Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo extends across 2.3 million square kilometers of land containing dense rainforests, mountains, savannas, and the Congo River system.

The territory gained independence from Belgium in 1960 after decades of colonization that began with King Leopold II's personal acquisition of the region in 1885.

The country contains more than 200 ethnic groups speaking different languages, with French serving as the official language and Lingala, Kikongo, Swahili, and Tshiluba as national languages.

Visitors require visas obtained from embassies before arrival, current vaccinations, malaria prevention medication, and should only travel with registered tour operators in stable regions.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo holds 80 percent of the world's coltan reserves, essential for manufacturing electronic devices, along with substantial deposits of cobalt and copper.

Inception: June 30, 1960

Capital city: Kinshasa

Part of: Central Africa

Shares border with: Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola, Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Cameroon

GPS coordinates: -2.98143,23.82226

Latest update: November 10, 2025 14:42