Quick Facts
- Continental region – Central Africa
- Currency symbol of DR Congo –Congolese Franc (CDF)
- Capital City –Kinshasa
- Official languages –French
- Population – 90,310,635 (2020)
- Country dialling code – (+243 )
- Official website – DR Congo
- Top 3 biggest industries –Mining, Agriculture, Fishing
- Google Maps link –DR Congo
- Where is it? –Congo is bounded to the north by the Central African Republic and South Sudan; to the east by Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and Tanzania; to the southeast by Zambia; and to the southwest by Angola.
DR Congo In Pictures
DR Congo History
- How did the country get its first name? – The country’s first name was The Congo Free State, so named by Leopold II, the Belgian king who had agreed to privately own the island at the Berlin Conference.
- How did the country get its current name? – The is named after the Congo River, so named by the European sailors after the Kingdom of Kongo. . Following the overthrow of Mobutu in 1997, the country’s name prior to 1971, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was reinstated.
- When and by whom the country was first discovered? – The area was occupied by the Bantu people during the first millennium BC. In 1870, explorer Henry Morton Stanley arrived in and explored what is now the DC Congo.
- Who were the first Inhabitants? –The Pygmies, having arrived possibly during the Upper Paleolithic Period, are thought to have been the earliest inhabitants of the DR Congo.
- When it was first recognized as a country?– 24 June 1960, the country gained its independence under the name “Democratic Republic of the Congo”
- Who was the first leader of the country? – Patrice Lumumba was the first Prime Minister.
Five Significant Events
- 1200s Rise of Congo 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. (https://guyanachronicle.com/2017/08/02/dr-congo-facts-and-figures/)
- 1482: Rise of Kongo empire, centred in modern northern Angola and including extreme western Congo and territories round lakes Kisale and Upemba in central Katanga (http://www.srcharitycinti.org/opjcc/images/congo/Congo-Timeline.pdf)
- 1885 Leopold establishment in Kongo: Leopold announces the establishment of the Congo Free State, headed by himself. (https://thetenurefacility.org/timeline/the-democratic-republic-of-congo-drc/)
- 1960 UN Security Council send Trops to DR Congo: UN Security Council votes to send in troops to help establish order, but the troops are not allowed to intervene in internal affairs. (http://www.hudsonfla.com/acongo.htm)
- 2000 UN force to monitor the ceasefire: UN Security Council authorises a 5,500-strong UN force to monitor the ceasefire but fighting continues between rebels and government forces, and between Rwandan and Ugandan force. (https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-independance)
Five Places to Visit in DR Congo
- Kinshasa: It’s chaotic and buzzing with energy and really huge – with over ten million residents. Established by Henry Stanley in the late 19th century as a trading post it’s now likened to an African New York City. Enjoy a boat ride on the Congo or a BBQ picnic on its shores. (https://dem-group.com/en/congo-kinshasa/)
- Lola Ya Bonobo: Lola Ya Bonobo is a sanctuary for orphaned bonobos and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Kinshasa area. The bonobos are hunted for bush meat, and when a mother is killed, the babies are often taken and sold on the black market as pets. (https://www.lolayabonobo.org/)
- Kahuzi Biega National Park: Named after the 3,000+ metre Mt. Kahuzi and the 2,700+ metre Mt. Biega this spectacular national park is located in the South Kivu Province and stretches from the Congo River basin to Bukavu. Kahuzi and Biega are extinct volcanoes that now afford some incredible hiking. (https://naturalworldheritagesites.org/sites/kahuzi-biega-national-park/)
- Lake Kivu: Straddling the border between the DRC and Rwanda, Lake Kivu is the sixth largest lake in Africa. One of a series of freshwater lakes in the region, Lake Kivu offers lovely scenic drives between the towns that dot her shores. (https://lackivulodge.com/)
- Garamba National Park: His national park is filled with unending grasslands and savannahs. And these are filled with elephants, giraffes, hippos, black rhinos, and white rhinos. Garamba National Park is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site and an amazing sanctuary for several endangered species. (https://www.africanparks.org/the-parks/garamba)
References:
- https://www1.oanda.com/currency/iso-currency-codes/CDF#:~:text=The%20official%20currency%20of%20the%20Democratic%20Republic%20of,the%20second%20edition%20is%20the%20new%20Congolese%20Franc.
- https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-languages-are-spoken-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo.html
- https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/dr-congo-population
- https://howtophoneto.com/democratic-republic-of-the-congo/
- https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-are-the-biggest-industries-in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo.html
- https://www.britannica.com/place/Democratic-Republic-of-the-Congo
- https://www.britannica.com/place/Democratic-Republic-of-the-Congo/History
- https://www.britannica.com/place/Democratic-Republic-of-the-Congo
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joseph-Kasavubu
- http://www.congoreformassociation.org/congo-timeline
- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13286306
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