As Africa's third largest country, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), formerly known as Zaire, is rich in resources, including diamonds, cobalt, gold and uranium. The country encompasses a variety of geographical features: mountain ranges, volcanoes, plains, tropical forests and large lakes (Lake Tanganyika is Africa's deepest at 1,436 m (4,710 feet)). The country is part of Africa's Great Lakes Region, which also includes Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda.
Two-thirds of the DRC lies south of the equator, with an October-May rainy season. The climate is hot and humid in the equatorial river basin and cool and dry in the southern highlands. North of the equator the rainy season runs April-November.
The country's diverse population represents more than 200 African ethnic groups. Of those, 80 percent are Bantu, while the remainder come from the Kongo, Luba and Mongo peoples. French is the official language, but Kikongo, Lingala, Swahili and Tshiluba are widely spoken.
The DRC capital, Kinshasa, offers little in the way of tourism due to civil unrest and political and economic instability left over from 32 years of dictatorial rule. In 2003, the government signed a peace agreement with the opposition and various rebel factions ending a four-year civil war and providing for a power-sharing government. However, various rebel and ethnic factions, some backed by Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, continue to wage war in the east. Travel outside of Kinshasa is ill-advised.
Rebel factions have attacked Western tourists. In 1998, foreigners were kidnapped and in 1999, a group of Western tourists was kidnapped and killed by rebels in the north and northeast.
Kinshasa's transportation infrastructure is poor by Western standards and tourist travel is restricted. Travel outside of Kinshasa requires authorization from the Interior Ministry. A "mining travel permit" is required for travel in areas near mines. Roads are among the worst in Africa and are often impassable during the rainy season. A regional bus service operates in the country, but no service is available within Kinshasa. Train services are unreliable, and there are no formal taxi companies. Many residents rely on shared taxis, which are inexpensive and follow specific routes.
Kinshasa's communications system is substandard; many residents rely heavily on mobile phones. Although public telephone centers exist, they are very expensive. Internet connectivity is poor.
Venturing out at night may be unsafe; foreigners should remain in the Gombe area of Kinshasa, where most embassies are located. Government-imposed curfews are often in effect, and the military often sets up numerous, often poorly marked, roadblocks.
Luxury hotels such as the Memling or the Intercontinental are expensive by Western standards. The same applies to food sold at upscale establishments; eating at locally-owned establishments is fairly inexpensive.
For a free map of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and more detailed information, be sure to click on the Destination Brief above.
Please note: the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo can be volatile and dynamic. You are encouraged to purchase an Intelligence Brief ($7.50) or Destination Tracker ($25) for complete, up-to-the-minute information on the Country, Security and Health, Local Travel Alerts, Entry/exit requirements, Transportation, Communications/Technology, Legal and Financial situation, Environmental concerns and Language in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.