Democratic Republic of the CongoIs locatedCentral AfricaA country ofDemocratic Congo、Congo (Kinshasa), Use the capital to distinguish countries with similar namesthe republic of Congo. Old nameZaire, The capital isKinshasa. The country has a land area of approximately 2.345 million square kilometers, which isAfricaThe second largest and the eleventh largest country in the world. With a population of more than 71 million, the world’s nineteenth most populous country, the fourth most populous country in Africa, and the officialFrenchThe most populous country.
Democratic Congo was originallyBelgiumColony, then calledBelgian Congo. Independence in February 1960. On August 1, 1964, the country was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo. On October 27, 1971, the country was renamed the Republic of Zaire. On May 17, 1997, the armed forces of the Democratic Forces of the Liberation of the Congo led by Ron Kabila captured the capital Kinshasa, announced the inauguration of the president, and restored the country’s name. For the Democratic Republic of the Congo to this day.
The Second Congolese War began in 1998 and devastated the country. It is also called "Africa's World War" because it involved 9 African countries and about 20 armed forces. Despite the signing of a peace agreement in 2003, fighting continues in the eastern part of the country. In eastern Congo, the incidence of rape and other sexual violence is described as the highest in the world. This war is the fiercest in the world since World War II, with 5.4 million deaths since 1998. The vast majority of deaths were caused by malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition.
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area
| West Congo（Kinshasa） capitalKinshasaIt is located in the only area in the country with an outlet to the sea, but this area is mainly composed of tropical forests and pastures. |
| Catanga Agriculture is dominated here, but there are also many retrievable minerals. |
| Kick off The main diamond mining area. |
| Kivu（Bukavu，Goma，Kahuz-bega national park，Virunga National Park） Neighboring countriesUganda、Luanda、BurundiThe influence of this area is famous for its volcanoes, mountain gorillas, and the incomprehensible war. |
| Congo Basin（Garamba National Park，Majko National Park，㺢㹢狓 Wildlife Sanctuary，Salonga National Park） It has the second largest forest in the world after the Amazon forest. |
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- Kinshasa -The capital of the country
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- See:Theater security
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is still one of the least developed countries in Africa. A large part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is not suitable for any tourism or sightseeing. In addition to the active conflict, the country’s health and tourism facilities are very limited, even by African standards.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo sees more than just its share of violence. Since independence, there have been some continuous wars, conflicts and fighting incidents, and sporadic regional violence continues today. Therefore, most areas of the country should be considered forbidden to travellers.
In the northeastern part of the country, the Lord’s Resistance Army (known for its child soldiers and "Koni") continues to approachSouth SudanSouth andUgandaWandering in the jungle on the border. Although some areas near the Uganda border are relatively safe,KisanganiwithBambaTraveling anywhere to the north and east is dangerous.
North Kivu and South Kivu have been in a state of ongoing conflict since the early 1990s. The notorious and bloody violence occurred during the first and second Congolese war (during the war, 5 million people died in the fighting or The disease/famine caused by this) was officially ended in 2003 with a peace treaty. However, since then, low-level violence has occurred under the instigation of several warlords/factions, and the area is home to the largest UN peacekeeping mission in the world (as of 2012). Hundreds of thousands of people live in refugee camps near Goma. In April 2012, a new faction "M23" led by General Ntaganda (wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes) emerged and occupied/attacked many towns in the region. They were accused of killing civilians and raping women. This is the most serious crisis since the end of the war in 2003. In mid-July, they threatened to invade Goma to protect the Tutsi people there from "harassment"; the UN peacekeeping mission responded quickly and they will redeploy 19,000 peacekeepers to protect Goma and nearby refugee camps. It remains to be seen how serious the threat of the war in Goma is. The BBC report) The only safe areas in North Kivu/South Kivu are the cities of Goma and Bukavu and the Virunga National Park on the border of Rwanda.
However, the danger faced by tourists goes far beyond conflict. existSomaliaAfter that, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is likely to be the least developed country in Africa. The road network is terrible, and long-distance road trips can take several weeks, especially in wetter months. Even the "main" roads in some countries are nothing but dirt roads and can only be driven by 4x4 or 6x6 trucks. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has only 2,250 kilometers of closed roads, of which the United Nations considers only 1,226 kilometers to be in "good" condition. From this perspective, the road distance from east to west in any direction across the country is more than 2500 kilometers (for example, the road distance from Matadi to Lubumbashi is 2700 kilometers)! Another comparison is that there are only 35 kilometers of paved roads per 100,000 people, while Zambia (one of the poorest countries in Africa) and Botswana (one of the richest countries) have 580 kilometers and 3,427 kilometers per 100,000 people, respectively. Public transportation is almost non-existent. The main mode of travel is to take an overloaded old truck, and several passengers can sit on the cargo. This is dangerous.
The pattern of plane crashes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is depressing, with 8 plane crashes recorded in 2007 alone. Nevertheless, the risks of air travel are still the same as those of road, barge or rail travel. The infamous Hewa Bora Airlines has ceased operations and created a handful of new airlines between 2010 and 2012, which will help improve air travel safety in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Please avoid at all costs before useSoviet UnionThese aircraft are usually chartered to carry cargo, may be one or two passengers, and are consistent with the commercial airlines operating the new aircraft. If you are still afraid of flying Congo and don’t worry about the cost, you can try to fly Kenya Airways (to Kinshasa,LubumbashiwithKisangani) Or Ethiopian Airlines (Kinshasa, Lubumbashi) and other foreign airlines. Just make sure to check the transitvisaRequire.
Traveling by riverboat or barge still has certain risks, although it is safer than roads. Overcrowded barges sank and old ships sailing along the Congo River capsized, killing hundreds of people. Before taking the boat, take a look at the boat you are going to board. If you feel unsafe, it is best to wait for the next boat, even if you have to wait a few days. Most of the country’s rail network has been in disrepair for many years, and since the Belgians left, there has been little maintenance. There have been several derailment accidents, resulting in a large number of casualties. The train in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is also overloaded, don't even think about sitting on the roof with the locals!
Crime is a serious problem in most parts of the country. During the decline years of Mobutu’s rule, Kinshasa was one of the cities with the highest murder rate in the world.IraqDuring the warBaghdadComparable! Although the violence has greatly subsided, Kinshasa is still a city with a high crime rate (andLagosorAbidjanquite). Pickpockets are everywhere in the markets of big cities. Remember, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is still one of the poorest countries in Africa. Compared with the locals, every white person is considered rich. Beware of thieves in public places. If you travel in remote areas, small villages are usually safer than large villages. Hotel rooms outside of large cities often do not have adequate security (such as weak locks on doors, or floor windows without locks or curtains).
Taking pictures in public may raise suspicions. According to some people, taking pictures in the Democratic Republic of the Congo requires an official permit. In fact, they may be difficult or impossible to find or obtain. Do not photograph anything that may be considered a national security threat, such as bridges, roadblocks, border crossings, and government buildings.
In addition, the health care infrastructure/facilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo are very poor. Outside of the capital Kinshasa, there are few hospitals or clinics for sick or injured travelers. If you are traveling on an isolated muddy road in this country or along the Congo River, you may be away from the nearest clinic or hospital for more than a week!
Those visiting for business, research or international assistance purposes should consult their organization and seek expert guidance before planning a trip. Passengers travelling to the Democratic Republic of the Congo on their own should consult the embassy of your country if they need to go there.