Introduction

Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by political and social instability. The economy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly called Zaire) - a nation endowed with vast potential wealth - is slowly recovering from two decades of decline. Conflict, which began in August 1998, dramatically reduced national output and government revenue, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of more than 3.5 million people from violence, famine, and disease. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict, lack of infrastructure, and the difficult operating environment. Conditions began to improve in late 2002 with the withdrawal of a large portion of the invading foreign troops. The transitional government reopened relations with international financial institutions and international donors. The transitional government held a successful constitutional referendum in December 2005 and elections for the presidency, National Assembly, and provincial legislatures in 2006. Joseph Kabila was inaugurated president in December 2006. The National Assembly was installed in September 2006, and its president, Vital Kamerhe, was chosen that December. Provincial assemblies were constituted in early 2007, and elected governors and national senators in January 2007.

Geographical Location

Located in Central Africa, northeast of Angola, DROC is bordered by Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Its size is slightly less than one-fourth the size of the USA. The DROC straddles the Equator; has a very narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River, and is the only outlet to the South Atlantic Ocean. It is dense tropical rain forest in the central river basin and eastern highlands. It suffers periodic droughts in the south; seasonal floods from the Congo River; and in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes.

Climate

The country is located in the equatorial region. It is hot and humid in the equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in the southern highlands; cooler and wetter in the eastern highlands. North of the Equator, the wet season is from April to October. South of the Equator, the wet season is November to March.

Population

DRC's population is 66,692,542. Estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS. This can result in lower life expectancy (averages 54.36 years), higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected. The DRC is comprised of over 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

The major languages are French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, and Tshiluba.

Religion

Fifty percent of the DROC is Roman Catholic, 20% Protestant, 10% Kimbanguist, 10% Muslim, and 10% other syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs.