The Democratic Republic of Congo has a population of 111,859,928 as of 2023.
Size
2,344,858 sq km / 905,567 sq mi (40% larger than Alaska)
Capital City
The capital city of Kinshasa was founded as a trading post in 1881. Originally named Leopoldville in honor of the Belgian King Leopold II. In 1966, Leopoldville was renamed Kinshasa, after a village of that name that once stood near the site.
Ethnic Groups
There are more than 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest tribes make up about 45% of the population:
Mongo Luba Kongo Mangbetu-Azande
Religion
29.9% Roman Catholic 26.7% Protestant 36.5% Other Christian 1.3% Muslim 5.5% Other / Non-religious
Languages
French (official) Lingala (trade language) Kingwana (Swahili based) Kikongo Tshiluba
Geography
Congo’s vast central basin is a low-lying plateau with mountains in the east.
Economy
Congo has a mixed economy with diamonds, copper, gold, cobalt, wood products, crude oil, and coffee as the major exports.
Interesting Fact
Congo was formerly named Zaire.
Important Facts
The D.R.C., particularly in the east, continues to experience violence perpetrated by more than 100 armed groups active in the region, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and assorted Mai Mai militias. The UN Organization MONUSCO has operated in the region since 1999 and is the largest and most expensive UN peacekeeping mission in the world.
