Source: Länderdaten.de
Semi-presidential republic
Local name: République Démocratique du Congo
Region: Central Africa
Area: 2,344,860 km
Capital: Kinshasa

Geography

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country in the centre of Central Africa with only narrow access to the Atlantic Ocean. The country has an area of 2,344,860 km² and a total coastline of 37 km. This land mass is approximately 6.6 times the size of Germany. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is thus the second largest country in Africa after Algeria and the eleventh largest country in the world. Just under half of the population (47%) lives in urban areas.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo lies at an average altitude of 726 metres above sea level. The highest mountain peak (Margherita Peak in the Ruwenzori Mountains) is 5,109 metres high. The country shares borders with nine neighbouring countries: Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. The distance between Berlin and the capital Kinshasa is approximately 6,330 km.

Current situation:

The conflict with neighbouring Rwanda is currently escalating again. It appears that the former colonial powers (Belgium and France) from the 18th century have turned their attention to neighbouring Rwanda. This will make a peace plan rather difficult, as the conflict has been smouldering since 1800. Here, Africans are being manipulated and exploited by European corporations. [DRC – Ruanda > Rare earths]