The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as Congo-Kinshasa, is a country located in central Africa. It is the second-largest country in Africa by area and the fourth-most populous country on the continent. The DRC is bordered by nine other countries, including the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia, and Angola.

The DRC is rich in natural resources, including copper, cobalt, diamonds, gold, and oil. However, despite its vast mineral wealth, the country remains one of the poorest in the world, with high levels of poverty and inequality. The DRC also suffers from political instability, corruption, and conflict, including ongoing violence in the eastern part of the country.

The DRC has a diverse population, with over 200 ethnic groups and several hundred languages spoken. French is the official language, but many Congolese speak indigenous languages such as Lingala, Swahili, and Tshiluba. The majority of the population is Christian, with a significant Muslim minority.

The country's capital and largest city is Kinshasa, located in the west of the country. The DRC is home to several other major cities, including Lubumbashi, Kisangani, and Mbuji-Mayi.

Despite the challenges it faces, the DRC has made some progress in recent years, particularly in terms of economic growth and poverty reduction. The government has also made efforts to promote peace and stability, including holding democratic elections and engaging in peace negotiations with armed groups.

The DRC is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including endangered species such as mountain gorillas, bonobos, and okapis. The country has several national parks and protected areas, including Virunga National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Overall, the DRC is a country with enormous potential, but also significant challenges. With the support of the international community and its own efforts, the DRC has the potential to overcome its challenges and achieve greater stability and prosperity for its people.

National holiday
Independence Day, 30 June (1960)

Telephone Code
243

Local Emergency Phone
Local numbers only

Vaccinations
An International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever is required for travelers arriving from countries with a risk of yellow fever transmission and for travelers having transited through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. On 18 October 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a Travel Health Notice for an Ebola outbreak in the South Kivu (Kivu Sud), North Kivu (Kivu Nord), and Ituri provinces in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo; travelers to this area could be infected with Ebola if they come into contact with an infected person’s blood or other body fluids; travelers should seek medical care immediately if they develop fever, muscle pain, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising during or after travel. See WHO recommendations. On 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; the Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently considered a high risk to travelers for polio; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine.

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 - October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)

Currency (Code)
Congolese francs (CDF)

Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s)
220 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, D, E

Major Languages
French, Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Major Religions
Roman Catholic 29.9%, Protestant 26.7%, Kimbanguist 2.8%, other Christian 36.5%, Muslim 1.3%

Potable Water
Opt for bottled water

International Driving Permit
Suggested

Road Driving Side
Right

Tourist Destinations
Kinshasa; Lola Ya Bonobo; Kahuzi Biega National Park; Nyiragongo Volcano; Virunga National Park; Lake Kivu

Major Sports
Soccer, basketball, rugby

Cultural Practices
Eat with your right hand and avoid holding bowls or utensils with the left. When eating from a shared bowl only, use the part of the bowl directly in front of you. It is very impolite to start eating before the oldest man has been served and has started eating.

Tipping Guidelines
Tipping 7% is expected in restaurants frequented by Westerners and at fancier eating establishments. Taxis do not typically expect tips.

Souvenirs
Precious stone and seed jewelry, woven baskets, hand-carved wood furniture, ebony statues, bronze sculptures, native pottery, natural perfumes and cosmetics

Traditional Cuisine
Poulet à la moambe — a savory chicken dish made by combining chicken, spices, and palm butter to create a stew-like consistency

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
111,859,928 (2023 est.)

Ethnic groups
more than 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

Languages
French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

Religions
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
3.13% (2023 est.)

Government
Government type
semi-presidential republic

Capital
name: Kinshasa

National Assembly (500 seats; 439 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote and 61 directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote; members serve 5-year terms)

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)
$102.956 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$1,100 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products
cassava, plantains, sugar cane, maize, oil palm fruit, rice, roots/tubers nes, bananas, sweet potatoes, groundnuts

Industries
mining (copper, cobalt, gold, diamonds, coltan, zinc, tin, tungsten), mineral processing, consumer products (textiles, plastics, footwear, cigarettes), metal products, processed foods and beverages, timber, cement, commercial ship repair

Exports
$22.354 billion (2021 est.)

Exports - partners
China 53%, United Arab Emirates 11%, Saudi Arabia 6%, South Korea 5% (2019)

Exports - commodities
copper, cobalt, crude petroleum, diamonds (2019)

Imports
$22.193 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - partners
China 29%, South Africa 15%, Zambia 12%, Rwanda 5%, Belgium 5%, India 5% (2019)

Imports - commodities
packaged medicines, refined petroleum, sulfuric acid, stone processing machines, delivery trucks (2019)