 | WARNING: The Democratic Republic of the Congo remains one of the least developed countries in Africa and a significant part of the country is unsafe for any tourism or sightseeing. Apart from operational conflicts, the country has very limited medical care and tourism facilities, even by African standards. The North and South Kivu area has been in a state of constant conflict since the early 1990s. In 2012, a new rebel faction-"M23" was formed and has since gone in to capture/ton attacked several towns in the region, creating the most serious crisis since the end of the Second Congo War in 2003. The faction has been accused of killing civilians and raping women. In November 2012, the rebels took over Goma-the largest city in the region, forcing hundreds of thousands of civilians and refugees to flee the city. The North/South Kivu area should be considered out of bounds by all visitors, except aid/humanitarian workers whose sponsors are acutely aware of the risks. The northeast of the country, just about everywhere north and east of the cities of Kisangani & Buma is unsafe due to active rebel groups responsible for low levels of violence. Those traveling for business, research, or international aid purposes should consult with their organization and seek professional guidance before planning a trip. Solo travelers should consult the advice of your embassies for any travel to the DRC outside of Kinshasa and Bas-Congo (crime is a very serious problem in Kinshasa, though. ) and the vicinity of Lubumbashi. (Updated November 2012) |
| Government travel advisories: • Canada • New Zealand • United Kingdom • USA |
| Location | |
 | |
| Ensign | |
 | |
| Basic information | |
| Capital | Kinshasa |
| Currency | Congolese franc (CDF) |
| Population | 62,660,551 (July 2006 estimate) |
| Power system | 220V/50Hz (European plug) |
| Phone number | 243 |
| time zone | UTC 1 - UTC 2 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country belonging to Africa. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is also known as the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo-Leopoldville, or Congo-Kinshasa because its capital is Kinshasa, or Zaire (or Zaïre in English). France).
overview
It is the second largest country in Africa by area. Although located in the Central African subregion as defined by the United Nations, the country is often referred to as Southern Africa because it is a member of the Development Community. South Africa (SADC). The country shares borders with the Central African Republic and South Africa Sudan in the north, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania in the East, Zambia and Angola to the south, and the Republic of the Congo to the west. The country has a coastline of only 40 km in Muanola, of which about 9 km is the mouth of the Congo River which empties into the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean. The name Congo (literally: Hunter) is named after the Kongo ethnic group living in the Congo River basin.
Originally a colony of Belgium (Belgian Congo), this country gained independence in 1960, named "Republic of the Congo" until October 1, 1971, when President Mobutu changed its name to Zaire. Portuguese pronunciation of Kikogo's Nzere or Nzadi, translated as "The river that swallows all rivers". After the First Congo War toppled Mobutu in 1997, the country was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo. From 1998 to 2003, the country suffered greatly from the devastation of the Second Congo War (sometimes called the World War in Africa).
Region
| Western DRC (Kinshasa) capital Kinshasa and is the only gateway of this country. Mainly tropical forests and grasslands. |
| Katanga mainly fertile plateau good for agriculture. |
| Kasai significant but not much diamond mining area. |
| Kivu (Bukavu, Goma, Kahuzi-Biega National Park,Virunga National Park,) influenced by neighboring countries Burundi, Rwanda, & Uganda This area is famous for its volcanoes. |
| Congo Basin (Garamba National Park, Maiko National Park, Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Salonga National Park) The territory of DRC is famous for the second largest tropical jungle in the world after the Amazon. |
City
Other destinations
Many national parks are recognized by UNESCO:
- Virunga National Park
- Kahuzi-Biega . National Park
- Garamba . National Park
- Salonga . National Park
- Okapi . National Park Wildlife Sanctuary
- Maiko National Park