Democratic Republic of the Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo République démocratique du Congo  (French) Repubilika ya Kôngo ya Dimokalasi  (Kongo) Republíki ya Kongó Demokratíki  (Lingala) Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo  (Swahili) Ditunga dia Kongu wa Mungalaata  (Luba-Katanga)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Justice – Paix – Travail" (French) "Justice – Peace – Work"
Anthem: Debout Congolais  (French) "Arise, Congolese"
Location of  Democratic Republic of the Congo  (dark green)
Capital and largest city	Kinshasa 4°19′S 15°19′E / 4.317°S 15.317°E / -4.317; 15.317
Official languages	French & Swahili
Recognised national languages	Lingala Kikongo Tshiluba
Ethnic groups	See Ethnic groups[broken anchor] section below
Demonym(s)	Congolese
Government	Unitary semi-presidential republic
• President	Félix Tshisekedi
• Prime Minister	Judith Suminwa Tuluka
Legislature	Parliament
• Upper house	Senate
• Lower house	National Assembly
Formation
• Colonised	17 November 1879
• Congo Free State	1 July 1885
• Belgian Congo	15 November 1908
• Independence from Belgium	30 June 1960[1]
• Admitted to the United Nations	20 September 1960
• Renamed to Democratic Republic of Congo	1 August 1964
• Republic of Zaire	29 October 1971
• Fall of Mobutu	17 May 1997
• Current constitution	18 February 2006
Area
• Total	2,345,409 km2 (905,567 sq mi) (11th)
• Water (%)	3.32
Population
• 2021 estimate	95,894,118[2][3] (16th)
• Density	34.83/km2 (90.2/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2017 estimate
• Total	$67.988 billion[4]
• Per capita	$785[4]
GDP (nominal)	2017 estimate
• Total	$40.415 billion[4]
• Per capita	$446[4]
Gini (2006)	44.4[5] medium
HDI (2018)	0.470[6] low · 176th
Currency	Congolese franc (CDF)
Time zone	UTC+1 to +2 (WAT and CAT)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+243
ISO 3166 code	CD
Internet TLD	.cd

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (French: République démocratique du Congo), commonly referred to as DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa or the DRC, is a country in central Africa. It was known as Zaïre from 1971 to 1997. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world. With a population of over 71 million,^[1] the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the nineteenth most populous nation in the world, the fourth most populous nation in Africa, as well as the most populous Francophone (French-speaking) country.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo borders the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north; Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi in the east; Zambia and Angola to the south; the Republic of the Congo, the Angolan exclave of Cabinda, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. It is separated from Tanzania by Lake Tanganyika in the east.^[1] The country has access to the ocean through a 40-kilometre (25 mi) stretch of Atlantic coastline at Muanda and the roughly 9 km wide mouth of the Congo River which opens into the Gulf of Guinea. It has the second-highest total Christian population in Africa.

When the Belgian Congo became independent, its leaders fought each other. The Soviet Union and later the United Nations helped destroy the groups who wanted independence from the new country.

The Second Congo War, beginning in 1998, devastated the country. It involved nine African nations and some twenty armed groups.^[7] Despite the signing of peace accords in 2003, fighting continues in the east of the country. There, the prevalence of rape and other sexual violence is described as the worst in the world.^[8] The war is the world's deadliest conflict since World War II, killing 5.4 million people since 1998.^[9][10] The vast majority died from conditions of malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition.^[11]

The Democratic Republic of the Congo was formerly, in chronological order, the Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo-Léopoldville, Congo-Kinshasa, and Zaire (Zaïre in French).^[1] Though it is in the Central African United Nations subregion, the nation is also economically and regionally affiliated with Southern Africa as a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The city of Goma was captured in 2025, as part of the M23 offensive (a series of attacks); The city is "eastern DR Congo’s biggest city"; The armed group M23 is backed by Rwanda;^[12] On 26 January, the country cut its diplomatic contact with Rwanda, because of Rwanda supporting M23.^[13]

The Kivu conflict is ongoing (2025). North Kivu and South Kivu provinces are in the eastern part of the country. Some of the most active rebel groups are the Allied Democratic Forces, CODECO, and some Mai Mai militias.^[14] A UN peacekeeping force, MONUSCO, is in the country.^[15]

FDLR are supported by the military, in their fight against M23.^[16][17] The group is made up of Hutus.^[18] FARDC are the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Western DR Congo clashes are a series of attacks; As late as July 2024, 42 Mobondo rebels were killed when they attacked a village; 9 government forces died.^[19][20]

The country is bordered by Angola, the South Atlantic Ocean, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania across Lake Tanganyika, and Zambia.

The capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo is Kinshasa.

World Heritage Sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo include Virunga National Park (1979), Garamba National Park (1980), Kahuzi-Biega National Park (1980), Salonga National Park (1984) and Okapi Wildlife Reserve (1996).

The country is divided into twenty six provinces. The provinces are then divided into districts. The districts are divided into territories.^[1]

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

• DR Congo at the Olympics
• List of rivers of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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