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| official_name = Democratic Republic of the Congo
| official_name = Democratic Republic of the Congo
| native_name = République démocratique du Congo
| native_name = République démocratique du Congo
| flag_image = Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.svg
| flag_image = Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.jpg
| flag_alt = National flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| flag_alt = National flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| flag_caption = Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
| flag_caption = Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Latest revision as of 16:29, 28 September 2026


Democratic Republic of the Congo
Country

National flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Official name
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Native name
République démocratique du Congo


Motto
Justice – Paix – Travail
Anthem
Debout Congolais
Capital
Kinshasa
Largest city
Kinshasa
Continent
Africa
Region
Central Africa
Official languages
French
Recognized languages
Kikongo, Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba
Demonym
Congolese
Government
Semi-presidential republic
President
Félix Tshisekedi
Prime Minister
Judith Suminwa Tuluka
Legislature
Parliament
Formation
Independence from Belgium, 30 June 1960
Area
2,345,410 km²


Population
112,832,473(2025)




Currency
Congolese franc(CDF)
Time zone
UTC+1 to UTC+2
Driving side
Right
Calling code
+243
Internet TLD
.cd
ISO alpha-2
CD
ISO alpha-3
COD
ISO numeric
180
Coordinates
2°53′S 23°39′E



The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a country in Central Africa. It is the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa by land area and one of the largest countries on the African continent. Its capital and largest city is Kinshasa, situated on the Congo River opposite Brazzaville, the capital of the neighboring Republic of the Congo. The country has a short Atlantic coastline in the west and extends eastward across the Congo Basin to the African Great Lakes region.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo covers about 2.35 million square kilometres. The United Nations reported a surface area of 2,345,410 square kilometres, while the World Bank estimated its population at 112,832,473 in 2025.[1][2]

The country is exceptionally rich in natural resources. It contains major deposits of copper, cobalt and other minerals, large areas of arable land, substantial hydroelectric potential and part of the world's second-largest tropical rainforest.[3] Despite these resources, poverty, infrastructure shortages, political instability and prolonged armed conflict have constrained development, particularly in eastern parts of the country.[3]

French is the official language. The constitution recognizes Kikongo, Lingala, Swahili and Tshiluba as national languages.[4]

Name

The country's name distinguishes it from the neighboring Republic of the Congo, whose capital is Brazzaville. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is also commonly abbreviated as the DRC and is sometimes informally called Congo-Kinshasa to distinguish it from Congo-Brazzaville.

The modern state has used several names. After independence in 1960 it was known as the Republic of the Congo, often distinguished as Congo-Léopoldville. It later became the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was renamed Zaire in 1971, and returned to the name Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1997.[5]

History

Early societies and kingdoms

The territory of the modern Democratic Republic of the Congo has been inhabited by numerous peoples for centuries. Political societies and kingdoms developed in different parts of the region, including the Kingdom of Kongo in the west and several Luba- and Lunda-associated states farther inland.

European exploration and commercial penetration of the Congo Basin increased during the nineteenth century. By the late nineteenth century, the region came under the personal control of Belgium's King Leopold II as the Congo Free State. Belgian state control replaced Leopold's personal rule in 1908, creating the Belgian Congo.

Independence and Congo Crisis

The Belgian Congo became independent from Belgium on 30 June 1960. Independence was followed by severe political instability, military mutinies, regional secession movements and international intervention during the period commonly known as the Congo Crisis.

The new state joined the United Nations on 20 September 1960.[6]

Mobutu era and Zaire

Joseph-Désiré Mobutu, later known as Mobutu Sese Seko, seized power in 1965. His government centralized political authority and introduced an authenticity campaign intended to replace many colonial-era names and symbols. The country was renamed the Republic of Zaire in 1971.[5]

Mobutu remained in power for more than three decades. His rule ended in 1997 when forces led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila entered Kinshasa during the First Congo War. The country then resumed the name Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Congo wars and political transition

Conflict continued after the fall of Mobutu. The Second Congo War, beginning in 1998, involved the Congolese government, rebel movements and several neighboring states. The war and related violence produced severe humanitarian consequences across the country.

A political transition followed agreements reached in the early 2000s. The current constitutional framework emerged from the inter-Congolese political process and the Global and Inclusive Agreement signed in Pretoria in December 2002.[7]

A new constitution was approved by referendum in December 2005 and promulgated on 18 February 2006. It was amended in 2011.[7]

Geography

The Democratic Republic of the Congo lies across the equator in Central Africa. It borders the Republic of the Congo to the west; the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north; Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania to the east; and Zambia and Angola to the south. A narrow western corridor gives the country access to the Atlantic Ocean.

Much of the country lies within the vast Congo Basin. The Congo River and its tributaries form the dominant drainage system. The Congo River system is among the world's great river systems; the river reaches the Atlantic Ocean after crossing or bordering large parts of Central Africa.[8]

The central part of the country is dominated by low-lying tropical rainforest. Plateaus and savannas occur in the south, while the east contains highlands, mountains, volcanic landscapes and sections of the Albertine Rift. Mount Nyiragongo, near Goma, is one of the country's active volcanoes.

The country's climate is largely tropical. Conditions are hot and humid in much of the equatorial basin, while higher elevations in the east have cooler conditions.[5]

Environment and biodiversity

The Democratic Republic of the Congo contains an exceptionally large share of the Congo Basin rainforest. The World Bank describes the country as containing the world's second-largest rainforest as well as extensive biodiversity and hydroelectric resources.[3]

The country has five natural sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List: Virunga National Park, Garamba National Park, Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Salonga National Park and the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.[9]

Virunga National Park covers a wide range of habitats, including volcanoes, forests, savannas, wetlands and mountain ecosystems. UNESCO notes the park's exceptional biological diversity and its populations of rare and endemic species.[10]

Salonga National Park, located in the central Congo Basin, is described by UNESCO as Africa's largest tropical rainforest reserve. It provides habitat for threatened and endemic wildlife including the bonobo, forest elephant and Congo peacock.[11]

Government and politics

The Democratic Republic of the Congo operates under the Constitution of 18 February 2006, as amended in 2011.[7] The constitution defines the country as an independent, sovereign, united and indivisible democratic and secular state.[4]

Executive power is divided between a president, who serves as head of state, and a prime minister who heads the government. The national legislature is bicameral, consisting of the National Assembly and the Senate.

As of September 2026, Félix Tshisekedi serves as president. He first took office on 24 January 2019.[12] Judith Suminwa Tuluka serves as prime minister and head of government.[13]

The constitution establishes Kinshasa as the national capital and provides for a decentralized system of provinces.[4]

Administrative divisions

The Democratic Republic of the Congo consists of Kinshasa, which has provincial status, and 25 other provinces, for a total of 26 provincial entities.[14]

The provinces are:

  • Bas-Uélé
  • Équateur
  • Haut-Lomami
  • Haut-Katanga
  • Haut-Uélé
  • Ituri
  • Kasaï
  • Kasaï-Central
  • Kasaï-Oriental
  • Kinshasa
  • Kongo Central
  • Kwango
  • Kwilu
  • Lomami
  • Lualaba
  • Mai-Ndombe
  • Maniema
  • Mongala
  • Nord-Kivu
  • Nord-Ubangi
  • Sankuru
  • Sud-Kivu
  • Sud-Ubangi
  • Tanganyika
  • Tshopo
  • Tshuapa

The territorial structure is part of the country's constitutional system of decentralization.[14]

Economy

The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is strongly influenced by mining and other extractive industries. The country possesses major deposits of copper, cobalt, gold, diamonds and other minerals, as well as substantial hydroelectric, agricultural and forestry resources.[3]

Copper and cobalt are particularly important to industrial mining and exports. The World Bank reported that economic growth in 2025 continued to be driven largely by the extractive sector, with strong copper output despite a temporary restriction on cobalt exports during part of the year.[3]

World Bank data put the country's gross domestic product at approximately US$91.03 billion in 2025 and GDP per capita at about US$806.80.[1]

Economic growth has not translated evenly into improved living conditions. The World Bank continues to identify widespread poverty, infrastructure limitations, weak access to services and conflict as major development constraints.[3]

Artisanal and small-scale mining also plays an important role in local livelihoods. A World Bank study estimated that hundreds of thousands of people were engaged in artisanal mining and noted that much of the activity operated informally.[15]

Population and society

The World Bank estimated the population at 112,832,473 in 2025, with annual population growth of approximately 3.2 percent.[1] The population is distributed unevenly across the country's vast territory, with major concentrations around Kinshasa, mining and commercial centres, and parts of the eastern highlands.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to many ethnic and linguistic communities. A large number of local languages are spoken across the country.

French is the sole official language under the constitution. Kikongo, Lingala, Swahili and Tshiluba are constitutionally designated national languages, and the constitution states that other languages form part of the country's cultural heritage.[4]

Kinshasa is the country's political, administrative and largest urban centre. Other major cities include Lubumbashi, Mbuji-Mayi, Kisangani, Kananga, Goma and Bukavu.

Religion

Christianity is the predominant religious tradition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, represented by Roman Catholic, Protestant, evangelical, revivalist and independent Congolese churches. Islam and indigenous religious traditions are also practiced.

Religious institutions have historically played important roles in education, health care and civil society.

Education

Education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo includes primary, secondary and higher education administered through public, private and faith-based institutions. Access and educational quality differ substantially between regions.

Development indicators continue to show major challenges in health and education. The World Bank's human-capital assessments have identified child mortality, malnutrition, school quality and limited access to services as continuing barriers to the development of human capital.[3]

Health

The health system includes public facilities, faith-based hospitals, private providers and international humanitarian organizations. Large geographic distances, inadequate infrastructure and conflict make health care access difficult in many areas.

World Bank data indicate that life expectancy at birth was approximately 62 years in 2024.[1] The country has also experienced repeated outbreaks of infectious diseases, including Ebola virus disease, alongside continuing challenges involving malaria, maternal health and childhood malnutrition.

Infrastructure and transport

The country's large size, extensive river network and relatively limited road and rail systems shape transportation. The Congo River and its tributaries provide important transport routes for communities and commercial traffic.

Road connections are uneven, particularly between distant provinces. Rail networks serve selected corridors, including mining regions in the southeast and routes toward Atlantic ports.

Kinshasa is served by N'Djili International Airport, while other international and regional airports serve cities including Lubumbashi, Goma and Kisangani.

The Congo River also gives the country considerable hydroelectric potential. The Inga site on the lower Congo River has long been central to proposals for expanding national and regional electricity production.[16]

Culture

Congolese culture reflects the country's large number of ethnic groups, languages and regional traditions. Music, dance, oral traditions, sculpture, textiles and other visual arts are important forms of cultural expression.

Kinshasa has been an influential centre of modern African popular music. Congolese rumba developed through interaction between local musical traditions and transatlantic influences and became widely popular across Africa.

Lingala has become especially associated with popular music and urban culture in Kinshasa and other parts of the country, while Swahili is widely used in much of the east.

Cuisine varies by region and commonly includes cassava, maize, plantains, beans, fish, vegetables and locally produced sauces.

International relations

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been a member of the United Nations since 20 September 1960.[6] It also participates in African and regional organizations and maintains diplomatic relations with countries throughout Africa and beyond.

Its geographic position and shared borders with nine countries make relations with neighboring states particularly important for trade, migration, security and management of natural resources.

Did you know about Democratic Republic of the Congo?

  • The Democratic Republic of the Congo had a World Bank-estimated population of more than 112 million people in 2025.[1]
  • The country covers about 2.35 million square kilometres.[2]
  • French is the official language, while Kikongo, Lingala, Swahili and Tshiluba are constitutionally recognized national languages.[4]
  • The country officially consists of Kinshasa and 25 other provinces, giving it 26 provincial entities in total.[14]
  • The country's name was changed from Zaire to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1997.[6]
  • The Democratic Republic of the Congo contains five natural properties on UNESCO's World Heritage List.[9]
  • Salonga National Park is described by UNESCO as Africa's largest tropical rainforest reserve.[11]
  • The country possesses major reserves of cobalt and copper and extensive hydroelectric potential.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Congo, Dem. Rep. - Data. World Bank. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 World Statistics Pocketbook 2024: Democratic Republic of the Congo. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Democratic Republic of Congo. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Constitution de la République Démocratique du Congo du 18 Février 2006. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Democratic Republic of the Congo. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Democratic Republic of the Congo. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 La Constitution. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  8. ↑ Major rivers by length. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Democratic Republic of the Congo. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  10. ↑ Virunga National Park. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Salonga National Park. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  12. ↑ Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  13. ↑ La Première Ministre, Cheffe du Gouvernement. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Provinces et territoires. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  15. ↑ Boosting Resilience to Economic Shocks through Diversification and Mobilization of Extractive Industry Revenue. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
  16. ↑ Factsheet on World Bank support for the Democratic Republic of Congo's Inga Project. 3 June 2025. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
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