Introduction
Background
After several centuries of local governance, the Kingdoms of Kongo, Luba, and Lunda emerged and ruled different parts of the Congo River Basin until the end of the 19th Century. European conquest in the 1870s brought the territory under the control of Belgian King LEOPOLD II and later the Belgian state. The Republic of the Congo gained its independence from Belgium in 1960. The country’s name was changed to Zaire in 1971 and to Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1997.
Geography
Area
total : 2,344,858 sq km
land: 2,267,048 sq km
water: 77,810 sq km
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)
Natural resources
cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber
People and Society
Population
total: 115,403,027
Ethnic groups
more than 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest groups - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) - make up about 45% of the population
Languages
French (official), Lingala (a trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba
Religions
Christian 93/1% (Roman Catholic 29.9%, Protestant 26.7%, other Christian 36.5%), Kimbanguist 2.8%, Muslim 1.3%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 1.2%, none 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2014 est.)
Population growth rate
3.11% (2024 est.)
Government
Government type
semi-presidential republic
Capital
name: Kinshasa
Executive branch
chief of state: President Felix TSHISEKEDI (since 20 January 2024)
head of government: Prime Minister Judith SUMINWA Tuluka (since 29 May 2024)
Legislative branch
summary: bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (109 seats) and the National Assembly (500 seats)
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Marie-Hélène Mathey Boo LOWUMBA (since 7 June 2022)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Lucy TAMLYN (since 6 February 2023)
Economy
Economic overview
very poor, large, natural resource-rich sub-Saharan country; possesses the world’s second largest rainforest; increasing Chinese extractive sector trade; massive decrease in government investments; increasing current account deficit and public debts
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$154.012 billion (2023 est.)
$141.867 billion (2022 est.)
$130.244 billion (2021 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$1,500 (2023 est.)
$1,400 (2022 est.)
$1,400 (2021 est.)
Exports
$22.354 billion (2021 est.)
$13.932 billion (2020 est.)
$15.173 billion (2019 est.)
Exports - partners
China 55%, Singapore 5%, UAE 5%, Hong Kong 4%, Tanzania 4% (2022)
Exports - commodities
refined copper, cobalt, copper ore, raw copper, crude petroleum (2022)
Imports
$22.193 billion (2021 est.)
$14.557 billion (2020 est.)
$16.892 billion (2019 est.)
Imports - partners
China 33%, Zambia 10%, South Africa 10%, UAE 5%, India 4% (2022)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, sulfur, plastic products, trucks, stone processing machines (2022)
Page last updated: Friday, September 06, 2024
