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D.R.Congo (Zaire)
Climate
Varies according to
distance from the Equator, which lies across the north of the
country. The dry season in the north is from December to
March, and in the south May to October. The annual
temperatures are warm and humidity is high. 
Kinshasa: Capital City
The
capital does not have many sights of historic interest save
for Kinshasa University, which hosts some interesting
prehistoric and ethnological museums. The National Museum also
includes some unique pieces of national art. There are
hundreds of dance clubs in Kinshasa showing Congolese music,
which is popular throughout Africa as well as in Europe and
the USA.
History
The Democratic Republic
of Congo (formerly Zaire) is now an independent republic
situated to the north of Zambia; it is the third largest
country in Africa. The country straddles the Equator and has
widely differing geographical features, including mountain
ranges in the north and west, a vast central plain through
which the Congo River flows, and the volcanoes and lakes of
the Kivu region. The dictatorship of President Mobutu was
overthrown in May 1997 in a rebellion led by the current
President Laurent Kabila.
Political instability, turmoil and lack of
maintenance and investment in infrastructure since
independence from Belgium have severely impacted the country's
economy. Unrest has reduced government revenue and increased
external debt. The struggle has been intensified and probably
prolonged by the intervention of other countries in the
region: Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia on Kabila's side; Uganda
and Rwanda against him. The fighting has been inconclusive
but, despite a settlement brokered in Lusaka in the summer of
1999, continues in isolated theatres throughout the
country.
Location: Central Africa, northeast
of Angola
Area-comparative: slightly less
than one-fourth the size of the US
Climate: tropical; hot and humid in
equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern
highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of
Equator—wet season April to October, dry season December to
February; south of Equator—wet season November to March, dry
season April to October
Terrain: vast central basin is a
low-lying plateau; mountains in east
Natural resources: cobalt, copper,
cadmium, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver,
zinc, manganese, tin, germanium, uranium, radium, bauxite,
iron ore, coal, hydropower potential, timber
Geography—note: straddles Equator;
very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo river
and is only outlet to South Atlantic Ocean; dense tropical
rain forest in central river basin and eastern
highlands
Population: 50,481,305 (July 1999
est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Congolese (singular and plural)
adjective:
Congolese or Congo
Ethnic groups: over 200 African
ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four
largest tribes—Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the
Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) make up about 45% of the
population
Religions: Roman Catholic 50%,
Protestant 20%, Kimbanguist 10%, Muslim 10%, other syncretic
sects and traditional beliefs 10%
Languages: French (official),
Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect
of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
Country name:
conventional
long form: Democratic Republic of the
Congo
conventional short form: none
local
long form: Republique Democratique du Congo
local
short form: none
former: Belgian Congo,
Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire
abbreviation:
DROC
Government type: dictatorship;
presumably undergoing a transition to representative
government
Capital: Kinshasa
Constitution: 24 June 1967, amended
August 1974, revised 15 February 1978, amended April 1990;
transitional constitution promulgated in April 1994; following
successful rebellion the new government announced on 29 May
1997 a program of constitutional reform and, in November 1998,
a draft constitution was approved by President KABILA and
awaits ratification by national referendum
Legal system: based on Belgian
civil law system and tribal law; has not accepted compulsory
ICJ jurisdiction
Flag description: light blue with a
large yellow five-pointed star in the center and a columnar
arrangement of six small yellow five-pointed stars along the
hoist side
Economy—overview: The economy of
the Democratic Republic of the Congo—a nation endowed with
vast potential wealth—has declined significantly since the
mid-1980s. The new government instituted a tight fiscal policy
that initially curbed inflation and currency depreciation, but
these small gains were quickly reversed when the
foreign-backed rebellion in the eastern part of the country
began in August 1998. The war has dramatically reduced
government revenue, and increased external debt. A number of IMF and World Bank missions
have met with the new government to help it develop a coherent
economic plan.
Industries: mining, mineral
processing, consumer products (including textiles, footwear,
cigarettes, processed foods and beverages), cement,
diamonds
Currency: Congolese franc
(CF)
Telephone system:
domestic:
barely adequate wire and microwave radio relay service in
and between urban areas; domestic satellite system with 14
earth stations
international: satellite earth
station? Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Railways:
total: 5,138
km (1995)
note: severely reduced route-distance in
use because of damage to facilities by civil
strife
narrow gauge: 3,987 km 1.067-m gauge (858
km electrified); 125 km 1.000-m gauge; 1,026 km 0.600-m
gauge
Highways:
total:
145,000 km
paved: 2,500 km
unpaved:
142,500 km (1993 est.)
Waterways: 15,000 km including the
Congo, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes
Ports and harbors: Banana, Boma,
Bukavu, Bumba, Goma, Kalemie, Kindu, Kinshasa, Kisangani,
Matadi, Mbandaka
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air
Force, Presidential Security Group,
Gendarmerie | 
