 WARNING: The Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised against unnecessary travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo with reference to the security situation. |
| The Democratic Republic of Kongo | |||
Location  | |||
Weapon & Flag
| |||
| Capital | Kinshasa | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Government | Parliamentary democracy | ||
| Currency | Congolese franc (CDF) | ||
| Surface | 2,345,410 | ||
| Population | 55,225,478 | ||
| Language | French, Lingala, Swahili, Kikongo, Kingwana, | ||
| Area code | 243 | ||
| TLD | .cd | ||
| Time zones | UTC 1 / UTC 2 | ||
The Democratic Republic of Kongo is a country in Central Africa. The country touches the Atlantic through a corridor to the west and borders Republic of the Congo in the northwest, central African Republic in the north, Sudan in the northeast. To the east, the country borders Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania in order from north to south. To the southeast, the country borders Zambia and to the south to Angola.
Planning before the trip
It is important to familiarize yourself with the current political situation in Congo and study the latest developments. The ceasefire that prevails in the country is very fragile and a new conflict can easily flare up. Vaccination is a must. mainly against malaria but also against other tropical diseases.
To take with you to the Democratic Republic of Congo
To bring with you from the Democratic Republic of Congo
Facts about the Democratic Republic of Congo
History
The country was colonized by Leopold II in the 1880s and was run - with bestial cruelty - more or less as a private property until Belgium took over responsibility for the area in 1908. After that, the country was a colony until July 30, 1960, when proclaimed the Republic of Congo. The country fell into civil war, which lasted for almost the entire 1960s and resulted in a military coup Joseph-Désiré Mobutu president, a post he held until 1997 when the later president Laurent Kabila with the help of Rwandan and Angolan troops seized power. Kabila never gained control of the various militia groups that ravaged the country and was assassinated in January 2001. His son, Joseph Kabila took over the presidency and has worked out several peace agreements that made it possible to hold general elections in 2006. Kabila emerged victorious from the second round of elections and is now president.
The locals
There are over 250 ethnic groups in the country, mainly various Bantu people. The three largest tribes that make up 45% of the population are Mongo, Luba and Bakongo.
Climate
The country has a tropical climate and large parts are covered by lush rainforests. Above all, these rainforests are found in the northern and eastern parts of the country, nourished by the great Congo River. In the south and southwest there are savannas.
Holidays
Regions
There are ten regions in the country.
Cities
- Kinshasa - the capital city
- Lubumbashi
- Kisangani
Getting to the Democratic Republic of Congo
- South African Airlines and Kenyan Airlines have regular flights to Kinshasa.
- Air France and SN Brussels have a total of eight flights a week. The cheapest is often to fly with Ethiopian Airlines. Avoid domestic Congolese airlines as these are almost always very unsafe due to lack of control of aircraft and crew.
On weekdays there are ferries between Brazzaville and Kinshasa about every two hours.
Relocation in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Payment
Accommodation
Food and drinks
To see
To do
Work
Communication
Security
The Democratic Republic of Congo should be considered a high-risk destination, especially outside the capital Kinshasa. Various rebel groups operate in parts of eastern Congo, especially North Kivu, South Kivu and the Ituri region in eastern Equateur. Crime is high and tourists are seen as easy victims. Therefore, do not walk alone at night. Warning also for public transport, at best safety equipment is poor - mostly non-existent.