Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

At a glance Land People Economy Achievements and challenges Links with Australia   DRC at a glance Did you know? Africa's dense tropical forests and 6 percent of the planet's forests are in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Region Africa Population 70,916,439(2009 estimate) Land Geography:  large river basin in the west; low-lying plateau in north and centre; mountains in east Climate:  tropical People Religion: Christian 80%, Muslim 10%, other (including indigenous beliefs) 10% Language: French (Official); Lingala (most commonly spoken) , Kingwana, Kikongo, Tshiluba and local languages Economy GDP per person (PPP): $300 (2009 estimate) GDP by sector: Agriculture: 55%, Industry: 11%, Services:34% Government Republic Land Physical geography With an area of 2,345,410 square kilometres the Democratic Republic of Congo is slightly smaller than Western Australia (2 529 875 square kilometres). Just under half of the total area is in the Congo River basin. It has access to the Atlantic Ocean through a narrow strip of land on the north bank of the Congo River. The north central Congo is a vast, low-lying (about 300 metres) plateau sloping toward the west. This area is surrounded by mountainous terraces in the west, plateaus merging into savannas in the south and south-west, dense grasslands in the north and high mountains in the east, including the highest point Margherita Peak (5,109 metres). Lakes Albert, Edward, Kivu, Tanganyika and Mweru are along the eastern border. Climate The Democratic Republic of Congo lies on the equator, the climate is hot and humid in the river basin and cool and dry in the southern highlands. South of the equator, the rainy season lasts from October to May and in the north from April to November. Along the equator, rainfall is fairly regular throughout the year. During the wet season, thunderstorms often are violent but seldom last more than a few hours. The average annual rainfall is about 1237 millimetres. Environment Rainforests in the central and northern regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo occupy more than half of the country’s total area. They are home to a great diversity of flora and fauna, including chimpanzee, gorilla, okapi and white rhinoceros. Civil war and economic instability have meant sustainable development and protection of the forests is difficult. Reliance on charcoal for cooking is a serious source of deforestation around Kinshasa and along the borders in refugee camps. People  Two thirds of the population live on one-quarter of the land area. The major cities are Kinshasa (6,789,900), Lubumbashi (1,138,000), Mbuji-Mayi (1,091,800), Kolwezi (832,400), and Kisangani (557,800). The most densely populated area is along the eastern border north of Lake Tanganyika because of its rich soils and reliable rainfall. There are settlements of refugees and displaced people along the eastern, north-eastern and western borders. People Culture and identity There is a rich cultural diversity with over 200 ethnic groups. The four largest tribes - Mongo, Luba, Kongo, and the Mangbetu-Azande make up about 45% of the population. Although 700 local languages and dialects are spoken the official French and the intermediary languages Kikongo, Tshiluba, Swahili (in the east) and Lingala (in the west) form the languages of trade and communication.  Woven flax bags, relief copper work and wooden and stone sculptures are some of the main art forms. Health Poverty and unrest contribute to difficulty in obtaining reliable data. The estimated life expectancy at birth varies from 48 – 55 years and infant mortality rate varies from 79 –129 per 1000 live births. Access to safe water is 46% and sanitation is 31%. Prevalent diseases include malaria, trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), onchocerciasis (river blindness), schistosomiasis, measles, diarrhoeal diseases, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis and leprosy. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has spread rapidly with 1.8% – 4.9% of the population being affected depending on the region. Malnutrition is widespread, with more than a third of children under five malnourished. Religion and beliefs About 80% of the Congolese population is Christian, predominantly Roman Catholic. About 3 million are adherents of an indigenous Christian church known as Kimbanguism. About 10% of the population are Muslims and many people follow traditional religions which vary widely and may include concepts such as monotheism, animism, spirit and ancestor worship and sorcery. Food and shelter The main staple is cassava which is pounded to make flour and mixed with palm oil and corn to make cassava bread. The bread is eaten with side dishes of vegetables with small portions of chicken, beef, pork or goat. It is eaten by hand in a communal fashion with everyone sharing from the same bowl. The palm tree provides oil and a refreshing drink. Palm oil is made from palm nuts, harvested by climbing high up in palm trees and then boiling and pounding them to release the oil. Palm wine is made by collecting juice from holes made in the base of the male palm-flower in gourds hanging from the palm fronds.  Economy Wealth and poverty After over twenty years of economic decline and long-term civil conflict, this country of immense natural resources, is slowly recovering. In 2010 the DRC government signed a poverty reduction strategy with the International Monetary Fund. Corruption and lack of government transparency remain issues for the country’s economy. Wealth is unevenly distributed. The poorest 10% hold only 2.3% of the wealth whilst the richest 10% hold 34.7%. Education and work Only 48% of eligible students attend school. Boys greatly outnumbered girls at all levels of education. The wealthy send their children abroad to be educated, mainly in western Europe. The adult literacy rate is just over 67% (81% of males and 54% of females). Agriculture dominates the economy and the majority of Congolese earn their living from subsistence farming. Others are employed in the informal sector, including occupations such as tailoring, shoe repairs, housing construction, taxi and bus services, soft-drink vending, masonry work, petty retailing and crafts. Industries and products The principal food crops are cassava, yams, corn, rice, peanuts, plantains and pulses. Rubber, coffee, cotton, tea, sugarcane and palm products are produced commercially for export. Mining and minerals processing are the biggest industries, with diamonds, copper, cobalt and zinc the main products. Other industries include cement and consumer products such as clothing and footwear, cigarettes, processed foods and beverages. The Democratic Republic of Congo’s natural resources have vast potential for development, including forestry, hydroelectricity, mining and offshore petroleum production.                              Trade The country produces much of the world's small industrial diamonds. Other export earnings come almost entirely from sales of commodities such as copper, petroleum, cobalt, coffee, palm products and rubber, which are vulnerable to sudden changes in world prices. The main export countries are China (46.8%), US (15.4%), Belgium (10.7%), Zambia (5.8%) and Finland (4.4%). Although DRC was self sufficient in food production before independence it is now dependent on food imports. Other imports are consumer goods, machinery, transport equipment, and foodstuffs. Import partners are South Africa (18.2%), Belgium (10%), China (8.3%), Zambia (7.8%), France (7.3%), Zimbabwe (6.5%), Kenya (5.5%), Netherlands (4.1%) and (Italy 4%). Achievements and challenges Since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960 DRC has experienced great levels of instability and internal conflict. Great progress has been made in securing the peace process and developing a more stable economic and political situation but years of disruption mean there is still a long way to go. UN peacekeepers are still needed to promote greater stability. Natural disasters which affect DRC include droughts in the south, seasonal flooding of the Congo River and volcanoes in the east. Environmental problems include land and water degradation from mining, water pollution and deforestation. Poaching also poses a threat to wildlife populations. Temporary settlements of refugees and displaced people also have a significant impact on the environment surrounding them. Links with Australia Australia’s aid and trade links with DRC are small-scale and linked with humanitarian responses to emergencies. Assistance is channelled through international organisations and NGOs with well-established expertise in Africa. Aid focuses on humanitarian assistance, the protection of women and children in displaced persons camps, maternal and child nutrition and supporting women’s farmers groups. In 2009 Australia established a diplomatic relationship with the government of the DRC. Main sources: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html http://hdr.undp.org/ http://www.dfat.gov.au/ http://www.ausaid.gov.au/

Useful website:www.cbc.ca/webone/congo/