• The Democratic Republic of Congo is a large country in Africa. It has borders with nine other countries-Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia-all of which have been drawn into its conflicts. An estimated 5.5 million people died in conflicts in the Congo between 1998 and 2004. Irish Times: Crisis in the Congo (November 4, 2008)

• Fast Facts

  1. Nationality: Congolese
  2. Current population is 66 million (2008) U.S. Department of State: Background Note...
  3. More than 200 African ethnic groups make up the Congo
  4. Religions: Christian 70%; Kimbanguist 10%; other sects and traditional beliefs 10%; Muslim 10% U.S. Department of State: Background Note...
  5. Official Language is French National languages (Lingala, Swahili, Kikongo, Tshiluba)
  6. Literacy rate in 2004 was 65.5% in French or local language U.S. Department of State: Background Note...
  7. Average life expectancy is 46.1 yrs U.S. Department of State: Background Note...
  8. Government is a Republic, highly centralized with executive power vested in the president
  9. Officially colonized in 1885 as a personal possession of Belgian King Leopold II as the Congo Free State
  10. In 1907, administration shifted to the Belgian Government, which renamed the country the Belgian Congo
  11. Received Independence from Belgium on June 40, 1960 U.S. Department of State: Background Note...
  12. A new constitution was promulgated in a ceremony on February 18, 2006 U.S. Department of State: Background Note...
  13. Natural resources include copper, cobalt, diamonds, gold, petroleum, wood, hydroelectric potential
  14. Agriculture cash crops include coffee, rubber, palm oil, cotton, cocoa, sugar, tea
  15. Food crops include manioc, corn, legumes, plantains, peanuts
  16. Industries include processed and unprocessed minerals; consumer products, including textiles, plastics, footwear, and cigarettes
  17. Currency: Congolese franc (FC)
  18. Trade Exports (2006): $1.587 billion U.S. Department of State: Background Note...
  19. Trade partners: EU, Japan, South Africa, U.S., China.
  20. Imports: $2.263 billion U.S. Department of State: Background Note...

• Conflicts in the Congo

  In 2003 the Democratic Republic of Congo emerged from what has been called “Africa’s first world war”. This latest major conflict in DR Congo was sparked when Joseph Kabila moved to purge Rwandans from government. Rebel groups, including former Rwandan-backed Tutsi and Hutu militias continued to fight for land and resources. Violence halted in 2003 after three-month French-led emergency mission under EU authority, after the UN failed to contain clashes.International Crisis Group: DR Cong In November 2008, following the collapse of an agreement reached earlier this year and the renewed outbreak of fighting around the eastern town of Goma, there is a real danger that the regional wars in DR Congo will resume. Already a quarter of a million people have been displaced from their homes. Many of those responsible the wars in the late 1990s fled to the eastern Congolese province of Kivu, where their presence has been contested by Gen Laurent Nkunda, a regional Tutsi leader whose military power is at the center of these latest events. Gen Nkunda is now demanding direct negotiations with DR Congo President, Joseph Kabila. The British and French foreign ministers visited the region at the end of October and are putting pressure on the African Union to mediate the conflict and want to strengthen the existing 17,000 UN force in Congo. Irish Times: Crisis in the Congo (November 4, 2008)

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  Angola | Burundi | Central African Republic | Sudan | Rwanda | Tanzania | Uganda | Zambia | Africa | Copper | Diamonds | Gold

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