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DR Congo
AfricaMiddle Africa
2.34 Million km²
Quick Facts
Capital
Kinshasa
Area
2,344,858 km²
Language
French (+ Lingala, Swahili, Tshiluba, Kikongo)
Currency
Congolese Franc (CDF)
Calling Code
+243
Drives On
Right
Internet
.cd
Timezone
WAT/CAT (UTC+1 / UTC+2)
Script
Latin
Government
Semi-Presidential Republic
Independence
1960
Map tiles by CARTO. Data by OpenStreetMap.
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 the world's closest pair 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.
Largest Cities in DR Congo
1
Kinshasa
Capital and Africa's third largest city, a sprawling metropolis of music, art, and relentless energy facing Brazzaville across the Congo River
17,000,000
2
Lubumbashi
Mining capital of the copper belt in the southeast, the country's second city and economic hub
2,800,000
3
Mbuji-Mayi
Diamond capital of the world, sitting on some of the largest diamond deposits ever discovered
2,500,000
4
Kisangani
City at the navigable head of the Congo River, deep in the equatorial rainforest at the country's geographic heart
1,600,000
5
Kananga
Capital of Kasai-Central province in the heart of the country, a major agricultural trading center
1,300,000
6
Bukavu
Beautiful lakeside city on the shores of Lake Kivu, gateway to Kahuzi-Biega National Park and its lowland gorillas
1,100,000
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 & Landmarks in DR Congo
Congo River
RiverThe 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 Park
National ParkAfrica's oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to mountain gorillas and the active Nyiragongo volcano
Mount Nyiragongo
MountainOne of the world's most active volcanoes with the largest persistent lava lake on Earth, glowing red above the city of Goma
Congo Rainforest
ForestThe world's second largest tropical rainforest after the Amazon, covering over 1 million square kilometers of the country
Lake Kivu
LakeOne of Africa's Great Lakes on the western branch of the East African Rift, containing vast dissolved methane reserves
Kahuzi-Biega National Park
National ParkUNESCO World Heritage Site protecting one of the last populations of endangered eastern lowland gorillas
Boyoma Falls
RiverSeries of seven cataracts on the Congo River near Kisangani, among the most voluminous waterfalls in the world
Salonga National Park
National ParkAfrica'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?
1
The DRC is the second largest country in Africa and roughly the size of Western Europe, spanning two time zones
2
The Congo River is the deepest river in the world at over 220 meters, and the second longest in Africa after the Nile
3
Kinshasa and Brazzaville are the world's closest pair of capital cities, separated only by the width of the Congo River
4
The DRC holds about 60% of the world's cobalt reserves, a mineral essential for smartphones and electric vehicle batteries
5
Congolese rumba and soukous music spread across the entire African continent, influencing popular music from Senegal to Kenya
6
The country is home to bonobos, humanity's closest living relatives alongside chimpanzees, found nowhere else on Earth
7
Mount Nyiragongo has the world's largest persistent lava lake, visible from space as a red glow at night
8
The Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in 1974 remains the most famous boxing match in history
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