République démocratique du Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Justice – Paix – Travail  (French) "Justice – Peace – Work"
Anthem: Debout Congolais
Capital (and largest city)		Kinshasaa 4°19′S, 15°19′E
Official languages		French
Recognised regional languages		Lingala, Kongo/Kituba, Swahili, Tshiluba
Demonym		Congolese
Government		Semi-Presidential Republic
-	President	Joseph Kabila
-	Prime Minister	Antoine Gizenga
Independence
-	from Belgium	June 30, 1960
Area
-	Total	2,344,858 km² (12th) 905,351 sq mi
-	Water (%)	3. The flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was adopted on 20 February 2006. The Coat of Arms of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has changed several times since 1997 A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Debout Congolais (Arise Congolese is the National anthem of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was estimated at 65 Kinshasa (formerly French: Léopoldville, formerly Dutch: Leopoldstad, German: Leopoldstadt) is the Capital An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people A regional language is a Language spoken in an area of a Nation state, whether it be a small area a federal State or Province, or Kikongo or Kongo is the Bantu language spoken by the Bakongo and Bandundu people living in the tropical forests of the Democratic Republic Swahili (called Kiswahili in the language itself is the First language of the Swahili people (Waswahili who inhabit several large stretches A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. The semi-presidential system is a System of government in which a prime minister and a President are both active participants in the day-to-day administration A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its The President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Président de la République démocratique du Congo Rais wa Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo Mokonzi wa Republíki ya Kongó Demokratíki Joseph Kabila Kabange (born June 4, 1971) known commonly as Joseph Kabila, became president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo The Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1=Premier-ministre de la République démocratique du Congo 1=Waziri Mkuu wa Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo 1=Minisele ya Antoine Gizenga (born 5 October 1925 is a Congolese (DRC politician who was Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from December 30 2006 to 10 October Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 1960 ( MCMLX) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different surface Areas here is a list of areas between 1 million km² and 10 million km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 3
Population
-	2007 United Nations estimate	62. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security 6 million (21st)
-	Density	25/km² (188th) 65/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$46. List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 491 billion1 (78th)
-	Per capita	$774 (174th)
GDP (nominal)		2005 estimate
-	Total	$7. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita 094 billion (116th)
-	Per capita	$119 (181th)
HDI (2007)		▲ 0. PLEASE NO RANDOM FIGURES THERE ARE NO FIGURES BASED ON NATIONAL STATISTICS IN THIS ARTICLE Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product Per capita at Nominal values, the The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 411 (low) (168th)
Currency		Congolese franc (CDF)
Time zone		WAT, CAT (UTC+1 to +2)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+1 to +2)
Internet TLD		.cd
Calling code		+243
a Estimate is based on regression; other PPP figures are extrapolated from the latest International Comparison Programme benchmark estimates. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The Franc is the Currency of the Democratic Republic of Congo. ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established West Africa Time, or WAT, is a time zone used in western and west-central Africa (though not in countries west of Benin, which instead use GMT Central Africa Time, or CAT, is a time zone used in central and southern Africa. Daylight saving time ( DST A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E In statistics regression analysis is a collective name for techniques for the modeling and analysis of numerical data consisting of values of a Dependent variable (response

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (French: République démocratique du Congo), often referred to as DR Congo, DRC or RDC, and formerly known or referred to as Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo-Léopoldville, Congo-Kinshasa, and Zaire (or Zaïre in French), is the third largest country by area on the African continent. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people The Congo Free State was a Corporate state privately controlled by Leopold II King of the Belgians through a dummy non-governmental organization the The Belgian Congo ( Dutch: Belgisch Kongo French: Congo Belge German: Belgisch Kongo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic The Republic of the Congo (République du Congo was an independent republic established following the independence granted to the former colony of the Belgian Congo in The Republic of Zaire (pronunciation; République du Zaïre was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between October 27, 1971 Though it is located in the Central African UN subregion, the nation is economically and regionally affiliated with Southern Africa as a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Central Africa is a core Region of the African Continent often considered to include Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad United Nations geoscheme, created by the United Nations Statistics Division, divides the world into 'macro-geographical Regions ( Continents and sub-regions Southern Africa is the Southernmost Region of the African Continent, variably defined by Geography or Geopolitics. The Southern African Development Community ( SADC) is an Inter-governmental organization. It borders the Central African Republic and Sudan on the north, Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi on the east, Zambia and Angola on the south, the Republic of the Congo on the west, and is separated from Tanzania by Lake Tanganyika on the east. Central Africa|Central African FederationThe Central African Republic ( CAR) République Centrafricaine ʀepyblik sɑ̃tʀafʀikɛn or Centrafrique) is a Landlocked Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. The Republic of Uganda is a Landlocked country in East Africa. The Republic of Rwanda (ruːˈændə or /rəˈwɑːndə/ in English ɾwanda or in Kinyarwanda is a small Landlocked country in the Burundi (buˈɾundi officially the Republic of Burundi, is a small country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda The Republic of Zambia (ˈzæmbɪə is a Landlocked country in Southern Africa. Angola, officially the Republic of Angola (República de Angola Pronounced ʁɛˈpublikɐ dɨ ɐ̃ˈgɔlɐ Repubilika ya Ngola is a country in south-central The Republic of the Congo (République du Congo Kongo: Repubilika ya Kongo; Lingala: Republiki ya Kongó) also known as Congo-Brazzaville Tanzania ˌtænzəˈniːə officially the United Republic of Tanzania (Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya Lake Tanganyika is a large Lake in central Africa (3° 20' to 8° 48' South and from 29° 5' to 31° 15' East ^[1] The country enjoys access to the ocean through a forty-kilometre stretch of Atlantic coastline at Muanda and the roughly nine-kilometre wide mouth of the Congo river which opens into the Gulf of Guinea. Muanda or Moanda is a town lying on the Atlantic Ocean coast of the Democratic Republic of Congo at the mouth of the Congo River. The Congo River (for a time known as the Zaire River) is the largest River in Western Central Africa. The Gulf of Guinea is the part of the Atlantic Ocean southwest of Africa. The name "Congo" (meaning "hunter") is coined after the Bakongo ethnic group who live in the Congo river basin. The Bakongo or the Kongo people (meaning "hunter" also sometimes referred to as Congolese, live along the Atlantic coast of Africa

Formerly the Belgian colony of the Belgian Congo, the country's post-independence name was the Republic of the Congo until August 1, 1964,^[2] when its name was changed to Democratic Republic of the Congo (to distinguish it from the neighboring Republic of the Congo). The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those This article is about a type of political territory For other uses see Colony (disambiguation. The Belgian Congo ( Dutch: Belgisch Kongo French: Congo Belge German: Belgisch Kongo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. The Republic of the Congo (République du Congo Kongo: Repubilika ya Kongo; Lingala: Republiki ya Kongó) also known as Congo-Brazzaville ^[3] On October 27, 1971,^[2] then-President Mobutu renamed the country Zaire, from a Portuguese mispronunciation of the Kikongo word nzere or nzadi, which translates to "the river that swallows all rivers. Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga ( October 14, 1930 September 7, 1997) known commonly as Mobutu, or Mobutu The Republic of Zaire (pronunciation; République du Zaïre was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between October 27, 1971 Kikongo or Kongo is the Bantu language spoken by the Bakongo and Bandundu people living in the tropical forests of the Democratic Republic "^[4] Following the First Congo War which led to the overthrow of Mobutu in 1997, the country was renamed Democratic Republic of the Congo. The First Congo War (November 1996 to May 1997 ended when Zairean President Mobutu Sésé Seko was overthrown by rebel forces backed by foreign powers such as From 1998 to 2003, the country suffered greatly from the devastating Second Congo War (sometimes referred to as the African World War),^[5] the world's deadliest conflict since World War II. The Second Congo War, also known as Africa's World War and the Great War of Africa, began in August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly The Second Congo War, also known as Africa's World War and the Great War of Africa, began in August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including However, related fighting still continues in the east of the country.

History

Main article: History of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Congolese pre-history

Main article: Early Congolese history

A wave of early peoples is identified in the Northern and North-Western parts of Central Africa during the second millennium BC. Early history See also Early Congolese history The area now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo was populated as early as 10000 Early Congo history covers most of the Congo River basin occupied today by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Angola They were food producing (pearl millet), with some domestic stock, and developed a kind of arboriculture mainly based on the oil palm. Arboriculture ('ɑːbərɪkʌltʃə is the cultivation of trees and shrubs Several centuries later, around 2,500 BC, bananas were known to some in south Cameroon.

From 3,500 BC to 2,000 BC, starting from a nucleus area in South Cameroon on both banks of the Sanaga River, the first Neolithic peopling of northern and western Central Africa can be followed south-eastwards and southwards. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos In D. R. Congo the first villages in the vicinity of Mbandaka and the Tumba Lake are known as the 'Imbonga Tradition', from around 2,600 BC. In Lower Congo, north of the Angolan border, it is the 'Ngovo Tradition' around 2,300 BC that shows the arrival of the Neolithic wave of advance.

A Katanga Cross, an obsolete form of money. A Katanga Cross, also called handa, is cast copper cross of varying sizes but typically about 8 inches across and weighing about 2 pounds Money is anything that is generally accepted as Payment for Goods and services and repayment of Debts.

In Kivu, across the country to the east, the 'Urewe Tradition' villages first show up around 2,600 BC. The Urewe culture developed and spread in and around the the Lake Victoria region of Africa during the African Iron Age. The few archaeological sites known in Congo are a western extension of the 'Urewe' Culture which is mainly known in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Western Kenya and Tanzania. The Republic of Uganda is a Landlocked country in East Africa. The Republic of Rwanda (ruːˈændə or /rəˈwɑːndə/ in English ɾwanda or in Kinyarwanda is a small Landlocked country in the Burundi (buˈɾundi officially the Republic of Burundi, is a small country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda The Republic of Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia to the north Somalia to the northeast Tanzania to the south Tanzania ˌtænzəˈniːə officially the United Republic of Tanzania (Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya From the start of this tradition, the people knew iron smelting, as is evidenced by several iron smelting furnaces excavated in Rwanda and Burundi.

The earliest evidence further to the west is known in Cameroon, and near to the small town of Bouar in Central Africa. Bouar is a Market town in the western Central African Republic, lying on the main road from Bangui (437km to the frontier with Cameroon Central Africa is a core Region of the African Continent often considered to include Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad Though an ongoing discussion will ultimately give us a better chronology for the start of iron production in Central Africa, the Cameroonian data places iron smelting north of the Equatorial Forest around 2,600 BC to 2,500 BC . Central Africa is a core Region of the African Continent often considered to include Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad This technology developed independently from the previous Neolithic expansion some 900 years later. As fieldwork done by a German team shows, the Congo river network was slowly settled by food-producing villagers going upstream in the forest. Work from a Spanish project in the Ituri area further east suggests villages reached there only around 800 BC.

The supposedly Bantu-speaking Neolithic, and then iron-producing, villagers added to and displaced the indigenous Pygmy populations (also known in the region as the "Bitwa" or "Twa") into secondary parts of the country. Pygmies (singular Pygmy) refers to a member of any human group whose adult males grow to less than 150 cm (4 feet 11 inches in average height or less than 155 cm Subsequent migrations from the Darfur and Kordofan regions of Sudan into the north-east, as well as East Africans migrating into the eastern Congo added to the mix of ethnic groups. Darfur (دار فور daar foor, lit "realm of the Fur " is a region in Sudan. Kurdufan (sometimes Kordofan) is a former province of central Sudan. Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. East Africa is the Easternmost Region of the African Continent. The Congo River (for a time known as the Zaire River) is the largest River in Western Central Africa. The Bantus imported a mixed economy made up of agriculture, small stock raising, fishing, fruit collecting, hunting and arboriculture before 3,500 BC; iron-working techniques, possibly from West Africa, are a much later addition. West Africa or Western Africa is the Westernmost Region of the African Continent. The villagers established the Bantu language family as the primary set of tongues for the Congolese.

The Congo Free State (1877 – 1908)

Main articles: Colonisation of the Congo, Congo Free State, and Belgian Congo

European exploration and administration took place from the 1870s until the 1920s — first by Sir Henry Morton Stanley who undertook his explorations mainly under the sponsorship of King Leopold II of Belgium, who desired what was to become the Congo as a colony. Colonisation of the Congo refers to the period from Henry Morton Stanley 's first exploration of the Congo (1867 until its annexation as a personal possession of King The Congo Free State was a Corporate state privately controlled by Leopold II King of the Belgians through a dummy non-governmental organization the The Belgian Congo ( Dutch: Belgisch Kongo French: Congo Belge German: Belgisch Kongo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic Sir Henry Morton Stanley, GCB, born John Rowlands ( January 28 1841 &ndash May 10 1904) was a British journalist Leopold II (Léopold Louis Philippe Marie Victor Leopold Lodewijk Filips Maria Victor (9 April 1835 – 17 December 1909 was King of the Belgians. In a succession of negotiations, Leopold, professing humanitarian objectives in his capacity as chairman of the Association Internationale Africaine, played one European rival against the other. The Association Internationale Africaine was an organization created by King Léopold II of Belgium to further Humanitarian projects in the area of The Congo territory was acquired formally by Leopold at the Conference of Berlin in 1885. See also Congress of Berlin (1878 and Berlin Conference of 1954 (Cold War He made the land his private property and named it the Congo Free State. The Congo Free State was a Corporate state privately controlled by Leopold II King of the Belgians through a dummy non-governmental organization the Leopold's regime began undertaking various projects, such as the railway that ran from the coast to Leopoldville (now Kinshasa) which took years to complete. Nearly all these projects were aimed at increasing the capital Leopold and his associates could extract from the colony, leading to exploitation of Africans. In the Free State, the local population was brutalized in exchange for rubber, a growing market with the development of rubber tires. The selling of the rubber made a fortune for Leopold, who built several buildings in Brussels and Ostend to honour himself and his country. Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is ||-||-||} Ostend  (  Oostende, French and German Ostende) is a Belgian City and municipality located in the Flemish To enforce the rubber quotas, the Force Publique (FP) was called in. The FP was an army, but its aim was not to defend the country, but to terrorise the local population. The Force Publique made the practice of cutting off the limbs of the natives as a means of enforcing rubber quotas a matter of policy; this practice was widespread. During the period between 1885 and 1908, between five and 15 (the commonly accepted figure is about ten) million Congolese died as a consequence of exploitation and diseases. A government commission later concluded that the population of the Congo had been "reduced by half" during this brutal period. ^[6]The actions of the Free State's administration sparked international protests led by E. D. Morel and British diplomat/Irish patriot Roger Casement, whose 1904 report on the Congo condemned the practice, as well as famous writers such as Mark Twain. Edmund Dene Morel, originally Georges Eduard Pierre Achille Morel de Ville ( 10 July 1873 &ndash 12 November 1924) was a British Roger David Casement (Ruairí Mac Easmainn 1 September 1864 &ndash 3 August 1916 ( Sir Roger Casement CMG between 1911 and until his execution for treason in August Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist Joseph Conrad's novella Heart of Darkness also takes place in Congo Free State. Joseph Conrad (born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski, 3 December 1857 – 3 August 1924 was a Polish-born English novelist Heart of Darkness is a Novella written by Polish-born writer Joseph Conrad (born Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski) In 1908, the Belgian parliament, which was at first reluctant, bowed to international pressure (especially from Great Britain) by taking over the Free State from the king as a Belgian colony. From then on, it became the Belgian Congo, under the rule of the elected Belgian government. The Belgian Congo ( Dutch: Belgisch Kongo French: Congo Belge German: Belgisch Kongo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic

The Belgian administration: Belgian Congo (1908 – 1960)

Main article: Belgian Congo

Conditions in the Congo improved following the Belgian government's takeover. The Belgian Congo ( Dutch: Belgisch Kongo French: Congo Belge German: Belgisch Kongo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic Select Bantu languages were taught in primary schools, a rare occurrence in colonial education. Colonial doctors were to greatly reduce the spread of African trypanosomiasis, commonly known as sleeping sickness. Sleeping sickness or human African trypanosomiasis is a Parasitic Disease of people and animals caused by Protozoa of species Sleeping sickness or human African trypanosomiasis is a Parasitic Disease of people and animals caused by Protozoa of species The colonial administration implemented a variety of economic reforms that focused on the improvement of infrastructure: railways, ports, roads, mines, plantations and industrial areas. The Congolese people, however, lacked political power and faced legal discrimination. All colonial policies were decided in Brussels and Leopoldville. The Belgian Colony-secretary and Governor-general, neither of whom was elected by the Congolese people, wielded absolute power. Among the Congolese people, resistance against their undemocratic regime grew over time. In 1955, the Congolese upper class (the so-called "évolués"), many of whom had been educated in Europe, initiated a campaign to end the inequality.

During World War I, the Congolese Force Nationale successfully attacked, invaded and occupied German East Africa, which included the present-day Rwanda and Burundi. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All German East Africa (Deutsch-Ostafrika was a German Colony in East Africa, including what is now Burundi, Rwanda and Tanganyika The Republic of Rwanda (ruːˈændə or /rəˈwɑːndə/ in English ɾwanda or in Kinyarwanda is a small Landlocked country in the Burundi (buˈɾundi officially the Republic of Burundi, is a small country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda Belgium continued to administer these colonies under League of Nations mandates after the war, instituting racial policies that set the stage for the Rwandan genocide of 1994. A League of Nations mandate refers to a legal status for certain territories transferred from the control of one country to another following World War I. The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass killing of hundreds of thousands of Rwanda 's minority Tutsis and the moderates of its Hutu majority

During World War II, the small Congolese army achieved several victories against the Italians in North Africa. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest The Belgian Congo, which was also rich in uranium deposits, supplied the uranium that was used by the United States to build the atomic weapons that were used in the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. The Belgian Congo ( Dutch: Belgisch Kongo French: Congo Belge German: Belgisch Kongo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic Uranium (jʊˈreɪniəm is a silvery-gray Metallic Chemical element in the A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from Nuclear reactions either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were nuclear attacks near the end of World War II against the Empire of Japan by the United States at

Political crisis (1960 – 1965)

Main article: Congo Crisis

In May 1960, the MNC party or Mouvement National Congolais, led by Patrice Lumumba, won the parliamentary elections, and Lumumba was appointed Prime Minister. The Congo Crisis (1960-1965 was a period of turmoil in the First Republic of the Congo that began with national independence The Mouvement National Congolais (English Congolese National Movement, MNC is a poltical party in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Patrice Émery Lumumba ( 2 July, 1925 – 17 January, 1961) was an African anti-colonial leader and the first legally elected Prime Joseph Kasavubu, of the ABAKO (Alliance des Bakongo) party, was elected President by the parliament. Joseph Kasa-Vubu (1910 sources have 1913 1915 and 1917 &ndash March 24, 1969) was the first President (1960&ndash1965 of the Republic of Other parties that emerged include the Parti Solidaire Africain (or PSA, led by Antoine Gizenga) and the Parti National du Peuple (or PNP led by Albert Delvaux and Laurent Mbariko). Antoine Gizenga (born 5 October 1925 is a Congolese (DRC politician who was Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from December 30 2006 to 10 October Laurent Jean-Pierre Mbariko ( January 19, 1925 - December 30, 1972) from the Kwilu region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo 1960,dossiers du CRISP,Belgium) The Belgian Congo achieved independence on June 30, 1960 under the name "Republic of Congo" or "Republic of the Congo" ("République du Congo"). As the French colony of Middle Congo (Moyen Congo) also chose the name "Republic of Congo" upon receiving its independence, the two countries were more commonly known as "Congo-Léopoldville" and "Congo-Brazzaville", after their capital cities. In 1966, Joseph Mobutu changed the country's official name to "Democratic Republic of the Congo", and in 1971 it was changed again to "Republic of Zaïre". Shortly after independence, the provinces of Katanga (with Moise Tshombe) and South Kasai engaged in secessionist struggles against the new leadership. Katanga is a southern province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Moïse Kapenda Tshombe ( November 10, 1919 – June 29, 1969) was a Congolese Politician. South Kasai was a secessionist region in the area of south central Republic of the Congo ( Léopoldville) during the early 1960s

Subsequent events led to a crisis between President Kasavubu and Prime Minister Lumumba. On September 5, 1960, Kasavubu dismissed Lumumba from office. Lumumba declared Kasavubu's action "unconstitutional" and a crisis between the two leaders developed. (Secession au Katanga- J. Gerald-Libois. -Brussels-CRISP) Lumumba had previously appointed Joseph Mobutu chief of staff of the new Congo army, Armee Nationale Congolaise (ANC). Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga ( October 14, 1930 September 7, 1997) known commonly as Mobutu, or Mobutu The Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo ( Forces Armées de la République Démocratique du Congo (FARDC is the state military organisation responsible Taking advantage of the leadership crisis between Kasavubu and Lumumba, Mobutu garnered enough support within the army to create sentiment sufficient to inspire mutinous action. With financial support from the United States and Belgium, Mobutu made payments to his soldiers in order to generate their loyalty. The aversion of Western powers towards communism and leftist ideology in general influenced their decision to finance Mobutu's quest to maintain "order" in the new state by neutralizing Kasavubu and Lumumba in a coup by proxy.

On January 17, 1961, Katangan forces and Belgian paratroops, supported by foreign interests intent on copper and diamond mines in Katanga and South Kasai, kidnapped and executed Patrice Lumumba. Amidst widespread confusion and chaos, a temporary government led by technicians (College des Commissaires) with Evariste Kimba, and several short governments Joseph Ileo, Cyrille Adoula, Moise Tshombe took over in quick succession. Evariste Kimba ( July 16, 1926 - Kinshasa, May 30, 1966) served briefly as the Republic of the Congo 's Prime Minister from Joseph Iléo ( September 15 1921 - September 19 1994) later called Sombo Amba Ileo was a politician in the Republic of the Congo Cyrille Adoula (born September 13 1921 in Léopoldville &ndash died May 24 1978 in Lausanne, Switzerland) was Moïse Kapenda Tshombe ( November 10, 1919 – June 29, 1969) was a Congolese Politician. See the book The Assassination of Lumumba by Ludo de Witte.

Zaire (1971 – 1997)

Main article: Zaire

Following five years of extreme instability and civil unrest, Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, now Lieutenant General, overthrew Kasavubu in a 1965 coup. The Republic of Zaire (pronunciation; République du Zaïre was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between October 27, 1971 Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga ( October 14, 1930 September 7, 1997) known commonly as Mobutu, or Mobutu Lieutenant General is a Military rank used in many countries The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the He had the support of the United States on account of his staunch opposition to Communism, which would presumably make him a roadblock to Communist schemes in Africa. It is also argued that the Western support for Mobutu was also related to his allowing businesses to export the many natural resources of Zaire without worrying about environmental, labour, or other regulations. A one-party system was established, and Mobutu declared himself head of state. He would periodically hold elections in which he was the only candidate.

Relative peace and stability was achieved; however, Mobutu's government was guilty of severe human rights violations, political repression, a cult of personality (every Congolese bank note displayed his image, his portrait was displayed in all public buildings, most businesses, and on billboards, and it was common for ordinary people to wear his likeness on their clothing), and excessive corruption. Human rights refers to the "basic Rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled A cult of personality or personality cult arises when a country's leader uses Mass media to create a heroic public image through unquestioning flattery and praise Corruption became so prevalent the term "le mal Zairois" or "Zairean Sickness" was coined, reportedly by Mobutu himself. As soon as 1984, he was said to have $4 billion (USD), an amount close to the country's national debt, deposited in a personal Swiss bank account. Banking in Switzerland is characterized by stability privacy and protection of clients' assets and information International aid, most often in the form of loans, enriched Mobutu while national infrastructure such as roads deteriorated to as little as one-fourth of what had existed in 1960. The term "kleptocracy" was in fact coined to describe Mobutu's embezzlement of government funds. A kleptocracy (sometimes cleptocracy, occasionally kleptarchy) ( root klepto+kratein = rule by thieves) is a term applied to a

In a campaign to identify himself with African nationalism, starting on June 1, 1966, Mobutu renamed the nation's cities (Léopoldville became Kinshasa [the country was now Democratic Republic of The Congo – Kinshasa], Stanleyville became Kisangani, and Elisabethville became Lubumbashi). Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. This renaming campaign was completed in the 1970s. In 1971, he renamed the country the Republic of Zaire, its fourth name change in 11 years and its sixth overall. The Congo River became the Zaire River. In 1972, Mobutu renamed himself Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu Wa Za Banga Sama Ganja. Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga ( October 14, 1930 September 7, 1997) known commonly as Mobutu, or Mobutu

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, U. The Soviet Union 's collapse into independent nations began early in 1985 S. relations with Kinshasa cooled, as Mobutu was no longer deemed necessary as a Cold War ally, and his opponents within Zaire stepped up demands for reform. Kinshasa (formerly French: Léopoldville, formerly Dutch: Leopoldstad, German: Leopoldstadt) is the Capital Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the 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, and Mobutu's rule continued until conflict forced him to flee Zaire in 1997. The name of the nation was returned to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as the name Zaire carried strong connections to the rule of Mobutu.

Government

Main article: Politics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

After 4 years of interim between two constitutions that established different political institution at the various levels of all branches of government, as well as different administrative divisions of the country, politics in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are settling into a stable presidential democratic republic. Wikisource has original text related to this article A presidential system is a System of government where an executive branch exists and presides (hence the term separately from the Legislature A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its

The transitional constitution^[7] established a system composed of a bicameral legislature with a Senate and a National Assembly. In Government, bicameralism (bi + Latin la ''camera'' chamber is the practice of having two legislative or Parliamentary chambers Thus a bicameral A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The National Assembly is the lower house and main legislative political body of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Senate has, among other things, the charge of drafting the new constitution of the country. The executive branch is vested in a 60-member cabinet, headed by a pentarchy of a President, and four vice presidents. Pentarchy is a Greek -derived word meaning "rule by five" The President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Président de la République démocratique du Congo Rais wa Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo Mokonzi wa Republíki ya Kongó Demokratíki The President is also the Commander-in Chief of the Armed forces. The unusual organization of the executive — considering the large number of vice presidents — has earned it the very official nickname of "The 1 + 4".

The transition constitution also established a relatively independent judiciary, headed by a Supreme Court with constitutional interpretation powers.

The 2006 constitution, also known as the Constitution of the Third Republic, came into effect in February 2006. It has concurrent authority, however, with the transitional constitution until the inauguration of the elected officials who will emerge from the July 2006 elections. Under this constitution, the legislature will remain bicameral; the executive will be concomitantly undertaken by a President and the government; and the latter will be led by a Prime Minister, appointed from the party with the majority at the National Assembly. The government – not the President – is responsible to the Parliament.

The provincial governments will gain new powers, under the new decentralized model, with the creation of provincial parliaments, with oversight over the Governor, head of the provincial government, whom they elect.

The new constitution also sees the disappearance of the Supreme Court, which is divided into three new institutions. The constitutional interpretation prerogative of the Supreme Court will be held by the Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court (1= Cour Constitutionnelle) was established by the Constitution of the Third Republic on 18 February 2006

Provinces and territories

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 constitution approved in 2005 divided the country into 26 fairly autonomous provinces, including the capital, Kinshasa to be formed by February 2009. See also Subdivisions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Article 2 of the 2005 Congolese Constitution which came into effect in February 2006 specifies twenty-five new provinces |||} See also Subdivisions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo The Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are divided into 192 territories Territorial Organisation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Reference: Executive Order 081 of July 8 1998 on administrative and territorial organisation in the RDC The Constitution of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been changed and/or replaced several times Kinshasa (formerly French: Léopoldville, formerly Dutch: Leopoldstad, German: Leopoldstadt) is the Capital

A new provincial map of Democratic Republic of Congo

The old eleven provinces, were as follows:

The provinces are subdivided into territories. Haut-Katanga, or Upper Katanga in English is a new province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to be established by February 2009 by dividing Katanga Lubumbashi (formerly Élisabethville or Elisabethstad) is the second largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (capital Kinshasa, Kinshasa (formerly French: Léopoldville, formerly Dutch: Leopoldstad, German: Leopoldstadt) is the Capital Orientale (also Oriental (formerly Haut-Zaire is a province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Kasai-oriental is a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kasai-Occidental ( West Kasai) is a province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Maniema is a province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Its provincial capital is Kindu. Katanga is a southern province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Sud-Kivu ( Kivu-Sud, South Kivu) is a province of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Nord-Kivu (also Kivu-Nord, North Kivu) is a province bordering Lake Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Kongo Central (formerly Congo Centrale, Bas-Zaïre, then Bas-Congo) is a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Équateur is one of the 25 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo under the 2006 Constitution. Bandundu is a Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It borders Kinshasa and Bas-Congo to the west Equateur to the north |||} See also Subdivisions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo The Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo are divided into 192 territories

Nyiragongo volcano

Kinshasa

Population of major cities

Geography

The map of Democratic Republic of Congo from the CIA World Factbook

Main article: Geography of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Satellite image of Democratic Republic of the Congo, generated from raster graphics data supplied by The Map Library

The Congo is situated at the heart of the west-central portion of sub-Saharan Africa and is bounded by (clockwise from the southwest) Angola, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, the Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania across Lake Tanganyika, and Zambia. Mount Nyiragongo is a Stratovolcano in the Virunga Mountains associated with the Great Rift Valley. Kinshasa (formerly French: Léopoldville, formerly Dutch: Leopoldstad, German: Leopoldstadt) is the Capital Kinshasa (formerly French: Léopoldville, formerly Dutch: Leopoldstad, German: Leopoldstadt) is the Capital Lubumbashi (formerly Élisabethville or Elisabethstad) is the second largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (capital Kinshasa, Mbuji-Mayi (formerly Bakwanga) serves as the Capital of Kasai-Oriental (Anglicized as East-Kasai) province in the south-central Democratic Kolwezi is a city in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, west of Likasi in the province of Katanga. Kananga, formerly (and on some company names known as Luluabourg or Luluaburg, is the capital of the Lulua province of the Democratic Kisangani, formerly Stanleyville or Stanleystad, (population 500000 is a City in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa Likasi, formerly known as Jadotville or Jadotstad, is a town in Katanga Province in the south-east region of the Democratic Republic of Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo includes the greater part of the Congo River Basin which covers an area of almost 1 million square kilometers (400000 sq In Computer graphics, a raster graphics image or bitmap, is a Data structure representing a generally rectangular grid of Pixels The Map Library should not be confused with the Map Library of The British Museum. Sub-Saharan Africa is a geographical term used to describe the area of the African continent which lies south of the Sahara, or those African countries Angola, officially the Republic of Angola (República de Angola Pronounced ʁɛˈpublikɐ dɨ ɐ̃ˈgɔlɐ Repubilika ya Ngola is a country in south-central The Republic of the Congo (République du Congo Kongo: Repubilika ya Kongo; Lingala: Republiki ya Kongó) also known as Congo-Brazzaville Central Africa|Central African FederationThe Central African Republic ( CAR) République Centrafricaine ʀepyblik sɑ̃tʀafʀikɛn or Centrafrique) is a Landlocked Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. The Republic of Uganda is a Landlocked country in East Africa. The Republic of Rwanda (ruːˈændə or /rəˈwɑːndə/ in English ɾwanda or in Kinyarwanda is a small Landlocked country in the Burundi (buˈɾundi officially the Republic of Burundi, is a small country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda Tanzania ˌtænzəˈniːə officially the United Republic of Tanzania (Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya Lake Tanganyika is a large Lake in central Africa (3° 20' to 8° 48' South and from 29° 5' to 31° 15' East The Republic of Zambia (ˈzæmbɪə is a Landlocked country in Southern Africa. The country straddles the Equator, with one-third to the north and two-thirds to the south. The equator (sometimes referred to colloquially as "the Line") is the intersection of the Earth 's surface with the plane perpendicular to the The size of Congo, 2,345,408 square kilometres (905,567 sq mi), is comparable to that of Western Europe. Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe '

As a result of its equatorial location, the Congo experiences large amounts of precipitation and has the highest frequency of thunderstorms on Earth. The annual rainfall can total upwards of 80 inches (200 cm) in some places, and the area sustains the second largest rain forest in the world (after the Amazon). The Amazon Rainforest (Brazilian Portuguese: Floresta Amazônica or Amazônia; Spanish: Selva Amazónica or Amazonía 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. A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, 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. Grasslands (also called greenswards) are areas where the Vegetation is dominated by Grasses ( Poaceae) and other Herbaceous (non-woody The Congo River (for a time known as the Zaire River) is the largest River in Western Central Africa. High, glaciated mountains are found in the extreme eastern region.

The tropical climate has also produced the Congo River system which dominates the region topographically along with the rainforest it flows through, (though they are not mutually exclusive). A tropical climate is a kind of Climate typical in the Tropics. The Congo River (for a time known as the Zaire River) is the largest River in Western Central Africa. The name for the "Congo" state is derived from that of the river, along with that of the Kongo Empire which controlled much of the region in precolonial times. The Kingdom of Kongo (1400 – 1914 ( Kongo: Kongo dya Ntotila or Wene wa Kongo) was an African kingdom located in west central Africa in what The river basin (meaning the Congo River and all of its myriad tributaries) occupy nearly the entire country and an area of nearly one million square kilometers (400,000 sq mi). The river and its tributaries (major offshoots include the Kasai, Sangha, Ubangi, Aruwimi, and Lulonga) form the backbone of Congolese economics and transportation, they have a drastic impact on the daily lives of the people. The Kasai River is also a river in Bengal, and is one of the distributaries of the Ganges River. This article concerns the concept of Sangha in Buddhism. For information on other senses see Sangha (disambiguation. The Ubangi River, also spelled Oubangi, (juːˈbæŋɡi or /uːˈbæŋɡi/ is a major Tributary of the Congo River in Central Africa. The Aruwimi River is a Tributary of the Congo River, located to the north and east of the Congo The Lulonga is a river in the Equateur province of Congo-Kinshasa. The sources of the Congo are in the highlands and mountains of the East African Rift, as well as Lake Tanganyika and Lake Mweru. The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the late 19th century by English explorer John Walter Gregory to the continuous geographic trough approximately in length that runs Lake Tanganyika is a large Lake in central Africa (3° 20' to 8° 48' South and from 29° 5' to 31° 15' East Lake Mweru (also spelled Mwelu) is a Freshwater Lake on the longest arm of Africa 's second-longest river the Congo. 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). Kisangani, formerly Stanleyville or Stanleystad, (population 500000 is a City in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa Boyoma Falls, formerly known as Stanley Falls, consists of seven cataracts each no more than 15' high extending over 10 km (6 milesalong a curve of the Lualaba Mbandaka, formerly known as Coquilhatville or Coquilhatstad (named after Camille-Aimé Coquilhat) is a city on the Congo River in the Democratic The Ubangi River, also spelled Oubangi, (juːˈbæŋɡi or /uːˈbæŋɡi/ is a major Tributary of the Congo River in Central Africa. runs just before the Livingstone falls The Pool Malebo (formerly Stanley Pool, also known as Malebo Pool, or Lake Nkunda by local indigenous people Kinshasa and Brazzaville are actually on opposite sides of the river at the Pool (see NASA image), then the river narrows and falls through a number of cataracts in deep canyons (collectively known as the Livingstone Falls), and then running past Boma into the Atlantic Ocean. Kinshasa (formerly French: Léopoldville, formerly Dutch: Leopoldstad, German: Leopoldstadt) is the Capital ||-||} Brazzaville is the Capital and largest city of the Republic of the Congo and is located on the Congo River. Livingstone Falls ('Chutes Livingstone' named for the explorer David Livingstone, are a succession of rapids on the lower course of the Congo River in west equatorial The port town of Boma (1984 pop 197617 in Bas-Congo was the capital city of the Belgian Congo (the modern Democratic Republic of the Congo) from The river also has the second-largest flow and the second-largest watershed of any river in the world (trailing the Amazon in both respects). A drainage basin is an extent of Land where Water from Rain or Snow melt drains downhill into a body of water such as a River, The Amazon River (Rio Amazonas Río Amazonas of South America is the largest river in the world by volume with a total river flow greater than the next top ten largest rivers The river and a forty-kilometre-wide strip of land on its north bank provide the country's only outlet to the Atlantic, otherwise it would be completely landlocked.

The previously mentioned Great Rift Valley, in particular the Eastern Rift, plays a key role in shaping the Congo's geography. The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the late 19th century by English explorer John Walter Gregory to the continuous geographic trough approximately in length that runs Not only is the northeastern section of the country much more mountainous, but due the rift's tectonic activities, this area also experiences low levels of volcanic activity. This article discusses the geologic usage for the philosophical or architectural usage see Architectonics ' Or see Plate tectonics. Plate tectonics and hotspots Divergent plate boundaries At the The rifting of the African continent in this area has also manifested itself as the famous Great Lakes, three of which lie on the Congo's eastern frontier: Lake Albert (known previously as Lake Mobutu), Lake Edward, and Lake Tanganyika. The Great Lakes of Africa are a series of Lakes in and around the geographic Great Rift Valley formed by the action of the tectonic East African Lake Albert or Albert Lake may refer to Lake Albert (Africa, one of the African Great Lakes Lake Albert (South Australia Lake Edward or Edward Nyanza is the smallest of the Great Lakes of Africa. Lake Tanganyika is a large Lake in central Africa (3° 20' to 8° 48' South and from 29° 5' to 31° 15' East Perhaps most important of all, the Rift Valley has exposed an enormous amount of mineral wealth throughout the south and east of the Congo, making it accessible to mining. A mineral is a naturally occurring substance formed through geological processes that has a characteristic chemical composition a highly ordered atomic structure and specific 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.

On January 17, 2002 Mount Nyiragongo erupted in Congo, with the lava running out at 40 mph (60 km/h) and 50 yards (50 m) wide. Mount Nyiragongo is a Stratovolcano in the Virunga Mountains associated with the Great Rift Valley. One of the three streams of lava emitted flowed through the nearby city of Goma, killing 45 and leaving 120,000 homeless. Goma is a City in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the northern shore of Lake Kivu, next to the Rwandan city of Gisenyi 400,000 people were evacuated from the city during the eruption. The lava poisoned the water of Lake Kivu, killing fish. Lake Kivu is one of the Great Lakes of Africa. It lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and is in the Albertine Only two planes left the local airport because of the possibility of the explosion of stored petrol. The lava passed the airport but ruined the runway, entrapping several airplanes. Six months after the 2002 eruption, nearby Mount Nyamuragira also erupted, and again more recently in 2006. Mount Nyamuragira is an active Volcano in the Virunga Mountains of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, situated about 25 km north of Lake Both volcanos remain active.

Economy

Main article: Economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a nation endowed with vast potential wealth, has declined drastically since the mid-1980s. populated in relation to its area the Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to a vast potential of natural resources and Mineral wealth yet the economy of The two recent conflicts (the First and Second Congo Wars), which began in 1996, have dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, have increased external debt, and have resulted in the deaths from war, famine, and disease of perhaps over 5 million people. The First Congo War (November 1996 to May 1997 ended when Zairean President Mobutu Sésé Seko was overthrown by rebel forces backed by foreign powers such as The Second Congo War, also known as Africa's World War and the Great War of Africa, began in August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly A famine is a widespread shortage of food that may apply to any Faunal species which phenomenon is usually accompanied by regional Malnutrition, Starvation Foreign businesses have curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. The war has intensified the impact of such basic problems as an uncertain legal framework, corruption, inflation, and lack of openness in government economic policy and financial operations. Malnutrition affects approximately two thirds of the country's population. Malnutrition is a general term for a medical condition caused by an improper or insufficient diet. Conditions improved in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. A number of International Monetary Fund and World Bank missions have met with the government to help it develop a coherent economic plan, and President Joseph Kabila has begun implementing reforms. The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e Joseph Kabila Kabange (born June 4, 1971) known commonly as Joseph Kabila, became president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Much economic activity lies outside the GDP data. A United Nations Human Development Index report shows human development to be one of the worst in decades. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP

The Congo is the world's largest producer of cobalt (as ore)[1], and a major producer of copper and industrial diamonds. Cobalt (ˈkoʊbɒlt is a hard lustrous silver-grey Metal, a Chemical element with symbol Co. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 In Mineralogy, diamond is the allotrope of carbon where the carbon atoms are arranged in It has significant deposits of tantalum, which is used in the fabrication of electronic components in computers and mobile phones. Tantalum (ˈtæntələm (formerly tantalium /tænˈtæliəm/ is a Chemical element with the symbol Ta and Atomic number 73 Katanga Mining Limited, a London based company, now 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, copper production was restarted in December 2007. Work on the cobalt circuit continues, with production expected by the end of Q1 2008[2].

According to a United Nations report smuggling and exportation of coltan, an ore which contains tantalum, helped fuel the war in the Congo, a crisis that has resulted in approximately 5. Coltan is the colloquial African name for Columbite - Tantalite, a metallic Ore from which is extracted the elements Niobium and Tantalum (ˈtæntələm (formerly tantalium /tænˈtæliəm/ is a Chemical element with the symbol Ta and Atomic number 73 4 million deaths since 1998 – making it the world’s deadliest documented conflict since WW II.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The population was estimated at 62. The population of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was estimated at 65 6 million people according to the United Nations 2007 estimate, growing quickly from 46. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security 7 million in 1997. As many as 250 ethnic groups have been distinguished and named. The most numerous people are the Kongo, Luba, and Mongo. The Bakongo or the Kongo people (meaning "hunter" also sometimes referred to as Congolese, live along the Atlantic coast of Africa The Luba are one of the Bantu peoples of Central Africa. They are native to the Katanga Kasai and Maniema regions which are contained Although seven hundred local languages and dialects are spoken, the linguistic variety is bridged both by the use of French and the intermediary languages Kongo, Tshiluba, Swahili, and Lingala. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Kikongo or Kongo is the Bantu language spoken by the Bakongo and Bandundu people living in the tropical forests of the Democratic Republic Swahili (called Kiswahili in the language itself is the First language of the Swahili people (Waswahili who inhabit several large stretches

Status of women

Main article: Women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Young women preparing fufu

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms 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. Fufu, variants include foofoo, foufou, foutou or fu fu, is a Staple food of West and Central Africa. ^[8]

A 2006 report by the African Association for the Defence of Human Rights prepared for that committee provides a broad overview of issues confronting women in the DRC in law and in daily life. ^[9]

The war situation has made the life of women more precarious. Violence against women seems to be perceived by large sectors of society to be normal. ^[10] In July 2007, the International Committee of the Red Cross expressed concern about the situation in eastern DRC. ^[11] A phenomenon of 'pendulum displacement' has developed, where people hasten at night to safety. According to the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence, Yakin Ertürk, who toured eastern Congo in July 2007, violence against women in North and South Kivu included “unimaginable brutality”. "Armed groups attack local communities, loot, rape, kidnap women and children and make them work as sexual slaves," Ertürk said. ^[12] A local initiative by women in Bukavu aims for recovery from violence based on women's own empowerment. Bukavu is a city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC lying at the extreme south-eastern extent of Lake Kivu, west of Cyangugu in ^[13]

Religion

Main article: Religion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Christianity is the majority religion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, followed by about 80% of the population, comprising Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%. Christianity is the main religion in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, followed by about 80% of the population comprising Roman Catholic 50% Protestant 20% Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. Kimbanguism is a branch of Christianity founded by Simon Kimbangu in what was then the Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) ^[14] 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," now has about three million members,^[14] primarily among the Bakongo of Bas-Congo and Kinshasa. The Bakongo or the Kongo people (meaning "hunter" also sometimes referred to as Congolese, live along the Atlantic coast of Africa Kongo Central (formerly Congo Centrale, Bas-Zaïre, then Bas-Congo) is a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa (formerly French: Léopoldville, formerly Dutch: Leopoldstad, German: Leopoldstadt) is the Capital

As well as being the largest religious organisation in the country with about 30 million members, the Roman Catholic Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of the largest Christian Churches in Africa. The Roman Catholic Church in Congo (Kinshasa is part of the worldwide Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and Curia in The Congo has more Catholics than any other African country, and one of the highest proportions of Catholics.

62 of the Protestant denominations in the country are federated under the umbrella of the Church of Christ in Congo or CCC (in French, Église du Christ au Congo or ECC). The Church of Christ in Congo or CCC (in French, Église du Christ au Congo or ECC) is a union of 62 Protestant denominations It is often simply referred to as 'The Protestant Church', since it covers most of the 20% of the population who are Protestants.

Of the remaining 20% of the population, up to 10% are Muslim,^[15] and the rest follow traditional beliefs or syncretic sects. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Islam was introduced, and mainly spread by Arabic merchants ^[16] involved in the ivory trade. Traditional religions embody such concepts as monotheism, animism, vitalism, spirit and ancestor worship, witchcraft, and sorcery and vary widely among ethnic groups. For the Celtic Frost album see Monotheist (album In Theology, monotheism (from Greek grc [[wiktμόνος μόνος]] Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals Vitalism, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary is a doctrine that the functions of a living organism are due to a vital principle distinct from physicochemical Witchcraft, in various historical anthropological religious and mythological contexts is the use of certain kinds of Supernatural or magical powers The syncretic sects often merge Christianity with traditional beliefs and rituals, and may not be accepted by mainstream churches as part of Christianity.

Languages

Major Bantu languages in the Congo.

Main article: Languages of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

There is an estimated total of 242 languages spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. French French is the official language of the country since its colonial period under Belgian rule Out of these, only four have the status of national languages: Kongo, Lingala, Tshiluba and Swahili. Kikongo or Kongo is the Bantu language spoken by the Bakongo and Bandundu people living in the tropical forests of the Democratic Republic Swahili (called Kiswahili in the language itself is the First language of the Swahili people (Waswahili who inhabit several large stretches

Lingala was made the official language of the colonial army, the "Force Publique" under Belgian colonial rule. But since the recent rebellions, a good part of the army also uses Swahili in the East. Swahili (called Kiswahili in the language itself is the First language of the Swahili people (Waswahili who inhabit several large stretches

French is the official language of the country. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people It is meant to be an ethnically neutral language, to ease communication between all the different ethnic groups of the Congo.

When the country was a Belgian colony, the four national languages were already used in primary schools, making the country one of the few to have had literacy in local languages during the occupation by Europeans.

Culture

Main article: Culture of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The culture of the Democratic Republic of the Congo reflects the diversity of its hundreds of 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. The culture of the Democratic Republic of the Congo reflects the diversity of its hundreds of Ethnic groups and their differing ways of life throughout the country—from The Congo River (for a time known as the Zaire River) is the largest River in Western Central Africa. Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches A savanna or savannah is a Tropical or Subtropical Grassland or Woodland Ecosystem. 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. See Colony and Colonization for examples of colonialism which do not refer to Western colonialism Mobutu Sese Seko Nkuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga ( October 14, 1930 September 7, 1997) known commonly as Mobutu, or Mobutu The First Congo War (November 1996 to May 1997 ended when Zairean President Mobutu Sésé Seko was overthrown by rebel forces backed by foreign powers such as The Second Congo War, also known as Africa's World War and the Great War of Africa, began in August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Despite these pressures, the customs and cultures of the Congo have retained much of their individuality. A convention is a set of agreed, stipulated or generally accepted Standards norms social norms or criteria, often taking the form of The country's 60 million inhabitants are mainly rural. The 30 percent who live in urban areas have been the most open to Western influences. Western culture (sometimes equated with Western Civilization) are terms which are used to refer to Cultures of European origin

Another notable feature in Congo culture is its sui generis music. Sui generis (English pronunciation ( IPA) /ˌsuːiˈdʒɛnərɪs/ roughly "SOO-ee JEN-a-ris" Latin pronunciation /ˌsuːiˈgeneris/ is a Neo-Latin The DROC has blended its ethnic musical sources with Cuban Rumba, and Merengue to give birth to Soukous. The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Merengue is a type of music and dance that comes from the Dominican Republic. Soukous (also known as Lingala or Congo, and previously as African rumba) is a Musical genre that originated in the two neighbouring countries Influential figures of Soukous and its offshoots (N'dombolo, Rumba rock. . . ) are Franco Luambo, Tabu Ley, Lutumba Simaro, Papa Wemba, Koffi Olomide, Kanda Bongo, Ray Lema, Mpongo Love, Abeti Masikini, Reddy Amisi,[Pasnas] Pepe Kalle and Nyoka Longo. Tabu Ley Rochereau (born 1940) is the leader of Orchestre Afrisa International and one of Africa 's most influential Vocalists and prolific Papa Wemba was born Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Thabani Kikumba in 1949 in Lubefu ( Kasai - DR Congo) Antoine Koffi Olomidé (born August 13, 1956) is a DR Congolese Soukous singer producer and composer Raymond Lema A'nsi Nzinga known as Ray Lema' is a Congolese (RDC musician born March 30 1946. Africa produces music genres which are direct derivatives of Congolese soukous. Some of the African bands even sing in Lingala, the main language in the DRC. The same Congolese Soukous, under the guidance of "le sapeur", Papa Wemba, has set up the tone for a generation of young guys always dressed up in expensive designer's clothes. Papa Wemba was born Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Thabani Kikumba in 1949 in Lubefu ( Kasai - DR Congo)

The Congo is also known for his art. Traditional art includes masks and wooden statues. Notable contemporary artists and Fashion designer are Chéri Samba and Odette Krempin. Chéri Samba or Samba wa Mbimba N’zingo Nuni Masi Ndo Mbasi (born December 30, 1956 in Kinto M’Vuila is a painter from the Democratic Republic Princess Odette Maniema Krempin is an African fashion Designer and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador she was born to the royal family of Maniema Nilemba Boniface Mulopwe in the Democratic

Flora and fauna

Main article: Wildlife of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Bas-Congo landscape

The rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo contain great biodiversity, including many rare and endemic species, such as both species of chimpanzee: the common chimpanzee and the bonobo (also known as the Pygmy Chimpanzee), mountain gorilla, okapi and white rhino. The Rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo contain great Biodiversity, including many rare and endemic species such as both species of chimpanzee Kongo Central (formerly Congo Centrale, Bas-Zaïre, then Bas-Congo) is a province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches Biodiversity is the variation of Life forms within a given Ecosystem, Biome or for the entire Earth. Endemism is the Ecological state of being unique to a place Endemic species are not naturally found elsewhere The Common Chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes) also known as the Robust Chimpanzee, is a great ape. The Bonobo (bə'noʊboʊ Pan paniscus) until recently usually called the Pygmy Chimpanzee (and less often the Dwarf or Gracile Chimpanzee The Mountain Gorilla ( Gorilla beringei beringei Adult males have more pronounced bony crests on the top and back of their skulls giving their heads a more conical shape The Okapi ( Okapia johnstoni) is a Mammal native to the Ituri Rainforest, located in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo The White Rhinoceros or Square-lipped rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum) is one of the five species of Rhinoceros that still exist and is one of the few 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. A national park is a reserve of land usually declared and owned by a national Government, protected from most Human development and pollution A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex Garamba National Park, located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa, was established in 1938. Kahuzi-Biéga National Park is in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, 50 km west of the town of Bukavu in the Kivu Region near to the western Salonga National Park is a National park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo located in the Congo River basin The Virunga National Park (formerly Albert National Park) lies from the Virunga Mountains, to the Rwenzori Mountains, in the eastern Democratic The Okapi Wildlife Reserve is a World Heritage Site in the Ituri Forest in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near the borders with The civil war and resultant poor economic conditions have endangered much of this biodiversity. Many park wardens were either killed or could not afford to continue their work. All five sites are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage In Danger. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the most biodiverse African country. ^[17]

Over the past century or so, the DRC has developed into the center of what has been called the Central African "bushmeat" problem, which is regarded by many as a major environmental, as well as, socio-economic crisis. Central Africa is a core Region of the African Continent often considered to include Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad Bushmeat ( Calque from the French viande de brousse) is the term commonly used for Meat of terrestrial wild animals killed for See also Nature The natural environment, commonly referred to simply as the environment, is a terminology that is comprised of all living and Socioeconomics or socio-economics is the study of the relationship between economic activity and Social life. "Bushmeat" is another word for the meat of wild animals. It is typically obtained through trapping, usually with wire snares, or otherwise with shotguns or arms originally intended for use in the DRC's numerous military conflicts.

The "bushmeat crisis" has emerged in the DRC mainly as a result of the poor living conditions of the Congolese people. A rising population combined with deplorable economic conditions has forced many Congolese to become dependent on bushmeat, either as a means of acquiring income (hunting the meat and selling), or are dependent on it for food. Unemployment and urbanization throughout Central Africa have exacerbated the problem further by turning cities like the urban sprawl of Kinshasa into the prime market for bushmeat. Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work. Urbanizationn (also spelled urbanisation) is the physical growth of Urban areas into rural or natural land as a result of population in-migration to an existing Kinshasa (formerly French: Léopoldville, formerly Dutch: Leopoldstad, German: Leopoldstadt) is the Capital

A Bonobo climbing a tree.

This combination has caused not only widespread endangerment of local fauna, but has forced humans to trudge deeper into the wilderness in search of the desired animal meat. This overhunting results in the deaths of more animals and makes resources even more scarce for humans. The hunting has also been facilitated by the extensive logging prevalent throughout the Congo's rainforests (from corporate logging, in addition to farmers clearing out forest in order to create areas for agriculture), which allows hunters much easier access to previously unreachable jungle terrain, while simultaneously eroding away at the habitats of animals. Logging is the process in which Trees are cut down for Forest management and Timber. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Hunting is the practice of pursuing Animals for Food, Recreation, or Trade. A habitat (which is Latin for "it inhabits" is an Ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular Species. ^[18]

A case that has particularly alarmed conservationists is that of primates. A primate is a member of the biological order Primates ( Latin: "prime first rank" the group that contains Lemurs the Aye-aye The Congo is inhabited not only by two distinct species of chimpanzee - the Common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and the bonobo (Pan paniscus) - but by the gorilla as well. The Common Chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes) also known as the Robust Chimpanzee, is a great ape. The Bonobo (bə'noʊboʊ Pan paniscus) until recently usually called the Pygmy Chimpanzee (and less often the Dwarf or Gracile Chimpanzee Gorillas, the largest of the living Primates are ground-dwelling Herbivores that inhabit the Forests of Africa. It is the only country in the world in which bonobo are found in the wild. The two species of chimpanzees, along with gorillas, are the closest living evolutionary relatives to humans. Much concern has been raised about Great ape extinction. Because of hunting and habitat destruction, the chimpanzee and the gorilla, both of whose population once numbered in the millions have now dwindled down to only about 200,000 per species. Gorillas and both species of chimpanzee are classified as Endangered by the World Conservation Union, as well as the okapi, which is also native to the area geography. The Okapi ( Okapia johnstoni) is a Mammal native to the Ituri Rainforest, located in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Transport

See: Transport in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

See also

References

Further reading

• Tim Butcher: Blood River - A Journey To Africa's Broken Heart, 2007. Tim Butcher (born 1967 is an English Journalist and Author. Born in Warwickshire, UK, he was educated at Rugby School ISBN 0-701-17981-3
• Wrong, Michela, In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz: Living on the Brink of Disaster in Mobutu's Congo
• Hochschild, Adam, King Leopold's Ghost: A Story of Greed, Terror and Heroism in Colonial Africa, 1998. Adam Hochschild (born 1942 is an American author and journalist King Leopold's Ghost (1998 is a Best-selling Popular history book by Adam Hochschild that explores the exploitation of the Congo Free State
• Renton, David; Seddon, David; Zeilig, Leo. The Congo: Plunder and Resistance, 2007. ISBN 978-1-84277-485-4
• Larémont, Ricardo René, ed. 2005. Borders, nationalism and the African state. Boulder, Colorado and London: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
• Devlin, Larry (2007). Lawrence, known as Larry, Devlin is a retired Central Intelligence Agency (CIA field officer Chief of Station, Congo: A Memoir of 1960-67. New York: PublicAffairs. ISBN 9781586484057.  
• Melvern, Linda, Conspiracy to Murder: The Rwandan Genocide and the International Community. Linda Melvern is a British investigative Journalist. For several years she worked for The Sunday Times (UK including on the investigative Verso, 2004
• Edgerton, Robert, The Troubled Heart of Africa: A History of the Congo. St. Martin's Press, December 2002.
• Lemarchand, Reni and Hamilton, Lee; Burundi: Ethnic Conflict and Genocide. Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 1994.
• 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 978-0980253412; 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 978-0980253429.

External links

• Wikimedia Atlas of Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Democratic Republic of the Congo travel guide from Wikitravel
• Wikia has a wiki on this subject: Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Democratic Republic of the Congo entry at The World Factbook
• Democratic Republic of the Congo at the Open Directory Project
• Sud Kivu - Bukavu, Maniema - Kalima, Nord Katanga - Kalemie, photos & informations - www.3tamis.org
• RD Congo (In French and English)