Republic of the Congo

 

Quick Facts

• Continental region –Central Africa
• Currency symbol of Congo – Franc (FC)
• Capital City –Brazzaville
• Official languages –French
• Population –5,553,210 (2020)
• Country dialling code  –  (+242 )
• Official website –Congo
• Top 3 biggest industries  –Petroleum, Minerals, Forests
• Google Maps link – Congo
• Where is it? – Congo is bounded to the northwest by Cameroon, to the north by the Central African Republic, to the east and south by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the southwest by the Angolan exclave of Cabinda, and to the west by Gabon.

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Congo In Pictures

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Congo History

• How did the country get its first name? – Congo was originally part of the Kingdom of Kongo.
• How did the country get its current name? – The country’s name comes from its previous French name République du Congo. 

• When and by whom the country was first discovered? – The Pygmy people are believed to be the earliest inhabitants, dating back to 1500 BC. In 1482–1483, Captain Diogo Cão, sailing southwards on the uncharted Congo River, discovered the mouth of the river, and became the first European to encounter the Kingdom of Kongo. 

• Who were the first Inhabitants? – The Bambuti and Pygmy people are the earliest known inhabitants. Other ethnic groups joined them to form the three kingdoms that ruled the area before the arrival of Europeans: the Kongo, Loango, and Teke.
• When it was first recognized as a country? – The Republic of the Congo was established on 28 November 1958 and gained independence from France in 1960. It was a Marxist–Leninist state from 1969 to 1992, under the name People’s Republic of the Congo.
• Who was the first leader of the country? – Joseph Kasa-Vubu, alternatively Joseph Kasavubu, (1910 [other sources have 1913, 1915 and 1917] – 24 March 1969) was the first President of the Congo-Léopoldville (1960–65), today the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Five Significant Events

1. 1200s Rise of Kongo Empire: Rise of Kongo empire, centred in modern northern Angola and including extreme western Congo and territories round lakes Kisale and Upemba in central Katanga (now Shaba). (https://guyanachronicle.com/2017/08/02/dr-congo-facts-and-figures/)
2. 16th-17th Centuries Slave Trade: British, Dutch, Portuguese and French merchants engage in slave trade through Kongo intermediaries. (https://www.britannica.com/place/Benin/History)
3. 1885 Congo Free State:  Leopold announces the establishment of the Congo Free State, headed by himself. (https://sites.psu.edu/thisweekinhistory/2014/02/06/the-establishment-of-the-congo-free-state/)
4. 1960 Independence: Congo becomes independent with Patrice Lumumba as prime minister and Joseph Kasavubu as president. (https://www.barrons.com/news/sixty-years-since-historic-lumumba-speech-launched-congo-independence-01593401408)
5. 1999 Signing of Ceasefire: The six African countries involved in the war sign a ceasefire accord in Lusaka. The following month the Congolese Liberation Movement (MLC) rebels supported by Uganda and Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD) rebels backed by Rwanda also sign. (http://www.srcharitycinti.org/opjcc/images/congo/Congo-Timeline.pdf)

Five Places to Visit in Congo

1. Basilique St. Anne: Basilica St. Anne built by France between 1936 and 1949 The Basilica was built by France during and after World War II. It is a cross shaped building with striking green roof and interesting doors glad with sculpted copper. (https://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction_Review-g294189-d481208-Reviews-Basilique_St_Anne-Brazzaville.html)
2. Musée National du Congo: The National Museum of the Democratic Republic of Congo is a museum for the cultural history of the numerous ethnic groups and historical epochs of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the capital Kinshasa. (https://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction_Review-g294189-d481230-Reviews-Musee_National_du_Congo_National_Museum_of_Congo-Brazzaville.html)
3. Musee Cercle African: The Musée du Cercle Africain was inaugurated on 3 December in Pointe Noire, Congo, becoming the city’s first museum. The structure comprising a large central hall, some smaller rooms on the sides and a large open space has been completely renovated by Eni Congo and set up with a permanent collection of masks, statues and ritual objects. (https://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction_Review-g317073-d15610699-Reviews-Musee_Cercle_Africain-Pointe_Noire_Pointe_Noire_Department.html)
4. Nature and Parks in Pointe Noire: In Nature of the Republic of the Congo you can find links to nature related websites, like on birding, birdwatching, general ornithology, nature, nature conservation, national parks, protected areas, nature reserves, etc. (https://www.tripadvisor.in/Attractions-g317073-Activities-c57-Pointe_Noire_Pointe_Noire_Department.html)
5. Mâ-Loango Regional Museum: The Mâ-Loango museum in Diosso a major center for preserving the memory of the Republic of the Congo. With support from Total, a new complex has been built to carry on the institution’s legacy. (https://www.tripadvisor.in/Attraction_Review-g317073-d3782949-Reviews-Ma_Loango_Regional_Museum-Pointe_Noire_Pointe_Noire_Department.html)

 References: 

• https://currencyname.com/congo/#:~:text=The%20local%20money%20used%20in%20Congo%20is%20Franc.,5%2C%2010%2C%2020%2C%2050%2C%20100%2C%20200%2C%20500%20francs.
• https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-languages-are-spoken-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo.html
• https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/congo-population/
• https://www.howtocallabroad.com/congo/
• https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-are-the-biggest-industries-in-the-republic-of-the-congo.html
• https://www.britannica.com/place/Republic-of-the-Congo
• https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13286306