The Democratic Republic of Congo is totally a different destination. This country hosts three of the four known species of the gorillas;
- the Mountain Gorillas in Virunga National Park
- the Eastern Lowland Gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park and Maiko National Park
- the western lowland gorillas
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, commonly referred to as DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa or the DRC, is a country located in central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world. With a population of over 71 million, the Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic is the nineteenth most populous nation in the world, the fourth most populous nation in Africa, as well as the most populous officially Francophone country.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the few tourist destinations that host the endangered gorillas. The country has a thriving population of the mountain gorillas in Virunga national park, the Eastern lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park and the Maiko national park as well as the western lowland gorillas in the west of the country.
For those who love adventure Congo gorilla tours are the most popular holidays that you can take in the East of the country. These trips can start from Kigali City of Rwanda or Kisoro Town of Uganda.
Location
It borders the Central African Republic and South Sudan to the north; Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi in the east; Zambia and Angola to the south; the Republic of the Congo Democratic, the Angolan enclave of Cabinda, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west; and is separated from Tanzania by Lake Tanganyika in the east. The country has access to the ocean through a 40-kilometre (25 mi) stretch of Atlantic coastline at Muanda and the roughly 9 km wide mouth of the Congo Democratic River which opens into the Gulf of Guinea. It has the second-highest total Christian population in Africa.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic was formerly, in chronological order, the Congo Democratic Free State, Belgian Congo Democratic, Congo Democratic-Léopoldville, Congo Democratic-Kinshasa, and Zaire (Zaïre in French). These former names are sometimes referred to as unofficial names, with the exception of Mobutu’s discredited Zaire, along with various abbreviations such as DR Congo Democratic and DRC. Though it is located in the Central African UN subregion, the nation is also economically and regionally affiliated with Southern Africa as a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Congo Democratic Country Information:
Capital (and largest city) Kinshasa
4°19′S 15°19′E
Official languages French
Recognized national languages
Lingala
Kikongo
Swahili
Tshiluba
Ethnic groups
Demonym Congo Democraticlese
Government Semi-presidential republic
– President Joseph Kabila
– Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo
Legislature Parliament
– Upper house Senate
– Lower house National Assembly
Independence
– from Belgium 30 June 1960
Area
– Total 2,345,409 km2 (11th)
905,355 sq mi
– Water (%) 4.3
Population
– 2011 estimate 71,712,867 (19th)
– Density 29.3/km2 (182nd)
75.9/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2011 estimate
– Total $25.262 billion
– Per capita $348
GDP (nominal) 2011 estimate
– Total $15.668 billion
– Per capita $216
HDI (2011) Increase 0.286 (low) (187tha)
Currency Congo Democraticlese franc (CDF)
Time zone WAT and CAT (UTC+1 to +2)
– Summer (DST) not observed (UTC+1 to +2)
Drives on the right
Calling code +243
ISO 3166 code CD
Internet TLD .cd
Concerns
Intense poaching for the meat industry to prosper as well as land invasions were recently on peak, but now are under control.