{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "

Bantu, Sudanic, and other migrants from West and Northeastern Africa arrived in the Congo River Basin between 2000 B.C. and A.D. 500. The territory that is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo has more than 200 ethnic groups that trace their histories to many communal organizations and kingdoms. The Kingdom of Kongo, for example, ruled the area around the mouth of the Congo River from the 14th to 19th centuries. Meanwhile, the Kingdoms of Luba and Lunda, located to the south and east, were also notable political groupings in the territory and ruled from the 16th and 17th centuries to the 19th century. European prospectors in the Congo Basin invaded and splintered these kingdoms in the late 1800’s, sponsored by King LEOPOLD II of Belgium, and the kingdoms were eventually forced to grant Leopold the rights to the Congo territory as his private property. During this period, known as the Congo Free State, the king's private colonial military forced the local population to produce rubber. From 1885 to 1908, millions of Congolese people died as a result of disease and inhumane treatment. International condemnation finally forced LEOPOLD to cede the land to the state of Belgium, creating the Belgian Congo.

The Republic of the Congo gained its independence from Belgium in 1960, but its early years were marred by instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power and declared himself president in a 1965 coup. He subsequently changed his name to MOBUTU Sese Seko and the country's name to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32 years, using sham elections and brute force. In 1994, a massive inflow of refugees from conflict in neighboring Rwanda and Burundi sparked ethnic strife and civil war. A rebellion backed by Rwanda and Uganda and fronted by Laurent KABILA toppled the MOBUTU regime in 1997. KABILA renamed the country the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). In 1998, another insurrection -- again backed by Rwanda and Uganda -- challenged the KABILA regime, but troops from Angola, Chad, Namibia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe helped quell the uprising.

In 2001, KABILA was assassinated, and his son, Joseph KABILA, was named head of state. In 2002, the new president negotiated the withdrawal of Rwandan forces occupying the eastern DRC; the remaining warring parties subsequently signed the Pretoria Accord to end the fighting and establish a government of national unity. KABILA was elected as president in 2006 and 2011. The DRC constitution barred him from running for a third term, so in 2016, the DRC Government delayed national elections for two years. This fueled significant civil and political unrest, with sporadic street protests and exacerbation of tensions in the eastern DRC regions. 

The results of the 2018 elections were disputed, but opposition candidate Felix TSHISEKEDI, son of long-time opposition leader Etienne TSHISEKEDI, was announced as the election winner. This was the first transfer of power to an opposition candidate without significant violence or a coup since 1960. In December 2023, the DRC held its fourth electoral cycle since independence; TSHISEKEDI was proclaimed the winner despite some allegations of fraud, with his Sacred Union alliance retaining a large parliamentary majority.  

The DRC continues to experience violence -- particularly in the East -- perpetrated by more than 100 armed groups active in the region, including the March 23 (M23) rebel group, the ISIS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF, or ISIS-DRC), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), and assorted local militias known as Mai Mai militias. The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) has operated in the region since 1999 and is the largest and most expensive UN peacekeeping mission in the world.

 

" } }, "Geography": { "Location": { "text": "Central Africa, northeast of Angola" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "0 00 N, 25 00 E" }, "Map references": { "text": "Africa" }, "Area": { "total ": { "text": "2,344,858 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "2,267,048 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "77,810 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "11,027 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Angola 2,646 km (of which 225 km is the boundary of Angola's discontiguous Cabinda Province); Burundi 236 km; Central African Republic 1,747 km; Republic of the Congo 1,775 km; Rwanda 221 km; South Sudan 714 km; Tanzania 479 km; Uganda 877 km; Zambia 2,332 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "37 km" }, "Maritime claims": { "territorial sea": { "text": "12 nm" }, "exclusive economic zone": { "text": "since 2011, the DRC has had a Common Interest Zone agreement with Angola for the mutual development of off-shore resources" } }, "Climate": { "text": "tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)" }, "Terrain": { "text": "vast central basin is a low-lying plateau; mountains in east" }, "Elevation": { "highest point": { "text": "Pic Marguerite on Mont Ngaliema (Mount Stanley) 5,110 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean 0 m" }, "mean elevation": { "text": "726 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "cobalt, copper, niobium, tantalum, petroleum, industrial and gem diamonds, gold, silver, zinc, manganese, tin, uranium, coal, hydropower, timber", "note": "note 1: coltan, the industrial name for a columbite–tantalite mineral from which niobium and tantalum are extracted, is mainly artisanal and small-scale; tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold extracted from central Africa are considered \"conflict minerals\" and as such are subject to international monitoring

note 2: the DROC is the World's leading producer of cobalt, accounting for as much as 70% of the World's supply; between 20-30% of this cobalt is produced in artisanal and small-scale mining operations" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "15.5% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 6.6% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 0.9% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 8% (2022 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "54.7% (2022 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "29.8% (2022 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "110 sq km (2012)" }, "Major lakes (area sq km)": { "fresh water lake(s)": { "text": "Lake Tanganyika (shared with Burundi, Tanzania, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km; Lake Albert (shared with Uganda) - 5,590 sq km; Lake Mweru (shared with Zambia) - 4,350 sq km; Lac Mai-Ndombe - 2,300 sq km; Lake Kivu (shared with Rwanda) - 2,220 sq km; Lake Edward (shared with Uganda) - 2,150 sq km; Lac Tumba - 500 sq km; Lac Upemba - 530 sq km" } }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "

Zaïre (Congo) river mouth (shared with Zambia [s], Angola, and Republic of Congo) - 4,700 km; Ubangi river mouth (shared with Central African Republic [s] and Republic of Congo) - 2,270 km

note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth" }, "Major watersheds (area sq km)": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)" }, "Major aquifers": { "text": "Congo Basin" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "urban clusters are spread throughout the country, particularly in the northeast along the border with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; the largest city is the capital, Kinshasha, located in the west along the Congo River; the south is least densely populated as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "

periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); active volcanoes in the east along the Great Rift Valley

volcanism: Nyiragongo (3,470 m), which erupted in 2002 and is experiencing ongoing activity, poses a major threat to the city of Goma, home to a quarter million people; the volcano produces unusually fast-moving lava, known to travel up to 100 km /hr; Nyiragongo has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; its neighbor, Nyamuragira, which erupted in 2010, is Africa's most active volcano; Visoke is the only other historically active volcano

" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "

note 1: second largest country in Africa (after Algeria) and largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa; straddles the equator; dense tropical rain forest in central river basin and eastern highlands; the narrow strip of land that controls the lower Congo River is the DRC's only outlet to the South Atlantic Ocean

note 2: because of its speed, cataracts, rapids, and turbulence the Congo River, most of which flows through the DRC, has never been accurately measured along much of its length; nonetheless, it is conceded to be the deepest river in the world; estimates of its greatest depth vary between 220 and 250 meters

" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "total": { "text": "115,403,027 (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "57,688,160" }, "female": { "text": "57,714,867" } }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Congolese (singular and plural)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Congolese or Congo" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "more than 200 African ethnic groups of which the majority are Bantu; the four largest groups - Mongo, Luba, Kongo (all Bantu), and the Mangbetu-Azande (Hamitic) - make up about 45% of the population" }, "Languages": { "Languages": { "text": "French (official), Lingala (a trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba" }, "major-language sample(s)": { "text": "
Buku oyo ya bosembo ya Mokili Mobimba Ezali na Makanisi ya Liboso Mpenza. (Lingala)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information." } }, "Religions": { "text": " Christian 93/1% (Roman Catholic 29.9%, Protestant 26.7%, other Christian 36.5%), Kimbanguist 2.8%, Muslim 1.3%, other (includes syncretic sects and indigenous beliefs) 1.2%, none 1.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2014 est.)" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "45.7% (male 26,584,268/female 26,208,891)" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "51.8% (male 29,845,450/female 29,884,958)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "2.5% (2024 est.) (male 1,258,442/female 1,621,018)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "98" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "92.1" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "5.9" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "17.1 (2021 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "16.9 years (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "16.7 years" }, "female": { "text": "17 years" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "3.11% (2024 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "39.2 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "7.6 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "-0.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "urban clusters are spread throughout the country, particularly in the northeast along the border with Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi; the largest city is the capital, Kinshasha, located in the west along the Congo River; the south is least densely populated as shown in this population distribution map" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "47.4% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "4.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "16.316 million KINSHASA (capital), 2.892 million Mbuji-Mayi, 2.812 million Lubumbashi, 1.664 million Kananga, 1.423 million Kisangani, 1.249 million Bukavu (2023)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.03 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.01 male(s)/female" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "1 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.78 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)" } }, "Mother's mean age at first birth": { "text": "19.9 years (2013/14 est.)", "note": "note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49" }, "Maternal mortality ratio": { "text": "547 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)" }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "57.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "62.9 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "51.9 deaths/1,000 live births" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "62.6 years (2024 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "60.7 years" }, "female": { "text": "64.6 years" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "5.49 children born/woman (2024 est.)" }, "Gross reproduction rate": { "text": "2.7 (2024 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "28.1% (2017/18)" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 88.8% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 34.7% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 59.4% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 11.2% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 65.3% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 40.6% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Current health expenditure": { "text": "3.8% of GDP (2021)" }, "Physician density": { "text": "0.21 physicians/1,000 population (2022)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 53.4% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 20.5% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 35.5% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 46.6% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 79.5% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 64.5% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "6.7% (2016)" }, "Alcohol consumption per capita": { "total": { "text": "0.56 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "beer": { "text": "0.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "wine": { "text": "0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "spirits": { "text": "0.05 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "other alcohols": { "text": "0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" } }, "Tobacco use": { "total": { "text": "12.8% (2020 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "22.7% (2020 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "2.9% (2020 est.)" } }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "23.1% (2017/18)" }, "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": { "text": "55.3% (2023 est.)" }, "Child marriage": { "women married by age 15": { "text": "8.4%" }, "women married by age 18": { "text": "29.1%" }, "men married by age 18": { "text": "5.6% (2018 est.)" } }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "2.7% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Literacy": { "definition": { "text": "age 15 and over can read and write French, Lingala, Kingwana, or Tshiluba" }, "total population": { "text": "80%" }, "male": { "text": "89.5%" }, "female": { "text": "70.8% (2021)" } }, "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": { "total": { "text": "11 years" }, "male": { "text": "10 years" }, "female": { "text": "9 years (2013)" } } }, "Environment": { "Environment - current issues": { "text": "poaching threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; deforestation (forests endangered by fires set to clear the land for agricultural purposes; forests also used as a source of fuel); soil erosion; mining (diamonds, gold, coltan - a mineral used in creating capacitors for electronic devices) causing environmental damage" }, "Environment - international agreements": { "party to": { "text": "Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands" }, "signed, but not ratified": { "text": "Environmental Modification" } }, "Climate": { "text": "tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season (April to October), dry season (December to February); south of Equator - wet season (November to March), dry season (April to October)" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "15.5% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 6.6% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 0.9% (2022 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 8% (2022 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "54.7% (2022 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "29.8% (2022 est.)" } }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "47.4% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "4.33% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Food insecurity": { "widespread lack of access": { "text": "due to internal conflict in eastern regions and high food prices - according to an October 2022 analysis, 24.5 million people were projected to experience acute food insecurity between January and June 2023; this is due to the intensification of the conflict in the northeastern provinces, which, among other factors, has prevented completion of the harvests and likely will reduce food availability in the months to come (2023)" } }, "Revenue from forest resources": { "text": "8.72% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Revenue from coal": { "text": "0% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Air pollutants": { "particulate matter emissions": { "text": "31.58 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)" }, "carbon dioxide emissions": { "text": "2.02 megatons (2016 est.)" }, "methane emissions": { "text": "61.24 megatons (2020 est.)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "14,385,226 tons (2016 est.)" }, "municipal solid waste recycled annually": { "text": "704,876 tons (2005 est.)" }, "percent of municipal solid waste recycled": { "text": "4.9% (2005 est.)" } }, "Major lakes (area sq km)": { "fresh water lake(s)": { "text": "Lake Tanganyika (shared with Burundi, Tanzania, and Zambia) - 32,000 sq km; Lake Albert (shared with Uganda) - 5,590 sq km; Lake Mweru (shared with Zambia) - 4,350 sq km; Lac Mai-Ndombe - 2,300 sq km; Lake Kivu (shared with Rwanda) - 2,220 sq km; Lake Edward (shared with Uganda) - 2,150 sq km; Lac Tumba - 500 sq km; Lac Upemba - 530 sq km" } }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "

Zaïre (Congo) river mouth (shared with Zambia [s], Angola, and Republic of Congo) - 4,700 km; Ubangi river mouth (shared with Central African Republic [s] and Republic of Congo) - 2,270 km

note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth" }, "Major watersheds (area sq km)": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: Congo (3,730,881 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Nile (3,254,853 sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: Zambezi (1,332,412 sq km)" }, "Major aquifers": { "text": "Congo Basin" }, "Total water withdrawal": { "municipal": { "text": "460 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "industrial": { "text": "150 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "agricultural": { "text": "70 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" } }, "Total renewable water resources": { "text": "1.29 trillion cubic meters (2020 est.)" } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "Democratic Republic of the Congo" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "DRC" }, "local long form": { "text": "République démocratique du Congo" }, "local short form": { "text": "RDC" }, "former": { "text": "Congo Free State, Belgian Congo, Congo/Leopoldville, Congo/Kinshasa, Zaire" }, "abbreviation": { "text": "DRC (or DROC)" }, "etymology": { "text": "named for the Congo River, most of which lies within the DRC; the river name derives from Kongo, a Bantu kingdom in the area " } }, "Government type": { "text": "semi-presidential republic" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "Kinshasa" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "4 19 S, 15 18 E" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "time zone note": { "text": "the DRC has two time zones" }, "etymology": { "text": "founded as a trading post in 1881 and named Leopoldville in honor of King LEOPOLD II of the Belgians, who controlled the Congo Free State, the vast central African territory that became the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1960; in 1966, Leopoldville was renamed Kinshasa, after a village of that name that once stood near the site" } }, "Administrative divisions": { "text": "26 provinces (provinces, singular - province); Bas-Uele (Lower Uele), Equateur, Haut-Katanga (Upper Katanga), Haut-Lomami (Upper Lomami), Haut-Uele (Upper Uele), Ituri, Kasai, Kasai-Central, Kasai-Oriental (East Kasai), Kinshasa, Kongo Central, Kwango, Kwilu, Lomami, Lualaba, Mai-Ndombe, Maniema, Mongala, Nord-Kivu (North Kivu), Nord-Ubangi (North Ubangi), Sankuru, Sud-Kivu (South Kivu), Sud-Ubangi (South Ubangi), Tanganyika, Tshopo, Tshuapa" }, "Independence": { "text": "30 June 1960 (from Belgium)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Independence Day, 30 June (1960)" }, "Legal system": { "text": "civil law system primarily based on Belgian law, but also customary and tribal law" }, "Constitution": { "history": { "text": "several previous; latest adopted 13 May 2005, approved by referendum 18-19 December 2005, promulgated 18 February 2006" }, "amendment process": { "text": "proposed by the president of the republic, by the government, by either house of Parliament, or by public petition; agreement on the substance of a proposed bill requires absolute majority vote in both houses; passage requires a referendum only if both houses in joint meeting fail to achieve three-fifths majority vote; constitutional articles, including the form of government, universal suffrage, judicial independence, political pluralism, and personal freedoms, cannot be amended" } }, "International law organization participation": { "text": "accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction" }, "Citizenship": { "citizenship by birth": { "text": "no" }, "citizenship by descent only": { "text": "at least one parent must be a citizen of the Democratic Republic of the Congo" }, "dual citizenship recognized": { "text": "no" }, "residency requirement for naturalization": { "text": "5 years" } }, "Suffrage": { "text": "18 years of age; universal and compulsory" }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { "text": "President Felix TSHISEKEDI (since 20 January 2024)" }, "head of government": { "text": "Prime Minister Judith SUMINWA Tuluka (since 29 May 2024)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Ministers of State appointed by the president" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "president directly elected by simple majority vote for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 20 December 2023 (next to be held on 20 December 2028); prime minister appointed by the president" }, "election results": { "text": "
2023: Felix TSHISEKEDI reelected president; percent of vote - Felix TSHISEKEDI (UDPS) 73.3%, Moise KATUMBI (Ensemble) 18.8%, Martin FAYULU (ECIDE) 5.3%, other 2.6%

2018: Felix TSHISEKEDI elected president; percent of vote - Felix TSHISEKEDI (UDPS) 38.6%, Martin FAYULU (Lamuka coalition) 34.8%, Emmanuel Ramazani SHADARY (PPRD) 23.9%, other 2.7%; note - election marred by serious voting irregularities" } }, "Legislative branch": { "legislature name": { "text": "Parlement (Parliament)" }, "legislative structure": { "text": "bicameral" } }, "Legislative branch - lower chamber": { "chamber name": { "text": "National Assembly (Assemblée nationale)" }, "number of seats": { "text": "500 (all directly elected)" }, "electoral system": { "text": "mixed system" }, "scope of elections": { "text": "full renewal" }, "term in office": { "text": "5 years" }, "most recent election date": { "text": "12/20/2023" }, "parties elected and seats per party": { "text": "Union for Democracy and Social Progress/TSHISEKEDI (UDPS/TSHISEKEDI) (69); Action of Allies and Union for the Congolese Nation (A/A-UNC) (35); Alliance of Democratic Forces of Congo and Allies (AFDC-A) (35); Act and Build (AB) (26); Other (312)" }, "percentage of women in chamber": { "text": "13%" }, "expected date of next election": { "text": "December 2028" } }, "Legislative branch - upper chamber": { "chamber name": { "text": "Senate (Sénat)" }, "number of seats": { "text": "109 (all indirectly elected)" }, "scope of elections": { "text": "full renewal" }, "term in office": { "text": "5 years" }, "most recent election date": { "text": "4/29/2024 to 5/26/2024" }, "percentage of women in chamber": { "text": "15.8%" }, "expected date of next election": { "text": "April 2029" } }, "Judicial branch": { "highest court(s)": { "text": "Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of 26 justices and organized into legislative and judiciary sections); Constitutional Court (consists of 9 judges)" }, "judge selection and term of office": { "text": "Court of Cassation judges nominated by the Judicial Service Council, an independent body of public prosecutors and selected judges of the lower courts; judge tenure NA; Constitutional Court judges - 3 nominated by the president, 3 by the Judicial Service Council, and 3 by the legislature; judges appointed by the president to serve 9-year non-renewable terms with one third of the membership renewed every 3 years" }, "subordinate courts": { "text": "State Security Court; Court of Appeals (organized into administrative and judiciary sections); Tribunal de Grande Instance; magistrates' courts; customary courts" } }, "Political parties": { "text": "Christian Democrat Party or PDC 
Congolese Rally for Democracy or RCD 
Convention of Christian Democrats or CDC 
Engagement for Citizenship and Development or ECIDE 
Forces of Renewal or FR 
Movement for the Liberation of the Congo or MLC 
Nouvel Elan 
Our Congo or CNB (\"Congo Na Biso\") 
People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy or PPRD 
Social Movement for Renewal or MSR 
Together for Change (\"Ensemble\") 
Unified Lumumbist Party or PALU
Union for the Congolese Nation or UNC 
Union for Democracy and Social Progress or UDPS" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ACP, AfDB, AU, CEMAC, CEPGL, COMESA, EAC, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LCBC (observer), MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Michael SHAKU YUMI (since 1 August 2024)" }, "chancery": { "text": "1100 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20036" }, "telephone": { "text": "[1] (202) 234-7690" }, "FAX": { "text": "[1] (202) 234-2609" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
ambassade@ambardcusa.org

https://www.ambardcusa.org/" }, "representative office": { "text": "New York" } }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador Lucy TAMLYN (since 6 February 2023)" }, "embassy": { "text": "310 Avenue des Aviateurs, Kinshasa, Gombe" }, "mailing address": { "text": "2220 Kinshasa Place, Washington DC  20521-2220" }, "telephone": { "text": "[243] 081 556-0151" }, "FAX": { "text": "[243] 81 556-0175" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
ACSKinshasa@state.gov

https://cd.usembassy.gov/" } }, "Flag description": { "text": "sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner; blue represents peace and hope, red the blood of the country's martyrs, and yellow the country's wealth and prosperity; the star symbolizes unity and the brilliant future for the country" }, "National symbol(s)": { "text": "leopard; national colors: sky blue, red, yellow" }, "National anthem": { "name": { "text": "\"Debout Congolaise\" (Arise Congolese)" }, "lyrics/music": { "text": "Joseph LUTUMBA/Simon-Pierre BOKA di Mpasi Londi" }, "note": "note: adopted 1960; replaced when the country was known as Zaire; but readopted in 1997" }, "National heritage": { "total World Heritage Sites": { "text": "5 (all natural)" }, "selected World Heritage Site locales": { "text": "Garamba National Park; Kahuzi-Biega National Park; Okapi Wildlife Reserve; Salonga National Park; Virunga National Park" } } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "very poor, large, natural resource-rich sub-Saharan country; possesses the world’s second largest rainforest; increasing Chinese extractive sector trade; massive decrease in government investments; increasing current account deficit and public debts" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023": { "text": "$154.012 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022": { "text": "$141.867 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": { "text": "$130.244 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2023": { "text": "8.56% (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2022": { "text": "8.92% (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2021": { "text": "6.2% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency" }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2023": { "text": "$1,500 (2023 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2022": { "text": "$1,400 (2022 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2021": { "text": "$1,300 (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: data in 2021 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$66.383 billion (2023 est.)", "note": "note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017": { "text": "41.5% (2017 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016": { "text": "2.89% (2016 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2015": { "text": "0.74% (2015 est.)" }, "note": "note: annual % change based on consumer prices" }, "Credit ratings": { "Moody's rating": { "text": "Caa1 (2019)" }, "Standard & Poors rating": { "text": "CCC+ (2017)" }, "note": "note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained." }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "17.4% (2023 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "46.5% (2023 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "33.5% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data" }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "62.7% (2023 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "7.9% (2023 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "31.7% (2023 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "0.4% (2023 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "44.2% (2023 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-47% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection" }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "cassava, plantains, sugarcane, maize, oil palm fruit, rice, root vegetables, bananas, sweet potatoes, groundnuts (2023)", "note": "note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage" }, "Industries": { "text": "mining (copper, cobalt, gold, diamonds, coltan, zinc, tin, tungsten), mineral processing, consumer products (textiles, plastics, footwear, cigarettes), metal products, processed foods and beverages, timber, cement, commercial ship repair" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "14.56% (2023 est.)", "note": "note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency" }, "Labor force": { "text": "37.514 million (2023 est.)", "note": "note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work" }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2023": { "text": "4.54% (2023 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2022": { "text": "4.59% (2022 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2021": { "text": "5.27% (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force seeking employment" }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "8.6% (2023 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "10.9% (2023 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "6.7% (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment" }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "63% (2014 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2020": { "text": "44.7 (2020 est.)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "2.1% (2020 est.)" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "35.7% (2020 est.)" } }, "Remittances": { "Remittances 2023": { "text": "4.97% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Remittances 2022": { "text": "4.96% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Remittances 2021": { "text": "2.44% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities" }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "$7.524 billion (2021 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "$5.109 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: central government revenues and expenses (excluding grants/extrabudgetary units/social security funds) converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2022": { "text": "15.99% of GDP (2022 est.)" } }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "11.41% (of GDP) (2022 est.)" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2023": { "text": "-$3.883 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2022": { "text": "-$3.148 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2021": { "text": "-$587.407 million (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars" }, "Exports": { "Exports 2023": { "text": "$29.65 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Exports 2022": { "text": "$28.753 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Exports 2021": { "text": "$22.354 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "China 69%, UAE 7%, India 3%, Spain 3%, Egypt 3% (2023)", "note": "note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "refined copper, cobalt, copper ore, raw copper, crude petroleum (2023)", "note": "note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2023": { "text": "$33.68 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Imports 2022": { "text": "$31.699 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Imports 2021": { "text": "$22.193 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars" }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "China 35%, Zambia 12%, South Africa 12%, India 5%, Belgium 4% (2023)", "note": "note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "trucks, refined petroleum, stone processing machines, plastic products, sulphur (2023)", "note": "note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023": { "text": "$5.104 billion (2023 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022": { "text": "$4.378 billion (2022 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021": { "text": "$3.467 billion (2021 est.)" }, "note": "note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars" }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 2023": { "text": "$8.566 billion (2023 est.)" }, "note": "note: present value of external debt in current US dollars" }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "Congolese francs (CDF) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2023": { "text": "2,340.036 (2023 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2022": { "text": "2,006.708 (2022 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2021": { "text": "1,989.391 (2021 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "1,851.122 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "1,647.76 (2019 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "21.5% (2022 est.)" }, "electrification - urban areas": { "text": "45.3%" }, "electrification - rural areas": { "text": "1%" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "3.229 million kW (2023 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "16.069 billion kWh (2023 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "62 million kWh (2023 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "1.473 billion kWh (2023 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "1.242 billion kWh (2023 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "solar": { "text": "13.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "86% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" }, "biomass and waste": { "text": "0.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)" } }, "Coal": { "consumption": { "text": "304,000 metric tons (2023 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "304,000 metric tons (2023 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "987.999 million metric tons (2023 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "total petroleum production": { "text": "19,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)" }, "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "35,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)" }, "crude oil estimated reserves": { "text": "180 million barrels (2021 est.)" } }, "Natural gas": { "production": { "text": "380,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "380,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "991.09 million cubic meters (2021 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "5.883 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" }, "from coal and metallurgical coke": { "text": "731,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "5.152 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)" } }, "Energy consumption per capita": { "Total energy consumption per capita 2023": { "text": "1.305 million Btu/person (2023 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "0 (2021 est.) less than 1" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "(2022 est.) less than 1" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "49.8 million (2022 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "50 (2022 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "the telecom system remains one of the least developed in the region; the government can only loosely regulate the sector; the investment made in infrastructure is derived from donor countries or from the efforts of foreign (particularly Chinese) companies and banks; efforts have been made to improve the regulation of the telecom sector; the limited fixed-line infrastructure has become the principal providers of basic telecom services; the development of the DRC’s internet and broadband market has been held back by the poorly developed national and international infrastructure; the country was finally connected to international bandwidth through the WACS submarine cable in 2013; breakages in the WACS cable have exposed the vulnerability of international bandwidth, which is still limited; the Equiano submarine cable, and has also completed a 5,000km cable running through the DRC to link to cable systems landing in countries facing the Atlantic and Indian Oceans; the first commercial LTE networks were launched in May 2018 soon after LTE licenses were issued; mobile operators are keen to develop mobile data services, capitalizing on the growth of smartphones usage; there has been some progress with updating technologies, most of the GSM network has been upgraded to 3G by 2021 (2022)" }, "domestic": { "text": "inadequate fixed-line infrastructure with fixed-line connections less than 1 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular subscriptions over 49 per 100 persons (2021)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 243; ACE and WACS submarine cables to West and South Africa and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)" } }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "state-owned TV broadcast station with near national coverage; more than a dozen privately owned TV stations - 2 with near national coverage; 2 state-owned radio stations are supplemented by more than 100 private radio stations; transmissions of at least 2 international broadcasters are available" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".cd" }, "Internet users": { "percent of population": { "text": "27% (2022 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "33,000 (2022 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "(2022 est.) less than 1" } } }, "Transportation": { "National air transport system": { "number of registered air carriers": { "text": "8 (2020)" }, "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": { "text": "13" }, "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "932,043 (2018)" }, "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "890,000 (2018) mt-km" } }, "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "9Q" }, "Airports": { "text": "273 (2025)" }, "Heliports": { "text": "1 (2025)" }, "Pipelines": { "text": "62 km gas, 77 km oil, 756 km refined products (2013)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "4,007 km (2014)" }, "narrow gauge": { "text": "3,882 km (2014) 1.067-m gauge (858 km electrified)" }, "note": "125 1.000-mm gauge" }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "152,373 km" }, "paved": { "text": "3,047 km" }, "unpaved": { "text": "149,326 km" }, "urban": { "text": "7,400 km" }, "non-urban": { "text": "144,973 km (2015)" } }, "Waterways": { "text": "15,000 km (2011) (including the Congo River, its tributaries, and unconnected lakes)" }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "24 (2023)" }, "by type": { "text": "general cargo 5, oil tanker 2, other 17" } }, "Ports": { "total ports": { "text": "3 (2024)" }, "large": { "text": "0" }, "medium": { "text": "0" }, "small": { "text": "2" }, "very small": { "text": "1" }, "ports with oil terminals": { "text": "2" }, "key ports": { "text": "Banana, Boma, Matadi" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Forces d'Armees de la Republique Democratique du Congo, FARDC): Land Forces (Forces Terrestres), National Navy (La Marine Nationale), Congolese Air Force (Force Aerienne Congolaise, FAC); Republican Guard (Garde Républicaine, GR)

Ministry of Interior: Congolese National Police (Police Nationale Congolaise, PNC) (2025)", "note": "note: the Republican Guard is a military unit under the direct control of the president" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2023": { "text": "1.2% of GDP (2023 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2022": { "text": "0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2021": { "text": "0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2020": { "text": "0.7% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2019": { "text": "0.9% of GDP (2019 est.)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "limited and varied information; estimated 100-150,000 active troops, including approximately 10,000 Republican Guard (2024)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the FARDC is equipped mostly with Soviet-era and older French weapons and equipment; in 2024, the DRC signed an agreement with China for the provision of military equipment (2024)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-35 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 18-45 years of age for compulsory military service for men; it is unclear how much conscription is used (2024)", "note": "note: in eastern Congo, fighters from armed groups, including some associated with government security forces, have been accused of forced recruitment of child soldiers" }, "Military - note": { "text": "

the FARDC’s primary focus is internal security and conducting operations against rebels and other illegal armed groups (IOGs); while it is large on paper, the FARDC is widely assessed to suffer from insufficient training, low equipment readiness, poor morale and leadership, ill-discipline, and widespread corruption; it was created out of the armed factions of the Congo wars that ended in 2003, incorporating various militia, paramilitary, and rebel formations; the DRC’s most effective military force, the Republican Guard, is overseen by the office of the presidency rather than the FARDC and focuses largely on protecting the president and government institutions and enforcing internal security

the FARDC is actively conducting operations against a variety of IOGs operating in the DRC, particularly in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, where more than 15 significant and cohesive IOGs operate; there is also IOG-related violence in Maniema, Kasai, Kasai Central, and Tanganyika provinces; some estimates place over 100 IOGs operating in the country, including organized militias, such as the Nduma Defense of Congo-Renewal (NDC-R), which controls a large portion of North Kivu; Mai Mai groups (local militias that operate variously as self-defense networks and criminal rackets); and foreign-origin groups seeking safe haven and resources, such as the Ugandan-origin Allied Democratic Forces (ADF; aka Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham in the DRC), the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), multiple groups originating from Burundi, the Lords Resistance Army (LRA), and the March 23 Movement (aka M23 or Congolese Revolutionary Army), which the DRC has accused Rwanda of backing; the FARDC has been accused of collaborating with some IOGs, such as the NDC-R

the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) has operated in the central and eastern parts of the country since 1999; as of late 2024, MONUSCO was authorized around 14,000 personnel, and its mandate had been extended to the end of 2025; MONUSCO includes a Force Intervention Brigade (FIB; three infantry battalions, plus artillery and special forces), the first ever UN peacekeeping force specifically tasked to carry out targeted offensive operations to neutralize and disarm groups considered a threat to state authority and civilian security (2024)" } }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { "text": "Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham – Democratic Republic of the Congo (ISIS-DRC)", "note": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { "text": "208,328 (Rwanda), 53,297 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 49,836 (Burundi) (2023); 212,211 (Central African Republic) (2024)" }, "IDPs": { "text": "6.38 million (fighting between government forces and rebels since mid-1990s; conflict in Kasai region since 2016) (2023)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "

country of origin of methamphetamine destined for overseas markets;

" } } }