the 18th century, brought by Arab traders. However, most Muslims are native to the land. Today, Muslims constitute approximately 1% of the Congolese population according to the Pew Research Center. The majority are
Sunni
Muslims.
citation needed
Roman Catholic Church
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The first members of the
Baháʼí Faith
to live in the country came from Uganda in 1953. Four years later, the first local administrative council was elected. In 1970, the National Spiritual Assembly (national administrative council) was first elected. Though the religion was banned in the 1970s and 1980s, due to misrepresentations of foreign governments, the ban was lifted by the end of the 1980s. In 2012, plans were announced to build a national
Baháʼí House of Worship
in the country.
citation needed
Traditional religions embody such concepts as
monotheism
animism
vitalism
spirit
and
ancestor worship
witchcraft
, and sorcery and vary widely among ethnic groups. The syncretic sects often merge elements of Christianity with traditional beliefs and rituals and are not recognized by mainstream churches as part of Christianity. New variants of ancient beliefs have become widespread, led by US-inspired Pentecostal churches which have been in the forefront of witchcraft accusations, particularly against children and the elderly.
clarification needed
288
Children accused of witchcraft are sent away from homes and family, often to live on the street, which can lead to physical violence against these children.
289
clarification needed
290
There are charities supporting street children such as the
Congo Children Trust
291
The Congo Children Trust's flagship project is Kimbilio,
292
which works to reunite street children in
Lubumbashi
. The usual term for these children is
enfants sorciers
(child witches) or
enfants dits sorciers
(children accused of witchcraft). Non-denominational church organizations have been formed to capitalize on this belief by charging exorbitant fees for
exorcisms
. Though recently outlawed, children have been subjected in these exorcisms to often-violent abuse at the hands of self-proclaimed prophets and priests.
293
Education
edit
Main article:
Education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
A classroom in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
In 2014, the
literacy
rate for the population between the ages of 15 and 49 was estimated to be 75.9% (88.1% male and 63.8% female) according to a
DHS
nationwide survey.
294
The education system is governed by three government ministries: the
Ministère de l'Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Professionnel (MEPSP
), the
Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur et Universitaire (MESU)
and the
Ministère des Affaires Sociales (MAS)
. Primary education is neither free nor compulsory,
citation needed
even though the Congolese constitution says it should be (Article 43 of the 2005 Congolese Constitution).
295
As a result of the
First
and
Second Congo Wars
in the late 1990s—early 2000s, over 5.2 million children in the country did not receive any education.
296
Since the end of the civil war, the situation has improved tremendously, with the number of children enrolled in primary schools rising from 5.5 million in 2002 to 16.8 million in 2018, and the number of children enrolled in secondary schools rising from 2.8 million in 2007 to 4.6 million in 2015 according to
UNESCO
297
Actual school attendance has also improved greatly in recent years, with primary school net attendance estimated to be 82.4% in 2014 (82.4% of children ages 6–11 attended school; 83.4% for boys, 80.6% for girls).
298
Health
edit
Main article:
Health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
See also:
HIV/AIDS in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Development of life expectancy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The
hospitals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC) include the
General Hospital of Kinshasa
. The DRC has the world's second-highest rate of
infant mortality
(after Chad). In April 2011, through aid from
Global Alliance for Vaccines
, a new vaccine to prevent
pneumococcal disease
was introduced around Kinshasa.
299
In 2012, it was estimated that about 1.1% of adults aged 15–49 were living with
HIV/AIDS
300
Malaria
301
302
and
yellow fever
are problems.
303
In May 2019, the death toll from the
Ebola outbreak
in DRC surpassed 1,000.
304
The incidence of yellow fever-related fatalities in DRC is relatively low. According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) report in 2021, only two individuals died due to yellow fever in DRC.
305
According to the
World Bank Group
, in 2016, 26,529 people died on the roads in DRC due to traffic accidents.
306
Maternal health
is poor in DRC. According to 2010 estimates, DRC has the 17th highest
maternal mortality
rate in the world.
307
According to
UNICEF
, 43.5% of children under five are
stunted
308
United Nations emergency food relief agency warned that amid the escalating conflict and worsening situation following
COVID-19
in the DRC, millions of lives were at risk as they could die of hunger. According to the data of the
World Food Programme
, in 2020, four in ten people in Congo lacked food security and about 15.6 million were facing a potential hunger crisis.
309
Air pollution
levels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are very unhealthy. In 2020, annual average air pollution in the DRC stood at 34.2 μg/m
, which is almost 6.8 times the
World Health Organization
PM2.5 guideline (5 μg/m
: set in September 2021).
310
These pollution levels are estimated to reduce the
life expectancy
of an average citizen of the DRC by almost 2.9 years.
310
Currently, the DRC does not have a national ambient air quality standard.
311
Culture
edit
Main article:
Culture of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Hemba
male statue
The culture of the Democratic Republic of the Congo reflects the diversity of its numerous ethnic groups and their differing ways of life throughout the country—from the mouth of the River Congo on the coast, upriver through the rainforest and savanna in its centre, to the more densely populated mountains in the far east.
312
Since the late 19th century, traditional ways of life have undergone changes brought about by colonialism, the struggle for independence, the stagnation of the Mobutu era, and most recently, the First and Second Congo Wars. Despite these pressures, the customs and cultures of the Congo have retained much of their individuality. The country's 81 million inhabitants (2016) are mainly rural. The 30% who live in urban areas have been the most open to
Western
influences.
Literature
edit
Congolese authors
use literature as a way to develop a sense of
national consciousness
amongst the people of the DRC.
Music
edit
Main article:
Music of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Further information:
Congolese rumba
Soukous
, and
Ndombolo
Congo has a rich musical heritage, rooted in traditional rhythms.
313
The earliest known form of popular
partnered dance
music in Congo was
Maringa
, denoting a
Kongolese
dance practised within the former
Kingdom of Loango
, encompassing parts of the present-day Republic of the Congo, southern Gabon and
Cabinda
314
The style gained popularity in the 1920s–1930s, introducing the "bar-dancing" culture in
Léopoldville
(now Kinshasa), incorporating unique elements like a
bass drum
, a bottle as a
triangle
, and an
accordion
315
316
Franco Luambo
and his
OK Jazz
orchestra performing live at
Zaire 74
In the 1940s and 1950s, the influence of
Cuban son
bands transformed
Maringa
into "
Congolese rumba
". Imported records by Sexteto Habanero and Trio Matamoros, often mislabeled as "rumba", played a significant role.
317
Artists such as Antoine Kasongo, Paul Kamba,
Henri Bowane
Antoine Wendo Kolosoy
Franco Luambo
Le Grand Kallé
Vicky Longomba
Nico Kasanda
Tabu Ley Rochereau
, and
Papa Noël Nedule
authentically popularized the style and made significant contributions to it in the 1940s and 1950s.
317
The 1960s and 1970s saw the emergence of
Zaïko Langa Langa
, one of the most innovative groups of the genre, which has crossed generations and is considered part of Congolese heritage and pop culture,
318
as well as
soukous
, an
urban
dance music
style that evolved from Congolese rumba. Soukous led to diverse offshoots, such as
ekonda saccadé
, reflecting the
Mongo
rhythmic influence, and
mokonyonyon
, emulating
pelvic thrust
dance movements from the
Otetela
ethnic background.
317
The same soukous, under the guidance of "
le sapeur
",
Papa Wemba
, have set the tone for a generation of young men always dressed up in exorbitant designer clothes. They came to be known as the fourth generation of Congolese music and mostly come from the former prominent band
Wenge Musica
319
320
321
322
323
Abeti Masikini
in 1978
Political and economic challenges under Mobutu prompted a mass exodus of musicians to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia,
Sierra Leone
Liberia
Europe
and
Asia
, expanding the spread of Congolese urban music.
317
324
325
Notably, the quartet Ry-Co Jazz played a crucial role in globalizing Congolese music, touring
West Africa
, the
Caribbean
, and France.
317
By the 1980s, numerous Congolese musicians were based in Europe, facilitating the global dissemination of their musical prowess. Congolese lead guitarists became a sought-after commodity, attracting bands worldwide eager to infuse a Congolese flavor into their compositions or learn the intricate art of Congolese guitar dexterity.
317
Media
edit
Main article:
Mass media in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Newspapers of the DRC include
L'Avenir
Radion Télévision Mwangaza
La Conscience
fr
L'Observateur
fr
Le Phare
Le Potentiel
Le Soft
and
LeCongolais.CD
326
a web-based daily.
327
Radio Télévision Nationale Congolaise
(RTNC) is the national broadcaster of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. RTNC currently broadcasts in
Lingala
and French.
Cuisine
edit
This section is an excerpt from
Congolese cuisine
edit
The
cuisine of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
varies widely, representing the food of indigenous people.
Cassava
fufu
, rice, plantain and potatoes are generally the staple foods.
328
Sports
edit
Further information:
Football in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
and
Rugby union in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Many sports are played in the DRC, including
football
, basketball, baseball, and
rugby
. The sports are played in numerous stadiums throughout the country, including the
Stade Frederic Kibassa Maliba
329
As Zaire, they participated in the
1974 FIFA World Cup
, where they would be drawn into a group containing Scotland, Yugoslavia, and Brazil. The team would concede fourteen goals and fail to score, finishing bottom of the group.
330
Internationally, the country is especially famous for its professional basketball
NBA
and football players.
Dikembe Mutombo
is one of the best African basketball players to ever play the game. Mutombo is well known for humanitarian projects in his home country.
Bismack Biyombo
Christian Eyenga
Jonathan Kuminga
, and
Emmanuel Mudiay
are others who gained significant international attention in basketball. Several Congolese players and players of Congolese descent—including
Romelu Lukaku
Yannick Bolasie
Yoane Wissa
, and
Dieumerci Mbokani
—have gained prominence in world football. DR Congo has twice won the
African Cup of Nations
football tournament.
DR Congo's women's national volleyball team lastly qualified for the
2021 Women's African Nations Volleyball Championship
331
The country featured a national team in
beach volleyball
that competed at the
2018–2020 CAVB Beach Volleyball Continental Cup
in both the women's and the men's section.
332
333
See also
edit
Democratic Republic of the Congo portal
Outline of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo–South Sudan border
History of the Jews in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Notes
edit
The term "Kikongo" in the Constitution is actually referring to the Kituba language – which is known as
Kikongo ya leta
by its speakers – not the
Kongo language
proper. The confusion arises from the fact that the government of the DRC officially recognizes and refers to the language as "Kikongo".
French
République démocratique du Congo, RDC
pronounced
[ʁepyblik
demɔkʁatik
dy
kɔ̃ɡo]
"Congo" ambiguously also refers to the neighbouring
Republic of the Congo
Its official name from 1971 to 1997
In terms of annual carats produced
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Further reading
edit
Butcher, Tim,
Blood River: The Terrifying Journey Through the World's Most Dangerous Country
, 2009.
Clark, John F.,
The African Stakes of the Congo War
, 2004.
Callaghy, T.,
The State-Society Struggle: Zaire in Comparative Perspective
. New York: Columbia University Press, 1984,
ISBN
0-231-05720-2
Deibert, Michael:
The Democratic Republic of Congo: Between Hope and Despair
, Zed Books, 2013.
Devlin, Larry
(2007).
Chief of Station, Congo: A Memoir of 1960–67
. New York: PublicAffairs.
ISBN
978-1-58648-405-7
Drummond, Bill and Manning, Mark,
The Wild Highway
, 2005.
Edgerton, Robert,
The Troubled Heart of Africa: A History of the Congo
. St. Martin's Press, 2002.
Exenberger, Andreas/Hartmann, Simon.
The Dark Side of Globalization. The Vicious Cycle of Exploitation from World Market Integration: Lesson from the Congo
Archived
15 August 2011 at the
Wayback Machine
, Working Papers in Economics and Statistics 31, University Innsbruck 2007.
Exenberger, Andreas/Hartmann, Simon.
Doomed to Disaster? Long-term Trajectories of Exploitation in the Congo
, Paper to be presented at the Workshop "Colonial Extraction in the Netherlands Indies and Belgian Congo: Institutions, Institutional Change and Long Term Consequences", Utrecht 3–4 December 2010.
Gondola, Ch. Didier, "The History of Congo", Westport: Greenwood Press, 2002.
Joris, Lieve, translated by Waters, Liz,
The Rebels' Hour
, Atlantic, 2008.
Justenhoven, Heinz-Gerhard; Ehrhart, Hans Georg. Intervention im Kongo: eine kritische Analyse der Befriedungspolitik von UN und EU.
Stuttgart
Kohlhammer Verlag
, 2008. (In German)
ISBN
978-3-17-020781-3
Kingsolver, Barbara
The Poisonwood Bible
HarperCollins, 1998.
Larémont, Ricardo René, ed. 2005.
Borders, nationalism and the African state
. Boulder, Colorado and London: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
Lemarchand, Reni and Hamilton, Lee;
Burundi: Ethnic Conflict and Genocide
. Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 1994.
Mealer, Bryan: "All Things Must Fight To Live", 2008.
ISBN
1-59691-345-2
Melvern, Linda
Conspiracy to Murder: The Rwandan Genocide and the International Community
. Verso, 2004.
Miller, Eric: "The Inability of Peacekeeping to Address the Security Dilemma", 2010.
ISBN
978-3-8383-4027-2
Mwakikagile, Godfrey,
Nyerere and Africa: End of an Era
, Third Edition, New Africa Press, 2006, "Chapter Six: Congo in The Sixties: The Bleeding Heart of Africa", pp. 147–205,
ISBN
978-0-9802534-1-2
; Mwakikagile, Godfrey,
Africa and America in The Sixties: A Decade That Changed The Nation and The Destiny of A Continent
, First Edition, New Africa Press, 2006,
ISBN
978-0-9802534-2-9
Congo in The Sixties
ISBN
978-1448665709
, 2009;
Africa: Dawn of a New Era
ISBN
978-9987160488
, 2015.
Nzongola-Ntalaja, Georges,
The Congo from Leopold to Kabila: A People's History
, 2002.
O'Hanlon, Redmond,
Congo Journey
, 1996.
O'Hanlon, Redmond,
No Mercy: A Journey into the Heart of the Congo
, 1998.
Prunier, Gérard,
Africa's World War: Congo, the Rwandan Genocide, and the Making of a Continental Catastrophe
, 2011 (also published as
From Genocide to Continental War: The Congolese Conflict and the Crisis of Contemporary Africa: The Congo Conflict and the Crisis of Contemporary Africa
).
Renton, David; Seddon, David; Zeilig, Leo.
The Congo: Plunder and Resistance
, 2007.
ISBN
978-1-84277-485-4
Reyntjens, Filip,
The Great African War: Congo and Regional Geopolitics, 1996–2006
, 2009.
Rorison, Sean,
Bradt Travel Guide: Congo  — Democratic Republic/Republic
, 2008.
Schulz, Manfred.
Entwicklungsträger in der DR Kongo: Entwicklungen in Politik, Wirtschaft, Religion, Zivilgesellschaft und Kultur
, Berlin: Lit, 2008, (in German)
ISBN
978-3-8258-0425-1
Stearns, Jason:
Dancing in the Glory of Monsters: The Collapse of the Congo and the Great War of Africa
, Public Affairs, 2011.
Tayler, Jeffrey,
Facing the Congo
, 2001.
Turner, Thomas,
The Congo Wars: Conflict, Myth and Reality
, 2007.
Van Reybrouck
, David,
Congo: The Epic History of a People
, 2014
Wrong, Michela,
In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz: Living on the Brink of Disaster in Mobutu's Congo
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