The Democratic Republic of Congo also known as the DRC is one of those countries that I personally can’t wait to stabilise. The country by far is one of the richest countries in the world resource-wise with beautiful woodlands and nature. It’s also one of the only countries in the world to be classified as ‘megadiverse‘! The country is situated in central Africa. Its neighbouring countries are the Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zambia and Angola. The capital of the DRC is Kinshasa and the currency used is the Congolese franc (CDF).
Fun Fact! Kinshasa is the second-largest French-speaking city in the world!
If you’d like to know more interesting facts about this African country, click here.
So, lets break this country up into PARTS.
People
As the DRC is the second largest country in Africa it is no surprise how diverse the different people groups are. There are 200 different ethnic groups with over 250 different languages spoken throughout the country. The official languages are French and Lingala with languages like Swahili also commonly spoken.
Attractions
The country has the second-largest rainforest in the world, so it is no small statement when I say the wildlife in this country is unlike no other. Virungu national park is the oldest national park in Africa home to lions, elephants and gorillas. Other national parks in the country are; Kahuzi-Biega national park, Garamba national park and Mount Kahuzi.
The DRC also has many active volcanoes, so for those adventure seekers climbing up Mt Nyiragongo or Mikeno volcano might be right up your trail.
Rituals and Culture
The majority of the Congolese population are Roman Catholic and protestant.
Some local congolease dishes include: Mossaka (chicken roasted in a palm nut sauce served with rice), fufu (pounded and doughed cassava typically served with a stew) and palm wine
Tips
The country is very unstable at the moment so please check more travel advice check out; FCO: Travel Advice
Outside of the UK: Please check your government’s travel advice carefully