Country Profile

An Introduction to the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The geographic area now known as the DRC has undergone numerous name changes in its long and tumultuous history, including Congo, Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, and Zaire. Since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960, a series of ongoing conflict-both internal and external- has afflicted socio-political and economic development of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The most recent conflict has been said to be the deadliest war since World War II, taking the lives of over 5.4 million Congolese (from fighting and disease) and displacing over 1.7 million. As a result, children are being born into war and a landscape of political instability, where they face challenges to meet basic needs in food, health care and education.
From the 14th to the 18th century, the Kingdom of Kongo was one of the most powerful regimes on the African continent. As European colonialism spread across the world in the 18th and 19th centuries, Congo was ruled by the small nation of Belgium, exacting a brutal toll on its people, culture and resources.

A Short History

Since the nation gained its independence in 1960, the democratic foundation of the nation has been constantly challenged. The nation's first Prime Minister, Patrick Lumumba, was assassinated shortly after gaining power. His predecessor, Joseph Mobutu, changed the nation's name from Congo to Zaire, and ruled the nation for the next 32 years to the tune of rigged elections and brute force. In 1996, in the wake of the Rwandan genocide and impacted by the masses of displaced refugees crossing into Zaire, the country descended into full-scale war - the deadliest in the world since World War II, with some 5.4 million lives lost. A sickly Mobutu himself was overthrown by regionally supported rebel forces, and conflict ensured for the following seven years, until a fragile peace accord was signed in 2003. The newly named Democratic Republic of the Congo is presently under the leadership of Joseph Kabila. 

Today, significant challenges remain in the DRC. Stability and opportunity, while fleeting, have slowly improved since the turn of the new century. Human rights violations remain all too common: Gender-based violence rates remain among the highest in the world, its vast amounts of natural resources (the DRC has some of the richest cobalt, coltan, gold, diamond, and rubber stocks in the world) have yet to result in beneficial returns for much of its populations, and health and education levels remain comparatively low.

Geography

  • The DRC is located in Central Africa and is the second largest country on the continent (after Algeria).
  • It is roughly the size of the United States east of the Mississippi River.
  • DRC shares borders with Angola, Zambia, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, Central African Republic, and the Republic of the Congo.
  • While it has a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean, the DRC has the deepest-running river system in the world.
  • The DRC has an active volcano, Nyiragongo, which last erupted in 2002, and continues to experience ongoing activity.

People

  • The total population of the DRC is almost 72 million people, the 19th largest population in the world.
  • The median age is 17.4 years old, making the Congolese one of the 'youngest' nations on the globe!
  • 95% of the population is black, with the remaining 5% mixed and white.
  • French is the official language of the DRC.
  • Roughly 50% of the population is Roman Catholic, 20% Protestant, 10% Muslim, and 10% Kimpanguist. 
  • 67.2% of the total population is literate (age 15 and over who can read and write).

Government

  • The official full name of the DRC is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, not to be confused with its smaller neighbor, The Republic of the Congo.
  • The capital is Kinshasa, situated in the West of the country.
  • The executive branch is composed of a chief of state, head of government, and cabinet, while a legislature consists of a Senate and a National Assembly, and the judicial branch is composed of a Constitutional Court, Appeals Court, and High Military Court.
  • DRC celebrates its Independence Day (from Belgium in 1960) on June 30 every year. 

Economy

  • 71% of the population lives at or below the poverty line.
  • The major agricultural products include coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, cotton, and cocoa.
  • The major industries include mining (particularly diamond, gold, copper, and coltan), mineral processing, and consumer products.
  • The DRC's major exporters are China (41%), Zambia (18%), US (12%) and Belgium (8.6%).

Transnational Issues

  • Regional conflict remains a challenge in some parts of the country. Members of Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army continue to seek refuge in the Congo's dense forested areas. 
  • Peacekeepers from the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) maintain order in the northeastern regions of the country. 
  • An estimated 1.4 million people live as internationally displaced persons (IDPs).
  • Gender-based violence has been a tool of warfare in the country and continue to be a problem in many areas.