The Democratic Republic of the Congo was formerly, in chronological order, the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo-Léopoldville, Congo-Kinshasa, and Zaire.
King Leopold II of Belgium established the Congo as a personal possession on February 5, 1885. The Belgian Congo covered an area eighty times that of Belgium.
Leopold's regime began various infrastructure projects, such as construction of the railway that ran from the coast to the capital of Leopoldville (now Kinshasa).
During the period of 1885–1908, millions of Congolese died as a consequence of exploitation and disease. In some areas the population declined dramatically – it has been estimated that sleeping sickness and smallpox killed nearly half the population in the areas surrounding the lower Congo River
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the state that existed between October 27, 1971 and May 17, 1997 in the present Democratic Republic of the Congo. Founded by Mobutu Sese Seko, the name of Zaire derives from the Portuguese: Zaire, itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers."
The Second Congo War, beginning on August 2, 1998, devastated the country. Despite the signing of a peace accord on December 17, 2002, hostilities have continued since in the ongoing Lord's Resistance Army insurgency, and the Kivu and Ituri conflicts.
The war was the world's deadliest conflict since World War II, killing 5.4 million people since 1998. The vast majority died from conditions of malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition.
The flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was adopted on February 20, 2006. The flag features a sky blue field with a yellow bordered diagonal red stripe from the lower hoist-side corner to the upper fly-side corner. The red stripe represents the blood of those who died in the country's struggle for independence, while the yellow symbolizes prosperity. The blue background represents peace and stability.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world.
King Leopold II of Belgium established the Congo as a personal possession on February 5, 1885. The Belgian Congo covered an area eighty times that of Belgium.
Leopold's regime began various infrastructure projects, such as construction of the railway that ran from the coast to the capital of Leopoldville (now Kinshasa).
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| View of Leopoldville Station and Port in 1884. |
During the period of 1885–1908, millions of Congolese died as a consequence of exploitation and disease. In some areas the population declined dramatically – it has been estimated that sleeping sickness and smallpox killed nearly half the population in the areas surrounding the lower Congo River
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| Flag of Zaire |
The Second Congo War, beginning on August 2, 1998, devastated the country. Despite the signing of a peace accord on December 17, 2002, hostilities have continued since in the ongoing Lord's Resistance Army insurgency, and the Kivu and Ituri conflicts.
 |
| Congolese soldier with a PK machine gun photographed near the Rwandan border in 2001 |
The war was the world's deadliest conflict since World War II, killing 5.4 million people since 1998. The vast majority died from conditions of malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition.
The flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo was adopted on February 20, 2006. The flag features a sky blue field with a yellow bordered diagonal red stripe from the lower hoist-side corner to the upper fly-side corner. The red stripe represents the blood of those who died in the country's struggle for independence, while the yellow symbolizes prosperity. The blue background represents peace and stability.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world.
Congo is widely considered one of the world's richest countries in natural resources; its untapped deposits of raw minerals are estimated to be worth in excess of US$24 trillion. Yet, owing to political instability, it remains one of the poorest countries (per capita).
The Democratic Republic of Congo is the world leader in cobalt mining. Southern DRC is estimated to contain 3.4 million tonnes of Colbert deposits - almost half of all the world’s known deposits. Cobalt is highly valued as a necessary component of lithium - ion batteries, used in mobile phones, tablets and electric cars.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is the world leader in cobalt mining. Southern DRC is estimated to contain 3.4 million tonnes of Colbert deposits - almost half of all the world’s known deposits. Cobalt is highly valued as a necessary component of lithium - ion batteries, used in mobile phones, tablets and electric cars.
In a country where three-quarters of the population live on less than $2 a day, the prospect of income from mining cobalt can become all consuming. Informal mines are everywhere. Residents will dig under their own homes and if they have them, gardens in the hope of finding precious metal. People will break into official mines in older to dig, lacking the necessary safety equipment and risking a severe beating if caught.
Child labour is common - of 255,000 miners in the DRC it is estimated that 40,000 are children.
The Congo has access to the Atlantic Ocean through a 23 mile stretch of Atlantic coastline at Muanda and the roughly 5 mile wide mouth of the Congo River which opens into the Gulf of Guinea.
The River Congo, at up to 750ft in depth, is the world's deepest river.
It was the explorer David Livingstone who revealed the full extent of the River Congo.
The spots on the planet with the highest amount of lightning are Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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The River Congo, at up to 750ft in depth, is the world's deepest river.
It was the explorer David Livingstone who revealed the full extent of the River Congo.
The spots on the planet with the highest amount of lightning are Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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