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@Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Introduction Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Background:
Established as a Belgian colony in 1908, the Republic of the Congo
gained its independence in 1960, but its early years were marred by
political and social instability. Col. Joseph MOBUTU seized power
and declared himself president in a November 1965 coup. He
subsequently changed his name - to MOBUTU Sese Seko - as well as
that of the country - to Zaire. MOBUTU retained his position for 32
years through several subsequent sham elections as well as through
the use of brutal force. Ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by
a massive inflow of refugees in 1994 from fighting in Rwanda and
Burundi, led in May 1997 to the toppling of the MOBUTU regime by a
rebellion led by Laurent KABILA. He renamed the country the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC), but in August 1998 his
regime was itself challenged by an insurrection backed by Rwanda and
Uganda. Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan
intervened to support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed
in July 1999 by the DROC, Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda,
and Congolese armed rebel groups, but sporadic fighting continued.
Laurent KABILA was assassinated in January 2001 and his son Joseph
KABILA was named head of state. In October 2002, the new president
was successful in negotiating the withdrawal of Rwandan forces
occupying eastern Congo; two months later, the Pretoria Accord was
signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and
establish a government of national unity. A transitional government
was set up in July 2003; Joseph KABILA remains as president and is
joined by four vice presidents representing the former government,
former rebel groups, and the political opposition.
Geography Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Location:
Central Africa, northeast of Angola
Geographic coordinates:
0 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 2,345,410 sq km
land: 2,267,600 sq km
water: 77,810 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US