Democratic Republic of Congo
The
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a central African nation, formerly known as the Republic of Zaire from 1971 to 1997. It is the third largest country in Africa, covering an area of 2,345,000 square kilometres and housing an estimated population of 111,860,000 people in 2023. The main language is French, while many other languages are also spoken such as Lingala, Swahili, Kongo, and Tshiluba. Christianity (Roman Catholic, Protestant, and other Christian denominations) is the predominant religion, while some practice traditional beliefs and Islam. The currency of the DRC is the Congolese franc.
The DRC is situated around the heart of the Congo River basin with a narrow strip of Atlantic coastline. Its climate is humid and tropical due to its proximity to the Equator. The economy of the DRC is largely dependent on mining and agriculture, with the exports consisting of diamonds, petroleum, and coffee. Copper, cobalt, and industrial diamonds are produced through mining. The political system is a unitary multiparty republic with two legislative houses: the Senate (108 seats) and National Assembly (500 seats). The head of state is the president, and the head of government is the prime minister.