The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

The Domocratic Republic of Congo (DRC)DR Congo is a vast country. Around the size of western Europe, it could be one of the richest African nations, by virtue of it’s natural resources. Its mineral wealth is unique, as is the colossal Congo river and immense swathes of virgin tropical forest. In terms of biodiversity, DR Congo is truly an African ‘hotspot’.

Unfortunately, DR Congo has been dogged by war, ethnic strife and civil unrest for decades. Corruption and lawlessness have led to many of DR Congo’s resources being illegally exploited. Its people suffer from extreme poverty and have endured decades of fighting, particularly in the east of the country. There is a long and complex history of major human conflict and exploitation in DR Congo that can best be explored further, via the links given at the end of the page.

The smiling faces of children and the bright colourful clothing seen everywhere belies the desperate struggle many communities continue to face. The resilience and strength shown by so many, is sobering.

Children of the Domocratic Republic of CongoDo take the opportunity to discover more about DR Congo, its people, cultures and wildlife. It is a breathtakingly beautiful nation with communities that deserve long term peace and security.

 

 

Fact File

The Domocratic Republic of Congo (DRC) - MAP
Virunga National Park in the east of the country, with villages and the Mikeno sector marked. Kinshasa, the capital, in the far west of DR Congo.

 

Area: 2.34 million square kilometres or 905,354 square miles

Population: estimated at 59 million, 8m in the capital Kinshasa

 Terrain: vast low lying central area, mountains in the east

Climate: tropical, hot and humid - variations north and south of the equator

Land use: arable land 2.96% / permanent crops 0.52% / other 96.52%

Natural resources: cobalt, copper, cadmium, petroleum, diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, hydropower, timber

Industries: mining, mineral processing, consumer products, cement

Agricultural products: coffee, sugar, palm oil, rubber, tea, quinine, cassava, bananas, root crops, corn, fruit, wood products

Economy: drastically declined since mid 1980’s; increasing external debt; since 1998 foreign businesses have withdrawn due to the difficult and dangerous operating environment; raging inflation, uncertain legal framework and corruption all intensified by ongoing conflict

Government type: dictatorship until democratically elected government in 2006

Independence: 30th June 1960 from Belgium

Capital: Kinshasa

Currency: Congolese franc

A brief overview of conflict in DR Congo:

  • 1960 – gained independence from Belgium

  • 1965 - Mobutu seized power, later renaming the country Zaire and himself Mobutu Sese Seko. He is said to have made Zaire ‘synonymous with corruption’

  • 1990-94 - The Rwandan civil war and Rwandan genocide in 1994 sent over a million refugees fleeing into eastern DRC and subsequent dismantling of the refugee camps in 1996 led again, to colossal population movements across the DRC/Rwandan border

  • 1997 - Mobutu Sese Seko was toppled in May by a rebellion led by Laurent Kabila

  • 1998 - Kabila’s regime was soon challenged by a Rwandan and Ugandan backed rebellion in August 1998. This spawned a largely unreported regional war, involving eight African nations. The DRC became a vast battleground

  • 2001 - Laurent Kabila was assassinated in January, with his son Joseph Kabila named Head of State in August 2001. Despite taking a very different stance from his father, the new president was equally unsuccessful in ending the war

  • In what has been termed ‘Africa’s world war’, 1.8m Congolese were displaced and all told, an estimated 3.5 m people died

  • 2003 - Despite a peace deal and the formation of a transitional government, civil war threatens to re-emerge in the east of the country

  • 2006 – Joseph Kabila is the first democratically elected President of DR Congo

  • 2008 - Coup attempts and sporadic violence heralded renewed fighting in the eastern part of the country, with Rwandan Hutu militias clashing with government forces in April, displacing thousands of civilians

  • 2008 – militia under the command of General Laurent Nkunda had signed a peace deal with the government in January, but fighting began again in August. Nkunda's forces advanced on the provincial capital Goma in October / November 2008, but did not take the city

  • 2009 – the DRC government invited troops from Rwanda to help mount a joint operation against the Rwandan Hutu militias active in eastern DR Congo

Today, eastern DR Congo is still plagued by militia violence and the DRC hosts MONUC, the UN's largest ever peacekeeping mission.

DRC Paulin Ngobobo and UN Commander shake hands Paulin Ngobobo and UN Commander shake hands at Rumangabo HQ. The UN occasionally assists the rangers if the situation on the ground is particularly dangerous.


For maps and further information go to:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1076794.stm
or
www.fco.gov.uk and search for Democratic Republic of Congo. There are links to sections on history, geography, politics, economy, international relations and trade and investment.


courtesy of gorila.cd