Africa congo, democratic republic of the the world. Between hope and despair african arguments by michael deibert isbn. The republic of congo, also known as middle congo, congobrazzaville, and congo but not to be confused with the democratic republic of the congo, formerly zaire, which was also at one time known as the republic of the congo, is a former french colony of westcentral africa. Jan 20, 2020 on the western border of the democratic republic of congo, youll find the smaller of the two congos, the republic of the congo, or congo brazzaville. Waziri mkuu wa jamhuri ya kidemokrasia ya kongo, lingala. The drc remains a destination for only the most seasoned, hardcore african traveller. He has worked for the daily telegraph since 1991 specialising in.
The democratic republic of the congo previously zaire is at africas center, both geographically and economically. For anyone interested in the history of the democratic republic of the congo, this is the book to read. The democratic republic of the congo is a multilingual country where an estimated total of 242 languages are spoken. History of the democratic republic of the congo wikipedia. Explore democratic republic of congo holidays and discover the best time and places to visit. From the capital they ruled over an empire encompassing large parts of presentday angola, the republic of congo and the democratic republic of congo. I mean when someone says they are going to tell you the epic history of a people they have already set a daunting standard, but van reybouck found a way to do it. A very brief history of the democratic republic of congo. Republique democratique du congo, also known as dr congo, the drc, droc, congo kinshasa, or simply the congo, is a country located in central africa. May 30, 2018 the democratic republic of congo is rarely if ever at the top of the western headlines, but heads of state and socalled experts have long made similar proposals to carve out new, smaller, more homogeneous nations in congos resourcerich eastern provinces. The country that began as a kings private domain the congo free state, evolved into a colony the belgian congo, became independent in 1960 as the republic of the congo, and later underwent several name changes to the democratic republic of the congo, then to zaire, and back again to the democratic republic of the congo is the product of a complex pattern of historical forces.
The belgian congo was created in 1885, essentially as the personal property of. Prime minister of the democratic republic of the congo. He goes back to essentially prehistoric times and traces the history of the congo or today, the democratic republic of the congo, drc up until the times leading up to just a few years ago. Early in 2003 when the worlds attention was focused on the unfolding calamity of the iraq invasion, another deadly conflict was occurring in the democratic republic of congo drc. It had six socalled provinces called mbemba, soyo, mbamba, mbata, nsundi and mpangu.
The international boundary follows the south shore of the pool roughly 30 km in diameter. It uses his expedition across the congo to tell the regions turbulent history. Democratic republic of the congo, formerly zaire zi. Mar 31, 2011 kinshasa is the capital and largest city in the democratic republic of congo. With an area of 2,345,409 square kilometers 905,567 square miles, the democratic republic of the congo is the eleventhlargest country in the world, and the second largest in africa after algeria. This book was widely popular in van reybroucks native belgium when it first came out in 2010, and with good reason. French citizenship was granted to local residents in 1946. Democratic republic of the congo simple english wikipedia. Democratic republic of congo history, language and culture history of democratic republic of congo. Rich in minerals, the democratic republic of the congo has a difficult history of predatory mineral extraction, which has been at the heart of many struggles within the country for many decades, but particularly in the 1990s. The who country health profile of democratic republic of the congo provides key statistics and links to health topical databases, plus news, features and bulletin journal articles on the health issues of the country.
The democratic republic of the congo pronunciation help info french. The four and a half year war in the democratic republic of congo has taken more lives than any other since world war ii and is the deadliest documented conflict in african history, says the international rescue committee. Politics of the democratic republic of the congo wikipedia. Democratic republic of the congo languages genealogy. It borders on angola in the southwest and west, on the atlantic ocean, cabinda an angolan exclave, and the republic of the congo in the west.
The french colony of middle congo moyen congo also chose the name. As of 1 january 2017, the population of democratic republic of the congo was estimated to be 80,961,908 people. Politics of the democratic republic of congo take place in a framework of a republic in transition from a civil war to a semipresidential republic on 18 and 19 december 2005, a successful nationwide referendum was carried out on a draft constitution, which set the stage for elections in 2006. Democratic republic of the congo travel guide at wikivoyage. Culture of democratic republic of the congo history, people. Tim butchers top 10 books about congo books the guardian. It bulges with both the grand sweep of history and a rich variety of voices gathered through enterprising, on the ground reporting. Democratic republic of congo profile timeline bbc news. They ruled over nearby tributary states, often by appointing sons of the kongo kings to head these states.
The republic of the congo, originally a french colony, is sometimes called congobrazzaville as opposed to the democratic republic of the congo known from 1971 to 1999 as zaire which is often called congokinshasa, originally a belgian colony. Democratic republic of the congo, country located in central africa. The capital, kinshasa, is located on the congo river about 320 miles 515 km from its mouth. Republic of congo history, language and culture history of republic of congo. During its recorded history, the area has also been known as congo, congo free state, belgian congo, and zaire. Van reybrouck recounts the history of the democratic republic of congo. Een geschiedenis is a 639 page nonfiction book by david van reybrouck. During this conference, africa was arbitrarily divided in ways that benefitted the european colonial powers, w. The belgian congo was created in 1885, essentially as the personal property of the belgian monarch, king leopold ii. Australia brazil canada china france germany india italy japan mexico. Tram 83 by fiston mwanza mujila, the poisonwood bible by barbara kingsolver, heart of darkness by jose. The insurgents, who also received aid from zambia and angola, met little resistance from the ragged zairean army and entered kinshasa on may 17, 1997. Rebel leader laurentdesire kabila was sworn in as president on may 29 and changed the name of the country to the democratic republic of the congo. The role of older powers such as france and belgium together with new.
Check out our country profile, full of essential information about congo, democratic republic of thes geography, history, government, economy, population, culture, religion and languages. Lses jonathan silver calls michael deiberts book an essential read for those interested in wider postcolonial worlds. The territory that is congo contains the population and the resources to be one of the continents richest countries. Culture of republic of congo history, people, women. The small country now known as the republic of congo was originally part of the kingdom of the kongo, and the bakongo, bateke and dsanga were the main peoples in the area when the portuguese arrived in the 15th century. Named after the enormous congo river and the large ethnic group living at its mouth, the kongo, the democratic republic of the congo first had its borders drawn at the berlin conference of 18841885. I spoke with congolese scholar and activist boniface musavuli about the plans. A chronology of key events in the history of the democratic republic of congo, from the 1200s to the present. It is the second largest country in africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world. It is the third largest city in africa after cairo and lagos and the second largest french speaking city in the world other than paris, france. The prime minister of the democratic republic of the congo french.
Four indigenous languages have the status of national language. Upon independence in 1960, the former french region of middle congo became the republic of the congo. Interesting facts about the democratic republic of congo. Arguin malaria the following pages present countryspecific information on yellow fever yf vaccine requirements and recommendations and malaria transmission information and prophylaxis recommendations. So often the history of this huge country and its many grand and. A work of excruciating yet compassionate clarity through the political history and. The first 40 french combat troops arrive in the congolese town of bunia, with the aim of ending years of tribal violence. Democratic republic of the congo country profile nations. Historical dictionary of democratic republic of the congo. The kongo empire, a highly structured and developed state, rules over a region that today covers parts of southwestern congo, northern angola and a slice of the republic of. A quarter century of experimentation with marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a democratically elected government took office in 1992. Drc tales focus on a 1950s missionary family, greed and corruption in the 1960s, and the fallout from 1990s genocide. Official web sites of democratic republic of the congo, links and information on democratic republic of the congo s art, culture, geography, history, travel and tourism, cities, the capital city, airlines, embassies, tourist boards and newspapers.
Economy of the democratic republic of the congo wikipedia. The best books on democratic republic of the congo. Democratic republic of congo travel africa lonely planet. Ironically the new president inherits in the late 1990s the identical problem confronting his predecessor, lumumba, when the democratic republic first became independent in 1960. This area was formerly the french territory known as middle congo. The author is a congolese with solid academic credentials. Republic of the congo republic of the congo history. He changes the name of the country from mobutus favoured zaire, reverting instead to the original democratic republic of congo. Republique democratique du congo, also known as dr congo, the drc, droc, congokinshasa, or simply the congo, is a country located in central africa. A small settlement along the congo river was renamed brazzaville and became the capital of the area now called the middle congo. Republique democratique du congo, commonly referred to as dr congo, congokinshasa or the drc, is a country located in central africa.
Discovered in the 1990s, the earliest discovered human remains in the democratic republic of. Human habitation of the congo basin came relatively late in the sangoan era 100,000 to 40,000 bce. Congo is the largest and most populous country in central africa. Kituba called kikongo, lingala, swahili and tshiluba. However, its political history has limited the large potential. By may 1997, kabila had made it to the capital kinshasa, named himself president and changed the name of the country back to the democratic republic of congo. Brazzaville is also the countrys capital and largest city. History of the democratic republic of the congo english. A peoples history 1 by georges nzongolantalaja isbn. Gabon, the central african republic, and chad were combined with middle congo to become french equatorial africa in 1910. French, belgian and moroccan troops help repulse attack on katanga by angolanbased. The author says she spent nearly 30 years waiting for the wisdom and maturity to write this book.
You may also be interested in the refugee studies centre report dynamics of conflict and forced migration in the democratic republic of congo rapport en francais, which summarises a two day experts workshop on conflict and forced migration in the democratic republic of congo. Democratic republic of the congo history britannica. The first real states, such as the kongo, the lunda, the luba and kuba, appeared south of the equatorial forest on the savannah from the 14th century onwards. Discovered in the 1990s, the earliest discovered human remains in the democratic republic of the congo have been dated to approximately 90,000 years ago. Republique democratique du congo, commonly referred to as dr congo, congokinshasa or the drc, is a country in central africa. The area now known as the democratic republic of the congo was populated as early as 80,000 years ago, as shown by the 1988 discovery of the semliki harpoon at katanda, one of the oldest barbed harpoons ever found, which is believed to have been used to catch giant river catfish. The epic history of a people by david van reybrouck. The epic history of a people is an intimidating book both in terms of size and subject matter.
362 791 246 91 348 1274 596 822 241 1648 1564 221 1495 720 1464 924 41 1382 666 451 1289 224 1533 938 257 110 1350 1218 1332 1401 1121 52 540 1048 176 290 637 714 1285