Middle Africa · AfricaDR Congo
Discover the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Africa's second largest country, home to the world's deepest river, active volcanoes, and half of the continent's rainforest.
Where Is DR Congo?
DR Congo is a country in Middle Africa. Its capital is Kinshasa.
- Capital Kinshasa
- Population 113M
- Area 2,344,858 km²
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country of almost incomprehensible scale. It's the size of Western Europe, holds half of Africa's remaining rainforest, and sits on top of mineral wealth that has shaped - and cursed - its modern history. The Congo River, the world's deepest, carves a 4,700-kilometer arc through the heart of the continent, draining an area larger than India.
This is a place where active volcanoes glow red above mountain gorillas in the mist, where Congolese rumba and soukous music became the soundtrack of an entire continent, and where Kinshasa and Brazzaville face each other across the river as one of the world's closest pairs of national capitals. The DRC's story is one of extraordinary natural wealth, painful colonial history, and a cultural resilience that keeps producing world-class musicians, athletes, and artists against all odds.
At a glance
Largest cities in DR Congo
Kinshasa
Lubumbashi
Mbuji-Mayi
Kisangani
Kananga
Bukavu
Famous people from DR Congo
Patrice Lumumba
PoliticsFirst democratically elected Prime Minister of the Congo, a symbol of African independence and anti-colonial resistance
Dikembe Mutombo
SportNBA Hall of Famer and four-time Defensive Player of the Year, famous for his finger-wagging block celebration
Papa Wemba
MusicKing of Congolese rumba and pioneer of world music, one of Africa's most influential musicians for four decades
Franco Luambo
MusicLegendary guitarist and bandleader of OK Jazz, whose Congolese rumba defined the sound of African popular music
Denis Mukwege
ScienceGynecologist who won the Nobel Peace Prize (2018) for his work treating survivors of sexual violence in conflict zones
Fally Ipupa
MusicOne of Africa's biggest contemporary music stars, filling stadiums worldwide with his blend of rumba and modern pop
Tshibumba Kanda-Matulu
ArtPopular history painter whose vivid works became the most important visual record of Congolese political memory
Bismack Biyombo
SportNBA center and philanthropist who donated his entire 2022 salary to build a hospital in his hometown of Lubumbashi
Traditional cuisine of DR Congo
- Moambe Chicken
- The national dish - chicken braised in a rich sauce made from palm fruit, often considered the signature flavor of Congolese cooking
- Fufu
- Starchy dough made from cassava flour, rolled into balls and dipped into soups and sauces at every Congolese meal
- Liboke
- Fish or meat steamed in banana leaf parcels with tomatoes, onions, and spices - a technique found across the Congo Basin
- Pondu
- Cassava leaves pounded and slow-cooked into a thick, savory green stew, a daily staple across the country
- Saka Saka
- Cassava greens cooked with palm oil, garlic, and dried fish, with regional variations found in every province
- Makemba
- Fried or grilled plantains, served as a side dish with almost everything from street food stalls to family dinners
- Kwanga
- Fermented cassava bread wrapped in banana leaves, a filling staple food eaten throughout the Congo Basin
- Brochettes
- Grilled meat skewers marinated in spices and served with chili sauce, the go-to street food in Congolese cities
Nature and landmarks in DR Congo
- Congo RiverRiver
- The world's deepest river at over 220 meters and Africa's most powerful by discharge, draining a basin the size of Western Europe
- Virunga National ParkNational Park
- Africa's oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to mountain gorillas and the active Nyiragongo volcano
- Mount NyiragongoMountain
- One of the world's most active volcanoes with the largest persistent lava lake on Earth, glowing red above the city of Goma
- Congo RainforestForest
- The world's second largest tropical rainforest after the Amazon, covering over 1 million square kilometers of the country
- Lake KivuLake
- One of Africa's Great Lakes on the western branch of the East African Rift, containing vast dissolved methane reserves
- Kahuzi-Biega National ParkNational Park
- UNESCO World Heritage Site protecting one of the last populations of endangered eastern lowland gorillas
- Boyoma FallsRiver
- Series of seven cataracts on the Congo River near Kisangani, among the most voluminous waterfalls in the world
- Salonga National ParkNational Park
- Africa's largest tropical rainforest reserve and home to bonobos, the Congo peacock, and forest elephants
Sports in DR Congo
- Football
- Won the Africa Cup of Nations twice (1968, 1974) as Zaire, including a historic World Cup appearance in 1974
- Basketball
- Growing basketball culture that has produced multiple NBA players including Dikembe Mutombo and Bismack Biyombo
- Boxing
- Hosted the legendary Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Kinshasa in 1974
- Athletics
- Developing track and field talent with sprinters and middle-distance runners emerging on the continental scene
Did you know?
The DRC is the second largest country in Africa and roughly the size of Western Europe, spanning two time zones
The Congo River is the deepest river in the world at over 220 meters, and the second longest in Africa after the Nile
Kinshasa and Brazzaville are one of the world's closest pairs of capital cities, separated only by the width of the Congo River
The DRC holds about 60% of the world's cobalt reserves, a mineral essential for smartphones and electric vehicle batteries
Congolese rumba and soukous music spread across the entire African continent, influencing popular music from Senegal to Kenya
The country is home to bonobos, humanity's closest living relatives alongside chimpanzees, found nowhere else on Earth
Mount Nyiragongo has the world's largest persistent lava lake, visible from space as a red glow at night
The Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in 1974 remains the most famous boxing match in history
Can you find DR Congo on a map?
Drop a pin where you think it is and see how close you got. A few rounds and you will place DR Congo and its neighbours without a second thought.
