République démocratique du Congo(French) Repubilika ya Kôngo ya Dimokalasi(Kongo) Republíki ya Kongó Demokratíki(Lingala) Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Kongo(Swahili) Ditunga dia Kongu wa Mungalaata(Luba-Katanga) جمهورية الكونغو الديمقراطية(Arabic)}}
Principal rivers and lakes of the Democratic Republic of Congo
TheDemocratic Republic of the Congo (French:République démocratique du Congo), commonly referred to asDR Congo,Congo-Kinshasa or theDRC, is a country incentral Africa. It was known asZaïre from 1971 to 1997. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world. With a population of over 71 million,[1] the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the nineteenth most populous nation in the world, the fourth most populous nation in Africa, as well as the most populous Francophone (French-speaking) country.
TheSecond Congo War, beginning in 1998, devastated the country. It involved nine African nations and some twenty armed groups.[7] Despite the signing of peace accords in 2003, fighting continues in the east of the country. There, the prevalence ofrape and othersexual violence is described as the worst in the world.[8] The war is the world's deadliest conflict since World War II, killing 5.4 million people since 1998.[9][10] The vast majority died from conditions ofmalaria,diarrhea,pneumonia andmalnutrition.[11]
The city ofGoma was captured in 2025, as part of theM23 offensive (a series of attacks); The city is "eastern DR Congo’s biggest city"; The armed groupM23 is backed byRwanda.[12] In February, the government lost control of the city ofBukavu and the town ofKavumu and its strategic military airport (map).[13][14][12]
Earlier (January 26), the country cut itsdiplomatic contact with Rwanda, because of Rwanda supporting M23.[15]
Western DR Congo clashes are a series of attacks; As late as July 2024, 42 Mobondo rebels were killed when they attacked a village; 9 government forces died.[21][22]
12345Central Intelligence Agency (2014)."Democratic Republic of Congo".The World Factbook. Langley, Virginia: Central Intelligence Agency. Archived fromthe original on 18 May 2020. Retrieved20 March 2020.
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