The Force Publique gained a notable victory when it marched into Tabora in September 1916 under the command of General Charles Tombeur after heavy fighting. The chemical industry consumes significant quantities of cobalt in a variety of applications including catalysts for petroleum and chemical processing; drying agents for paints and inks; ground coats for porcelain enamels; decolorant for ceramics and glass; and pigments for ceramics, paints, and plastics. [229] Although what was known as Africa's World War had ended in 2003 the eastern part of the country still has ongoing skirmishes between rebel groups and government forces. [217], One policy being attempted to reduce the deforestation and increase biodiversity in the DRC is the UN-REDD program, which uses emissions trading system so that developed nations can offset their carbon emissions by paying developing nations with rainforest to manage and conserve their forest. The Belgian Congo achieved independence on 30 June 1960 under the name "République du Congo" ("Republic of Congo" or "Republic of the Congo" in English). [226] Another study showed that the species of bush meat in the meat markets of the DRC's third largest city Kisangani were primarily Artiodactyla at 40.06% of the carcasses sold then primates at 37.79% of carcasses sold. [218] Poor governance and low economic conditions have reduced the effectiveness of these protections, especially during war times. Then the river narrows and falls through a number of cataracts in deep canyons, collectively known as the Livingstone Falls, and runs past Boma into the Atlantic Ocean. Malnutrition affects approximately two-thirds of the country's population. info) French: République démocratique du Congo), also known as Congo-Kinshasa, Zaire, DR Congo, DRC (the official acronym), the DROC, or simply the Congo, is a country located in Central Africa.It was formerly called Zaire (1971–1997). The secession ended in January 1963 with the assistance of UN forces. [61], Additionally, in northern Katanga, the Mai-Mai created by Laurent Kabila slipped out of the control of Kinshasa with Gédéon Kyungu Mutanga's Mai Mai Kata Katanga briefly invading the provincial capital of Lubumbashi in 2013 and 400,000 persons displaced in the province as of 2013[update]. [27] Leopold's regime began various infrastructure projects, such as the construction of the railway that ran from the coast to the capital of Leopoldville (now Kinshasa), which took eight years to complete. BBC. Rail transportation is provided by the Congo Railroad Company (Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo) and the Office National des Transports (Congo) (ONATRA) and the Office of the Uele Railways (Office des Chemins de fer des Ueles, CFU). Official figures are unavailable, partly due to the predominance of the informal economy in the DRC. The tragic history of colonialism and war lead the Congolese people to settle in a place of complacency, accepting the culture that was forced upon them by Belgium. [228] Even though when the meat is cooked smoked or dried it kills the virus, business has dropped significantly with some hunters reporting as much of a reduction in sales of 80%. [151] In June 2006, Gertler bought Tremalt from the Zimbabwean businessman John Bredenkamp for about $60 million. DR Congo's largest export is raw minerals, with China accepting over 50% of DRC's exports in 2012. In April 2011, through aid from Global Alliance for Vaccines, a new vaccine to prevent pneumococcal disease was introduced around Kinshasa. Emigrants from the DRC are above all long-term emigrants, the majority of whom live in Africa and to a lesser extent in Europe; 79.7% and 15.3% respectively, according to estimated 2000 data. [83] The government had also "delayed" the vote until March in some areas, citing the Ebola outbreak in Kivu as well as the ongoing military conflict. [130], In the 21st century, Chinese investment in the DRC and Congolese exports to China have grown rapidly. COD Alpha-3. [189] The proportion of followers of Islam is variously estimated from 1%[190] to 12% [191], There are about 35 million Catholics in the country[2] with six archdioceses and 41 dioceses. Lingala was the official language of the colonial army, the "Force Publique", under Belgian colonial rule, and remains to this day the predominant language in the armed forces. "[18] The modern name of the Kongo people, Bakongo was introduced in the early 20th century. The Congo River itself was named by early European sailors after the Kingdom of Kongo and its Bantu inhabitants, the Kongo people, when they encountered them in the 16th century. His report, called the Casement Report, confirmed the accusations of humanitarian abuses. The new president had the staunch support of the United States because of his opposition to Communism; the US believed that his administration would serve as an effective counter to communist movements in Africa. All air carriers certified by the DRC have been banned from European Union airports by the European Commission, due to inadequate safety standards.[159]. Ultimately, nine African countries and around twenty armed groups became involved in the war,[7] which resulted in the deaths of 5.4 million people. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been known in the past as, in chronological order, the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, the Republic of Congo-Léopoldville, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Zaire, before returning to its current name the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [123] A phenomenon of "pendulum displacement" has developed, where people hasten at night to safety. Rubber sales made a fortune for Leopold, who built several buildings in Brussels and Ostend to honor himself and his country. High, glaciated mountains (Rwenzori Mountains) are found in the extreme eastern region. [217] The human cost of protecting these parks has also been high with 200 park ranger deaths in the past 20 years. Indigenous courts had only limited powers and remained under the firm control of the colonial administration. [146] A third of the DRC's diamonds are believed to be smuggled out of the country, making it difficult to quantify diamond production levels. In 1970 the National Spiritual Assembly (national administrative council) was first elected. As Zaire they have participated in the World Cup Football (Final stage) in 1974. With more than 25 million members, it constitutes one of the largest Protestant bodies in the world. Many sports are played in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including football, basketball, and rugby. Belgian Congolese forces under the command of Belgian officers notably fought against the Italian colonial army in Ethiopia in Asosa, Bortaï[33] and Saïo under Major-General Auguste-Eduard Gilliaert during the second East African Campaign. The 2003 transitional constitution[99] had established a parliament with a bicameral legislature, consisting of a Senate and a National Assembly. [130] Highlighting the DR Congo's importance to United States national security, the effort to establish an elite Congolese unit is the latest push by the U.S. to professionalize armed forces in this strategically important region. Justenhoven, Heinz-Gerhard; Ehrhart, Hans Georg. Like much of the infrastructure in the Congo, the railways are poorly maintained, dirty, crowded and dangerous. The provinces of Katanga, under Moïse Tshombe, and South Kasai attempted to secede. [28] Determining precisely how many people died is impossible, as no accurate records exist. [81] He was officially sworn in as President on 24 January 2019. Between 2000 and 2014 the DRC lost an average of 570,000 hectares (0.2%) of rainforest to deforestation per year, with the highest amount of deforestation coming between 2011 and 2014. It is the second-largest country in Africa by area, after Algeria. According to American writer Samuel Henry Nelson: "It is probable that the word 'Kongo' itself implies a public gathering and that it is based on the root konga, 'to gather' (trans[itive]). Nom de pays République du Congo Code pays selon la norme ISO (ISO-3166) ISO 3166-1. Primary education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is not free or compulsory,[citation needed] even though the Congolese constitution says it should be (Article 43 of the 2005 Congolese Constitution). Destabilisation in the east resulting from the 1994 Rwandan genocide and disenfranchisement among the eastern Banyamulenge (Congolese Tutsi) population led to a 1996 invasion led by Tutsi FPR-ruled Rwanda, which began the First Congo War.[2]. He had concerns that the Rwandan officers running his army were plotting to give the presidency to a Tutsi who would report directly to Rwandan president, Paul Kagame. Three routes in the Trans-African Highway network pass through DR Congo: The Democratic Republic of Congo has thousands of kilometres of navigable waterways. All of these parks have been put on the World Heritage in Danger List. Non-denominational church organizations have been formed to capitalize on this belief by charging exorbitant fees for exorcisms. This massive expanse of lush jungle covers most of the vast, low-lying central basin of the river, which slopes toward the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The majority are Sunni Muslims. [46] By the early 1970s, Mobutu was attempting to assert Zaire as a leading African nation. Its findings confirmed Casement's report of abuses, concluding that the population of the Congo had been "reduced by half" during this period. The constitutional interpretation prerogative of the Supreme Court is now held by the Constitutional Court. The missing funds date from 2010 and tax bodies should have paid them into the central bank. [114][115] Mass rapes, sexual violence and sexual slavery are used as a weapon of war by the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and armed groups in the eastern part of the country. [citation needed], The economy of DRC relies heavily on mining. The DRC has more navigable rivers and moves more passengers and goods by boat and ferry than any other country in Africa, but air transport remains the only effective means of moving goods and people between many places within the country, especially in rural areas. Conservationists have particularly worried about primates. 9 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons", "World Bank Pledges $1 Billion to Democratic Republic of Congo", "OHADA.com: The business law portal in Africa", "Congo with $24 Trillion in Mineral Wealth BUT still Poor", "Mining Companies Could See Big Profits in Congo", "The Dark Side of Globalization. [citation needed]. Given the situation in the country and the condition of state structures, it is extremely difficult to obtain reliable migration data. [124] In December 2008, GuardianFilms of The Guardian released a film documenting the testimony of over 400 women and girls who had been abused by marauding militia. Miller, Eric: "The Inability of Peacekeeping to Address the Security Dilemma", 2010. Le nom de pays à deux lettres de République du Congo est CG, le nom de pays à trois lettres est COG. To mitigate this aid agencies have tried to promote agro-forestry with fast growing trees to avoid over exploitation of the rainforests. During World War I (1914–1918), an initial stand-off between the Force Publique and the German colonial army in German East Africa (Tanganyika) turned into open warfare with a joint Anglo-Belgian-Portuguese invasion of German colonial territory in 1916 and 1917 during the East African Campaign. Gertler terminated this arrangement. Bantu peoples reached Central Africa at some point during the first millennium BC, then gradually started to expand southward. [45] Throughout the late 1960s, Mobutu continued to shuffle his governments and cycle officials in and out of the office to maintain control. [39] On 17 January 1961, he was handed over to Katangan authorities and executed by Belgian-led Katangese troops. 2011)", "New Study Shows Congo is Run as Violent Kleptocracy", "Findings on the Worst Forms of Child Labor – Democratic Republic of the Congo", "UN expert on violence against women expresses serious concerns following visit to Democratic Republic of Congo", Enquête Démographique et de Santé en République Démocratique du Congo 2013–2014, "Concluding comments of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women: Democratic Republic of the Congo", "Violence Against Women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)", "Prevalence of Rape in E. Congo Described as Worst in World". Conditions improved in late 2002, when a large portion of the invading foreign troops withdrew. [62] On and off fighting in the Ituri conflict occurred between the Nationalist and Integrationist Front (FNI) and the Union of Congolese Patriots (UPC) who claimed to represent the Lendu and Hema ethnic groups, respectively. UN peacekeepers, MONUC, now known as MONUSCO, arrived in April 2001. Several international airlines service Kinshasa's international airport and a few also offer international flights to Lubumbashi International Airport. [8][9][10][11] The two wars devastated the country. An indigenous religion, Kimbanguism, has the adherence of only 2.8%, while Muslims make up 1.2%. Kabila was assassinated in 2001. Despite these pressures, the customs and cultures of the Congo have retained much of their individuality. Not only is the northeastern section of the country much more mountainous, but due to the rift's tectonic activity, this area also experiences volcanic activity, occasionally with loss of life. ", "The geopolitics of renewable energy: Debunking four emerging myths", "GIs retrain Congo troops known for being violent", "An April 2009 report to Congress by the National Defense Stockpile Center", "Which Countries Are For or Against China's Xinjiang Policies? The deal was ratified by presidential decree. It straddles the Equator, with one-third to the North and two-thirds to the South. The Democratic Republic of Congo signed the UN treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. [166] Since the end of the civil war, the situation has improved tremendously, with the number of children enrolled in primary schools rising from 5.5 million in 2002 to 13.8 million in 2015, and the number of children enrolled in secondary schools rising from 2.8 million in 2007 to 4.6 million in 2015 according to UNESCO. [228], There has been a war in the DRC in different levels of intensity since 1994 when the country was called Zaire. [12] As of 2018[update], around 600,000 Congolese have fled to neighbouring countries from conflicts in the centre and east of the DRC. Salonga National Park (1984) and During World War II, the Belgian Congo provided a crucial source of income for the Belgian government-in-exile in London, and the Force Publique again participated in Allied campaigns in Africa. Records show that in 1936, 728 Belgian administrators ran the colony. President Laurent-Désiré Kabila was assassinated by one of his bodyguards on 16 January 2001 and was succeeded eight days later by his son Joseph, under whom human rights in the country remained poor and included frequent abuses such as forced disappearances, torture, arbitrary imprisonment and restrictions on civil liberties according to NGOs. In 2015, elections were scheduled for late 2016 and a tenuous peace held in the Congo.[74]. The country's 81 million inhabitants (2016) are mainly rural. During the Free State, his colonial military unit, the Force Publique, forced the local population to produce rubber. Some say it's a strategy to keep the president in power", "Katanda Bone Harpoon Point | The Smithsonian Institution's Human Origins Program", The Cambridge history of Africa: From the earliest times to c. 500 BC, "Patrice Lumumba: 50 Years Later, Remembering the U.S.-Backed Assassination of Congo's First Democratically Elected Leader", "Belgians accused of war crimes in killing of Congo leader Lumumba", "The 2006 Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Congo", "Congo-Zaire's 1996–97 civil war in the context of evolving patterns of military conflict in Africa in the era of independence", "ICC Convicts Bemba of War Crimes and Crimes against Humanity", "DR Congo government, CNDP rebels 'sign peace deal, "Congo-Kinshasa: General Ntaganda and Loyalists Desert Armed Forces", "Rwanda defence chief leads DR Congo rebels, UN report says", "Rwanda military aiding DRC mutiny, report says", "Tanzanian troops arrive in eastern DR Congo as part of UN intervention brigade", "Katanga: Fighting for DR Congo's cash cow to secede", "A New Study Finds Death Toll in Congo War too High", "Congo's Death Rate Unchanged Since War Ended", "1,900 killed, over 3,300 abducted in DR Congo's eastern Kivu provinces", "The Democratic Republic of the Congo: Hurdle After Hurdle", "No elections in DR Congo before April 2018: minister", "DR Congo: Rebels Were Recruited to Crush Protests", "Fear and trauma haunt Congolese massacre survivors", "Surprise Winner Of Congolese Election Is An Opposition Leader", "REFILE-Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi sworn in as Congo president", "DR Congo presidential election: Outcry as Tshisekedi named winner", DR Congo election board delays vote in three cities, DR Congo: Nearly 900 killed in ethnic clashes last month, UN says, Nearly 900 killed in ethnic violence in Congo in mid-December -UN, "DR Congo announces new govt 7 months after president inaugurated", https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-50506743, "Nyamuragira Volcano, Democratic Republic of Congo | John Seach", The National Assembly adopts the laws regarding the limits of the provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, National Assembly of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, "Lambertini, A Naturalist's Guide to the Tropics, excerpt", "The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species", "Elephant Poaching on Rise in Resistance Army Stronghold in Democratic Republic of Congo", "Devastating Decline of Forest Elephants in Central Africa", "Mountain gorilla population rises above 1,000", "Interim Constitution - Democratic Republic of the Congo (2003-2006)", "Congo (Democratic Republic of the) 2005 (rev. It is, by area, the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa, the second-largest in all of Africa (after Algeria), and the 11th-largest in the world. Some 100 Banunus fled to Moniende island in the Congo River, and another 16,000 to Makotimpoko District in the Republic of Congo. [185], Figures for Congolese nationals abroad vary greatly depending on the source, from three to six million. [175], In May 2019, the death toll from the Ebola outbreak in DRC surpassed 1,000. The African country generated up to 70% of its export revenue from minerals in the 1970s and 1980s and was particularly hit when resource prices deteriorated at that time. There is also considerable migration for commercial activities from other African countries and the rest of the world, but these movements are not well studied. Yamusangie in an interview[210] said he felt the distance in literature and wanted to remedy that he wrote the novel, Full Circle, which is a story of a boy named Emanuel who in the beginning of the book feels a difference in culture among the different groups in the Congo and elsewhere. He traveled frequently across the continent while the government became more vocal about African issues, particularly those relating to the southern region. Traditionally water transport has been the dominant means of moving around in approximately two-thirds of the country. A new election took place in October 2006, which Kabila won, and in December 2006 he was sworn in as President. Also, the 148 Caritas network system has a total power of 6.31 kW. Approximately 242 languages are spoken in the country, but only four have the status of national languages: Kituba ("Kikongo ya leta"), Lingala, Tshiluba, and Swahili. Schatzberg, Michael G (February 1980) Politics and Class in Zaire: Bureaucracy, Business and Beer in Lisala, Africana Pub. [167], Actual school attendance has also improved greatly in recent years, with primary school net attendance estimated to be 82.4% in 2014 (82.4% of children ages 6–11 attended school; 83.4% for boys, 80.6% for girls). [219] Virunga national park and Salongo National Park, both of which are UNESCO world heritage sites are currently being looked at for mining and oil exploration. [citation needed], Leopold formally acquired rights to the Congo territory at the Conference of Berlin in 1885 and made the land his private property. entfernungsrechner.net: Distance France » République démocratique du Congo. They allied with the Zairian Armed Forces (FAZ) to launch a campaign against Congolese ethnic Tutsis in eastern Zaire.[52]. It had concurrent authority, however, with the transitional constitution until the inauguration of the elected officials who emerged from the July 2006 elections. He periodically held elections in which he was the only candidate. [173], Maternal health is poor in DRC. Internationally, the country is especially famous for its professional basketball NBA and football players. [106] In July 2009, a Swiss court determined that the statute of limitations had run out on an international asset recovery case of about $6.7 million of deposits of Mobutu's in a Swiss bank, and therefore the assets should be returned to Mobutu's family. Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press, 1994. Poaching for the exotic animal or ivory trade has been a persistent problem for species loss in the DRC, it has been made a necessity for some trying to escape poverty and a means of continuing the civil war for some rebel groups including the Lords Resistance army (LRA). "From 1990 to 1993, the United States facilitated Mobutu's attempts to hijack political change", one academic wrote, and "also assisted the rebellion of Laurent-Desire Kabila that overthrew the Mobutu regime. "Gender Inequality and Social Institutions in the D.R.Congo", "Female Genital Cutting Rates | African Women's Health Center at BWH", "DRC: 'Civilians bearing brunt of South Kivu violence, "DRC: 'Pendulum displacement' in the Kivus", "Rights Groups, DRC Lawmakers Call for 'Filimbi' Activists' Release", "Is Emmanuel Weyi "the change" the DRC needs? Mentions légales, Heure locale et informations relatives au décalage horaire République du Congo, Indicatif téléphonique de République du Congo. Congolese authors use literature as a way to develop a sense of national consciousness amongst the Congo people. Since the recent rebellions, a good part of the army in the East also uses Swahili where it is prevalent. [149], In September 2004, state-owned Gécamines signed an agreement with Global Enterprises Corporate (GEC), a company formed by the merger of Dan Gertler International (DGI) with Beny Steinmetz Global, to rehabilitate and operate the Kananga and Tilwezembe copper mines. In February 2018, global asset management firm AllianceBernstein[156] defined the DRC as economically "the Saudi Arabia of the electric vehicle age," due to its cobalt resources, as essential to the lithium-ion batteries that drive electric vehicles.[157]. In July 2019, UN ambassadors of 37 countries, including DRC, have signed a joint letter to the UNHRC defending China's treatment of Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities.[133]. (9 December 2017), Lederer, Edith M.; Associated Press. The most recent survey, conducted by the Demographic and Health Surveys Program in 2013-2014 indicated that Christians constituted 93.7% of the population (with Catholics making up 29.7%, Protestants 26.8%, and other Christians 37.2%). [155] Later in 2013, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative suspended the country's candidacy for membership due to insufficient reporting, monitoring and independent audits, but in July 2013 the country improved its accounting and transparency practices to the point where the EITI gave the country full membership. [185] Transit migration towards South Africa and Europe also plays a role. "DR Congo: UN peacekeepers killed in attack in North Kivu". Its capital is Kinshasa. These conflicts have dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in deaths of more than five million people from war and associated famine and disease. The Vicious Cycle of Exploitation from World Market Integration: Lesson from the Congo", "Cobalt: World Mine Production, By Country", "Province orientale: le diamant et l'or quelle part dans la reconstruction socio – économique de la Province? In the centre and east, the kingdoms of Luba and Lunda ruled from the 16th and 17th centuries to the 19th century. News of the abuses began to circulate. The government – not the President – is responsible to the Parliament. It is culturally accepted as the lingua franca facilitating communication among the many different ethnic groups of the Congo. The lexical similarity and phonology with French makes Portuguese a relatively easy language for the people to learn. The usual term for these children is enfants sorciers (child witches) or enfants dits sorciers (children accused of witchcraft). It is a low-lying area surrounded by mountains on three sides. It also provided for the creation of a Conseil Superieur de la Defense (Superior Defence Council) which would declare states of siege or war and give advice on security sector reform, disarmament/demobilisation, and national defence policy. These are SAPP (Southern African Power Pool), EAPP (East African Power Pool), CAPP (Central African Power Pool). Appel inconnu ou manqué de l'République du Congo? To put this in perspective, the road distance across the country in any direction is more than 2,500 km (1,600 mi) (e.g. In 2016, DR Congo's level of human development was ranked 176th out of 187 countries by the Human Development Index. After gaining their independence from Belgium in the 1960s, new authors, such as Guy Menga and Jean Pierre Makouta-Mboukou, were inspired by older authors, such as Jean Malonga from Congo-Brazzaville, and used writing to bring attention to new issues affecting the Congo. [205] Other African nations produce music genres derived from Congolese soukous. The 2006 constitution, also known as the Constitution of the Third Republic, came into effect in February 2006. [105] He was not the first corrupt Congolese leader by any means: "Government as a system of organized theft goes back to King Leopold II," noted Adam Hochschild in 2009. Conflict arose over the administration of the territory, which became known as the Congo Crisis. The rebels were thought to be Allied Democratic Forces. It is often simply referred to as the Protestant Church, since it covers most of the DRC Protestants. 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.[29]. The DRC is the second-largest diamond-producing nation in the world,[144] and artisanal and small-scale miners account for most of its production. [94][95] Gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos are all classified as endangered by the World Conservation Union, as well as the okapi, which is also native to the area. Immigration to the DRC has decreased steadily over the past two decades, most likely as a result of the armed violence that the country has experienced. The prevalence of FGM is estimated at about 5% of women. The other 50% of Mukondo was held by Boss Mining, which in turn was 80% owned by Central African Mining & Exploration Company (CAMEC). [97], The introduction of park guards and the implementation of eco-tourism in Virunga National park, a primary habitat for great apes, has allowed the endangered mountain gorilla population to jump over 1000, a 25% rise on 2010 numbers.